History Degrees Prepare Students for Careers-- New National Project Makes That Visible
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- As public skepticism about the value of higher education grows, a new national project offers a timely counter-narrative: history programs already cultivate many of the professional skills employers say they struggle to find. The challenge is not that students lack these skills, but that they have rarely been recognized or articulated in terms that employers understand.
Quality Assurance Commons (QA Commons), in collaboration with the American Historical Association (AHA) and with support from Lumina Foundation, has partnered with 14 history programs nationwide to advance career-relevant skills through its Essential Employability Qualities Certification (EEQ CERT) process. In addition to certification, all participating programs received employability skills badges, making the skills embedded in history degrees explicit, measurable, and visible to both students and employers.
Conducted in 2024 and 2025, the project worked with a cohort of AHA member institutions to identify, document, and formally certify how history programs cultivate critical workplace capabilities—often labeled "soft skills," but essential across every sector of the economy.
"We hear constantly that employers can't find candidates with strong critical thinking, communication, and professional judgment," said Michelle Deasy, executive director of QA Commons. "This project shows that history programs are already doing exactly that. The problem isn't preparation—it's visibility."
What the Project Found
The certification process surfaced several clear findings:
- History programs consistently demonstrate an advantage in critical thinking. Students regularly practice evaluating evidence, synthesizing conflicting information, identifying bias, and forming defensible conclusions—skills that directly mirror workplace decision-making.
- Communication is systematically developed, not incidental. Writing- and presentation-heavy curricula build clarity, persuasion, and audience awareness through essays, research papers, professional reports, presentations, and digital projects.
- Professional norms are embedded in academic practice. Expectations around documentation, deadlines, and integrity reinforce workplace behaviors tied to reliability, ethical judgment, and accountability.
- The perceived employability gap is primarily a matter of translation, not training. Faculty often underestimate the extent of industry-relevant learning in history courses, while students struggle to articulate that learning in ways that connect to specific roles, industries, and first jobs.
The project also highlighted emerging opportunities, including expanded digital literacy, more intentional teamwork experiences, and clearer articulation of how coursework translates into career-ready skills.
From Coursework to Credentials
Through the EEQ CERT process, each participating program received formal employability certification, program-specific Student Employability Skills Badges designed for platforms such as Credly, and documentation linking curriculum to workforce-relevant skills.
Julia Brookins, Senior Program Analyst, Teaching and Learning at the American Historical Association, emphasized the broader significance of the work:
"History and the liberal arts cultivate exactly the skills employers say are hardest to find, yet that connection is often poorly understood. This project helps close that gap and strengthens the case for the enduring value of a history education. Students at departments where faculty know how to articulate this connection well will be better equipped to navigate any job market."
Participating Institutions
Concord University (WV); Colorado State University Pueblo (CO); East Texas A&M University (TX); Grambling State University (LA); Indiana University Online (IN); Millersville University (PA); Northeastern Illinois University (IL); University of Alabama Huntsville (AL); University of Central Arkansas (AR); University of Kentucky (KY); University of North Texas (TX); University of Northern Iowa (IA); Weber State University (UT); Wilson College (PA)
Findings and noteworthy practices were shared through a cohort-wide debrief and at the 2026 American Historical Association Annual Meeting in Chicago, and this work will continue through contributions to the new edition of the AHA's Careers for History Majors guide and ongoing field engagement.
QA Commons is a national nonprofit focused on employability—helping learners gain the skills and understanding needed to succeed and advance in the workplace.
Media Contact:
Michelle Deasy
Executive Director, QA Commons
[email protected]
SOURCE QA Commons
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