High School

If you are interested in becoming a historian, be sure to take college preparatory courses in high school. Historians must be strong readers, writers, and speakers, so a strong background in English and speech will prepare you for further study in college. A knowledge of at least two foreign languages is also necessary for those who plan to earn a doctorate.

Postsecondary Training

The main educational requirement for a historian is graduate study. A master's degree in history is the minimum requirement for a college instructor's position, but the doctorate is much more desirable and is required by many colleges and universities. To become a professor or administrator, or to reach any other high level of employment, a doctorate is essential. Historians working for museums, historical societies, research councils, or the federal government generally have doctorates or the equivalent in training and experience. A person is rarely considered a professional historian without this educational background.

Some jobs for beginners with a bachelor's degree in history are available, usually with federal, state, or local governments. These jobs usually require knowledge of the archivist's work, but advancement without further education is unlikely. A number of high school teaching positions are also available, provided the applicant meets state requirements for certification.

Other Education or Training

The Organization of American Historians, American Historical Association, and other professional associations offer continuing education opportunities via webinars, seminars, and classes. Contact these organizations for more information.

Certification or Licensing

Historians who work as public school teachers must be licensed under regulations established by the department of education of the state in which they teach. Not all states require licensure for teachers in private or parochial schools. Contact your state's department of education for more information.

Part-time or volunteer experience working in a museum, at a historical site, or assisting historians with research is recommended. 

Historians must be curious about past events and the reasons why they occurred. They need patience to perform painstaking research into a variety of historical records—such as family histories, court records, diaries, and town archives—to piece together the events and historical trends that shaped the past. Their research may be focused on an individual's life history, a family genealogy, the development of a city, or a large historical trend, like the history of American slavery. Historians also need to be skilled at presenting their findings in clear, concise language in books, speeches, films and articles.