Distance Learning: HistoryThe future becomes clear only when we understand the past. For those who lack the visionary perspective of an historian, the past can seem dry and uninteresting. For others, though, a handful of facts, an artifact or two and some documentation makes heroes or villains who once lived, battles that were fought by soldiers who sacrificed their lives, people who lived according to their firmly held beliefs, and long ago moments in time spring back, fully formed.
Distance learning is also perfect for mature individuals who hold an associate’s or bachelor’s degree and are interested in adding a master’s or even doctoral degree in order to gain better work. For example, someone with a bachelor’s in history who is teaching high school might yearn to work with adult minds. Distance learning opportunities in history can result in many of the credits required to earn a higher degree that will enable teaching at a top notch university. Adding a history degree to work experience or other degrees is not only personally rewarding, but it can be lucrative, as well. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupation Outlook Survey projects an annual increase in jobs related to a degree in history at over 10% annually. People with a PhD in history can earn $100,000 or more a year. Even those who hold only a bachelor’s are likely to earn more than $50,000. Distance learning courses in history make these kinds of salaries a reality for people who are unable to take the time away from work or from life. While such people may spend a greater length of time earning that degree, they are doing so without sacrificing family or current income. A history degree can be applied in so many ways across the career map. Teaching is the first thing that springs to mind, but historians often find important and satisfying work with nonprofit groups; local, state, and federal government entities; and in business, just to name a few of the many possibilities. Working in a library, in an industry that is concerned with documenting transformations over time, in international business, or in a host of other fields can mean the difference between a ho hum livelihood that pays the bills and one that is genuinely exciting. History combines well with many other disciplines. For example, someone interested in architecture or construction can combine historical studies to become a specialist in historic preservation. Many people begin a career in law with a study of the history of government and ideologies. Legislative staffers are often well versed in history, and those who have been interested in the theory of historical interpretations might find very rewarding work as a member of a think tank. All these individuals might benefit by taking some of their courses through a distance learning program. Nearly all four year colleges and universities offer degrees in history, be they bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees. For anyone interested in earning a history degree in order to teach, varying degrees are required to teach at corresponding levels. For example, a bachelor’s degree in history qualifies the degree holder to teach high school kids about the past. Junior and technical colleges typically require a master’s degree in order to teach, and universities look for candidates with doctoral degrees. A master’s or doctoral degree in American History, Art History, World History, and other areas of focus will afford the opportunity to explore and teach highly specialized material at university and graduate school levels. Distance learning doesn’t necessarily mean that all the qualifications for the degree or professional goal can be earned away from campus. For example, teachers in public schools are certified by the state in which they will teach. That certification requires classroom experience as a student teacher, and this portion of the degree cannot be earned online. A semester will be spent in from of the classroom, but history students who are coupling their degree with an education degree in order to teach will find most distance learning history programs designed to arrange for student teaching. Other types of distance learning history programs might also require students to participate in one or more on-campus seminars, workshops, classes, or other educational opportunities. A final word of caution should be heard by anyone interested in earning any kind of history degree through online learning, and that word is accreditation. In the United States, there are thousands of junior colleges, tech schools, four-year colleges, and universities. Most students know before enrolling in a brick-and-mortar school that unless the school is accredited, the certificate or degree they will earn may very well be useless. Accreditation is completely voluntary on the institution’s part, and means undergoing a time consuming and meticulous examination by a board or other nonprofit organization that will scrutinize the quality of education the school offers. These accrediting agencies may be regional or national. The U.S. Department of Education recognizes only a limited number of these agencies, and only makes federal loan monies available to students attending schools that have been given their stamp of approval. Unfortunately, certain unscrupulous accrediting agencies and schools that purchase their approvals exist. Just because a school says it’s accredited, doesn’t mean it’s up to par. It’s up to the savvy student to make sure the accrediting body is legitimate. Happily, this is easy to accomplish by visiting the U.S. Department of Education’s website. |
For some people, the love of history becomes so central that they want to make it their life’s work. It’s wonderful to recognize what you want your professional life to be when you first prepare for college, but realistically, it’s at least as likely that you went to college and got a degree in something with which you’ve since grown disenchanted. Or you may have skipped college all together in favor of heading straight for employment and a check. In either case, in this economy few people want to step away from an income in order to go back to school. With distance learning, a whole new world of possibility opens its doors. If you are well organized, disciplined, and motivated, taking some distance learning courses in history may be an excellent choice for returning students because it allows you to keep your job and your income, as well as to schedule your course work around the needs of a family or other obligations.