Jazzmin
Can I still become a journalist or work in that field, even if I study history in college?
I am a high school senior who wants to study history in college. I have been debating what career I might see myself in after college, and something with writing or journalism is one of them. #journalism #journalist
5 answers
Shelagh Braley
Shelagh’s Answer
Hi! You can definitely be a journalist with a history degree, as long as you also work on your expository writing skills and get some experience as you go. Having a degree in history is actually quite valuable, because it gives you insight into where we've been as a culture. A lot of being a successful journalist comes from being aware, seeing trends and having that curious impulse to follow a trail, talking to people and listening so you get the most from what they say -- then sharing it in a creative way. When you get to college you can work in a number of media extracurriculars, whether it's your school paper, radio station, magazine, or video club. Get comfortable talking to people and asking good questions. History and public policy are both great majors outside of a straight j-school track. Be unconventional! Journalism is changing every minute, so there's no right way. Enjoy your journey, that's the most important part -- then you'll have something significant to share with your future audience. Good luck!
Thank you so much, Shelagh!
Jazzmin
Lauren Holliday
Lauren’s Answer
YES! Majors do not matter. I studied journalism, and now, I am in marketing. When I was in college, the editor-in-chief was a history major. Choose a major you enjoy, and then just write for your school's newspaper or magazine.
Thanks, Lauren!
Jazzmin
Priscilla Baird Kaufman
Priscilla’s Answer
The ability to utilize a variety of sources, to understand the necessity of verification, to think analytically, and to write clearly, is crucial in journalism and writing about history. These skills are useful in investigative reporting and feature writing.
However, you should gain experience writing too. You could take journalism courses in college, snd be a reporter for the student newspaper or radio or television station while in college. Writing and editing for these media will benefit you, giving you much-neede writing skills.
Priscilla recommends the following next steps:
Hadley Dawson
Hadley’s Answer
Jazzmin,
You can absolutely major in History and then go into Journalism after college. In fact I have friends who have done just that. As a History major you would write a lot of very long papers so you would have a lot of practice working on your writing skills. History is also similar to Journalism in the sense that historians often have that "curious impulse to follow a trail", as Shelagh mentioned. As a History major you would have to dig deep into historical issues and re-tell a story in a way it has not yet been told. If you want to go into Journalism, I think being a History major would help you develop the writing and analysis skills necessary for this field of work.
Thank you, Hadley!
Jazzmin
