What is the scope of a degree in history?

History professionals typically find lucrative job opportunities in both the public and private sectors.

Which countries are popular for studying history-related courses?

The USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan, Sweden, and the Netherlands are some of the popular countries for studying history-related courses.

Which country pays the highest salaries to historians?

As per the salary statistics by Indeed, Australia pays the highest salaries to historians, with an average salary of 74,686 USD/year, which is more than the USA and UK.*Note: All prices mentioned in the USD are for reference only. Exchange rates may vary from time to time and from country to country.

Best Global Universities for History in 2022-2023

Best History Universities and Programs in the World

About History

History is a branch of social science that studies and documents past events relating to a specific person or time period. It is an academic subject that is taught throughout primary and secondary schools to gain an understanding of all the events and processes of the past that have contributed to the making of the present society. The experts in this field called historians specialize in the knowledge of the past using historical sources such as written documents, art, and material artifacts.

Students that are interested in understanding historical events and can devote years to learning and researching should consider this profession as a viable career option. This article is a valuable resource for anyone interested in pursuing a career in history; it also includes a list of the world’s best history universities to assist students in selecting the best of the best.

Duties of Historians

Historians gather information from a range of sources, including government records, photographs, newspapers, books, interviews, videos, etc. They even collect information from primary source documents and unpublished manuscripts such as personal diaries, letters, and other. Historians often do the following duties, though their work varies depending on their specialization:

Collect historical information from a variety of sources, such as newspapers, books, and artifacts
Determine the legitimacy and value of historical data by analyzing and interpreting it
Conserve materials and objects in museums, visitor centers, and historic sites
Provide historical advice and recommendations on how to preserve historical artifacts
Use educational activities and seminars to engage the audience
Supervise and train assistant and junior historians
Stay updated with the latest happenings in the field
Produce their findings in the form of reports, articles, and books

Popular degrees for pursuing a career in History

A bachelor’s degree in history is the first of the several educations paths to enter the field of history. Since history is a highly competitive field, especially for government job levels, a bachelor’s degree is not enough. Students should also consider doing a specialization in the field to gain a master’s degree and a doctoral degree.

Best History bachelor’s programs

Bachelor in History
Bachelor in Italian Medieval and Renaissance Studies
B.A. in History and Sociology
B.A. in History and American Studies
Bachelors in International History
Bachelors in Egyptology
B.A. in Historical Studies

Best History master’s programs

M.A. in History
Master in History with a specialisation in Global History and International Relations
MA in Modern History and International Relations
Master of Science in Ancient, Medieval and Renaissance Studies
MA Modern German and European Studies
Master of Arts in History and Culture
Master in in Environment, Heritage and Policy

Best History Ph.D. programs

Ph.D. in History
Ph.D. in Art, Cultural and Intellectual History
Ph.D. in Economic and Social History
Ph.D. in History and Theory of Arts
Ph.D. in Philosophy and History of Science

Specializations in History

National and local governments attract a lot of history graduates, particularly for the civil services. Since the competition for jobs in national and local government is fierce, students typically obtain a master’s degree followed by a Ph.D. to improve their chances of landing a job. The following sub-fields are available for specialization in history.

Ancient history
Modern history
Applied history
History of different nations
Renaissance history
Public history
Medieval history
Women’s history
Indigenous history
Environmental history
Economic history
Political history
Social history
Art history
History of science and medicine

Duration of programs in History

In the USA and Canada, a bachelor’s degree in history can take four years, although, in the UK, Australia, and other regions, it can take three to four years. A graduate degree in history might take anything from one to two years to complete. For research and academic roles, terminal degrees such as a Ph.D. are sometimes required. A full-time Ph.D. in history or related fields usually takes three to six years to complete.

Country	Bachelor’s Degree	Master’s Degree	Doctoral Degree
USA and Canada	4 years	2 years	3-5 years
UK	3-4 years	1-2 years	3-5 years
Australia	3-4 years	1-2 years	3-6 years
Others	3-4 years	1-2 years	3-6 years

Career opportunities in History

Although there are a few students who take up a degree in history, it comes with great applicability. A history degree provides transferable skills that can be applied to a wide range of careers such as law, museum, media, journalism, teaching, librarianship, history expert, and so on. The following are some typical career options for history graduates:

Historians
Archaeologist
Museum curator
Archivists
Consultant
Professor
Academic researcher
Conservation officer
Academic librarian
Journalist
Lawyer

Average salaries for Historians

Although historians do not make a lot of money, they do make more than the average salaries. Salaries for entry-level positions like assistant and junior historians are low at first, but they grow with experience. Because employers in the field favor applicants with graduate and doctoral degrees, students should consider pursuing these specialized degrees to advance their careers.

