Online History Degrees

History degrees are available at all levels, but most related careers require at least a bachelor's degree in history. Earning a two-year associate degree in history can be a good stepping stone toward the four-year degree but is rarely sufficient on its own for most jobs.

1. At the bachelor's degree level, students generally take both introductory survey courses in history and more focused seminars that delve deep into a particular region, historical period or problem in history. Most bachelor's degree programs in history require students to gain a wide understanding in history, including both world history and U.S. history and covering a range of historical periods.
2. At the master's degree level, students in history are able to focus on a specific area of interest and many master's degree programs require students to write a thesis, which contains original research and analysis on a topic of their choice. According to the University of Northern Colorado, a master's in history may serve as a point of entry into a PhD program, an advanced credential for teachers or a degree in its own right.
3. At the doctoral degree level, students select a niche area of history to specialize in and produce an original dissertation exploring that topic. The doctoral degree focuses on research and teaching and gives students a chance to add to existing historical theory and thought.

History courses traditionally involve significant amounts of reading and writing, and online degrees in history are no exception. However, a growing number of online resources are making online history programs more interactive. Online projects to collect oral histories, a growing number of libraries and archives that are scanning and putting primary source documents online, and virtual tours of everything from government buildings to museums are just a few of the online resources that help make history come alive in the virtual environment, according to education technology website EdTechTeacher.org.

Though the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that the 3,320 historians working in the U.S. earned mean annual wages of $57,840 in 2010, the career potential goes far beyond this narrow category. According to the American Historical Association, history majors are well positioned to pursue careers in education, research, communications and business. Take a look at other popular jobs for history graduates, with 2010 wages reported by the BLS:

• Writers and authors: $65,960
• History teachers, post-secondary: $70,860
• Lawyers: $129,440
• Librarians: $56,360
• Paralegals and legal assistants: $49,640

While some of the careers above require additional training, a history degree serves as a solid foundation for students hoping to get started.

• Salary: History majors had a median income of $50,00
• Graduate school: 46 percent of students with a bachelor's degree in history go on to graduate school
• Employment: 91 percent of history grads were employed
• Common occupations: Management (20 percent), office work (18 percent), sales (14 percent), education (8 percent), legal (6 percent)

(Source: Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce: What's it Worth?