Country	*Average salary in USD/year**
USA	69,683 (Indeed)
UK	51,448 (Indeed)
Canada	60,149 (Indeed)
Australia	74,686 (Indeed)

*Note: All prices mentioned in the USD are for reference only. Exchange rates may vary from time to time and from country to country.

Top 50 universities in the world for History based on academic rankings

QS Ranking	Shanghai Ranking	THE Ranking	University	Country	Bachelor’s Programs	Master’s Programs
2	7	1	University of Oxford	UK	Click Here	Click Here
3	2	4	Stanford University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
3	3	5	University of Cambridge	UK	Click Here	Click Here
5	1	2	Harvard University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
8	17	18	UCL	UK	Click Here	Click Here
10	10	10	University of Chicago	USA	Click Here	Click Here
13	15	13	University of Pennsylvania	USA	Click Here	Click Here
14	11	9	Yale University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
16	38	30	The University of Edinburgh	UK	Click Here	Click Here
18	45	16	Peking University	China	Click Here	Click Here
19	8	11	Columbia University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
20	6	7	Princeton University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
21	12	22	Cornell University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
22	101-150	30	The University of Hong Kong	Hong Kong	Click Here	Click Here
23	26	24	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	USA	Click Here	Click Here
23	24	35	The University of Tokyo	Japan	Click Here	Click Here
25	16	13	Johns Hopkins University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
26	22	18	University of Toronto	Canada	Click Here	Click Here
27	35	50	The University of Manchester	UK	Click Here	Click Here
27	67	44	McGill University	Canada	Click Here	Click Here
27	76	54	The Australian National University	Australia	Click Here	Click Here
32	5	8	University of California, Berkeley	USA	Click Here	Click Here
33	37	61	Kyoto University	Japan	Click Here	Click Here
35	47	35	King’s College London	UK	Click Here	Click Here
37	33	33	The University of Melbourne	Australia	Click Here	Click Here
38	69	58	The University of Sydney	Australia	Click Here	Click Here
40	14	20	University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)	USA	Click Here	Click Here
42	27	26	New York University (NYU)	USA	Click Here	Click Here
42	27	26	York University	Canada	Click Here	Click Here
46	42	37	University of British Columbia	Canada	Click Here	Click Here
47	51	54	The University of Queensland	Australia	Click Here	Click Here
49	151-200	27	The London School of Economics and Political Science	UK	Click Here	Click Here
52	32	23	Duke University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
55	101-150	65	University of Amsterdam	Netherlands	Click Here	Click Here
58	80	57	Monash University	Australia	Click Here	Click Here
61	101-150	78	The University of Warwick	UK	Click Here	Click Here
63	57	42	Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg	Germany	Click Here	Click Here
64	48	32	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München	Germany	Click Here	Click Here
70	87	42	KU Leuven	Belgium	Click Here	Click Here
72	35	88	Sorbonne University	France	Click Here	Click Here
75	31	58	University of Wisconsin-Madison	USA	Click Here	Click Here
82	301-400	162	Durham University	UK	Click Here	Click Here
87	151-200	116	Lund University	Sweden	Click Here	Click Here
91	301-400	201-250	University of St Andrews	UK	Click Here	Click Here
126	101-150	125	University of Alberta	Canada	Click Here	Click Here
127	NA	83	Freie Universitaet Berlin	Germany	Click Here	Click Here
128	NA	74	Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin	Germany	Click Here	Click Here
149	151-200	143	University of Exeter	UK	Click Here	Click Here
204	NA	119	University of Göttingen	Germany	Click Here	Click Here
240	201-300	251-300	Queen’s University at Kingston	Canada	Click Here	Click Here

Top universities in the USA for History

As per the US Bureau of National Statistics the job outlook for historians in the USA is expected to grow at the rate of five percent from 2020 to 2030 making it a good career to study in the USA. Many top universities in the USA offer bachelor’s, master’s, as well as doctoral programs in history. The undergraduate history programs in the USA last four years, while graduate history programs in the USA last one to two years. The table below offers a list of the top history schools in the USA, as ranked by ranking agencies, as well as the bachelor’s and master’s programs in history they offer.

QS Ranking	Shanghai Ranking	THE Ranking	University	Country	Bachelor’s Programs	Master’s Programs
3	2	4	Stanford University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
5	1	2	Harvard University	USA	Click Here	Click Here
10	10	10	University of Chicago	USA	Click Here	Click Here
13	15	13	University of Pennsylvania	USA	Click Here	Click Here
14	11	9	Yale University	USA	Click Here	Click Here

Top universities in the UK for History

Many aspiring history professionals and those in related fields choose to study in the UK at some of the world’s most prestigious institutions, such as the University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, UCL, and so on. The universities in the UK are well known to offer a wide range of master’s specializations in history. The UK universities also offer bachelor’s degrees in history and relevant fields.

QS Ranking	Shanghai Ranking	THE Ranking	University	Country	Bachelor’s Programs	Master’s Programs
2	7	1	University of Oxford	UK	Click Here	Click Here
3	3	5	University of Cambridge	UK	Click Here	Click Here
8	17	18	UCL	UK	Click Here	Click Here
16	38	30	The University of Edinburgh	UK	Click Here	Click Here
27	35	50	The University of Manchester	UK	Click Here	Click Here

Top universities in Canada for History

Canadian institutions are well-known for providing fully-funded scholarships that can cover the cost of a student’s entire education. Therefore, Canada is the best place to study, especially for international students. Students can apply for scholarships at the University of Toronto, McGill University, the University of British Columbia, the University of Alberta, and other institutions that offer specialized master’s degree programs in history. They also offer several options for those interested in pursuing bachelor’s degrees in history.

QS Ranking	Shanghai Ranking	THE Ranking	University	Country	Bachelor’s Programs	Master’s Programs
26	22	18	University of Toronto	Canada	Click Here	Click Here
27	67	44	McGill University	Canada	Click Here	Click Here
42	27	26	York University	Canada	Click Here	Click Here
46	42	37	University of British Columbia	Canada	Click Here	Click Here
126	101-150	125	University of Alberta	Canada	Click Here	Click Here

Top universities in Australia for History

Many international students prefer to study in Australia due to its long-standing history of welcoming international students. Also, it has one of the world’s greatest immigrant rates. The majority of master’s in history programs in Australia are focused on political, ancient, modern, and women’s history. There are B.A. and B.Sc. options available, with respect to the bachelor’s courses in history offered by Australian universities. The table below lists some of the best Australian colleges in history.

QS Ranking	Shanghai Ranking	THE Ranking	University	Country	Bachelor’s Programs	Master’s Programs
27	76	54	The Australian National University	Australia	Click Here	Click Here
37	33	33	The University of Melbourne	Australia	Click Here	Click Here
38	69	58	The University of Sydney	Australia	Click Here	Click Here
47	51	54	The University of Queensland	Australia	Click Here	Click Here
58	80	57	Monash University	Australia	Click Here	Click Here

Top universities in Germany for History

German universities are well-known for having better educational standards than the global average. As a result, students who choose to study in Germany can expect to receive an education that will benefit them in getting jobs worldwide. German universities offer varied options for specialized doctoral and master’s degrees in history. The following is a table containing a list of top universities in Germany offering the best of the best graduate and undergraduate degrees in history.

QS Ranking	Shanghai Ranking	THE Ranking	University	Country	Bachelor’s Programs	Master’s Programs
63	57	42	Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg	Germany	Click Here	Click Here
64	48	32	Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München	Germany	Click Here	Click Here
127	NA	83	Freie Universitaet Berlin	Germany	Click Here	Click Here
128	NA	74	Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin	Germany	Click Here	Click Here
204	NA	119	University of Göttingen	Germany	Click Here	Click Here

Academic requirements for studying History

The study of history entails learning about past cultures, religions, governmental and political systems, art, and architecture. This necessitates much reading and research. Since competition to get admitted to top historical universities is high, students should consider getting voluntary work experience. Skills such as analytical, critical thinking, multi-language, and interpersonal skills can help make a motivational letter compelling to the admissions committees. The chances of getting selected at top universities are even higher if students consider going through international consulting agencies. To hasten their process, students can also apply via the Gyanberry website. The following are some admissions criteria as set forth by top universities in history education.

Bachelor’s level

A high school education with a 3.0 GPA or above
Academic transcripts
Valid passport
Personal statement
Passport photographs
Completed visa application
Letter of recommendation
English proficiency test scores such as TOEFL (90 and above) or IELTS (6.0 and above)

Master’s level

Internationally recognized bachelor’s degree in history or its relevant field with a GPA of 3.0
Academic transcripts
Valid passport
Passport photographs
Completed visa application
Motivational letter
Resume
Recommendation letters
Research publications
English language proficiency (TOEFL 90 or above and IELTS 6.0 and above)

Doctoral level

Honours or master’s degree in history or related field with a GPA of at least 3.0
Academic transcripts
Valid passport
Passport photographs
Completed visa application
Statement of purpose
Recommendation letters
Resume
Work experience (highly recommended)
Research publications
Personal interview
English language proficiency (TOEFL 90 or above and IELTS 6.0 and above)

*Note: All prices mentioned in the USD are for reference only. Exchange rates may vary from time to time and from country to country.