How to Become A Historian In South Africa

A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race.

What Does a Historian Do?

The work of a historian depends entirely upon their specialization within the field. In general, unless they are conducting field work at a historical site, historians work indoors. They tend to work a day shift, unless they are self-employed.

Is it worth becoming a historian?

In general, most historians also report a pretty good work-life balance. Consequently, becoming a historian can make quite a lot of sense for you in case you want to have sufficient time for your hobbies and your family and friends while you can still make decent money at the same time

What is a poor historian?

People labelled as ‘poor historians’ are often older and may have communication difficulties due to deafness, speech disturbance (dysarthria, dysphasia or dysphonia), cognitive dysfunction (delirium, dementia) or distraction (e.g. pain or emotional distress).

Below are steps to Become A Historian In South Africa

Step 1: Become a Great Reader

This may seem trivial, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) states that historians are in a highly competitive job market. There are a lot of people competing for a smaller number of positions.

Historians need to be able to read historical documents and records from the time period in question and thoroughly comprehend their meaning, even when the historical documents are written in a form of English, or other language, that is not in current usage.

Historians need to read between the lines to determine the truth of what was happening at a given period of time. Struggling readers will not be up to the rigor and demands of the reading load of a historian.

Step 2: Find a College and Secure Financial Aid

Research schools and universities that have highly-regarded history departments. Find colleges that appeal to your sense of history and the proper role of historians in society. With your SAT scores in hand, apply to the colleges that you have narrowed down to be the best fit for you.

If your parents have not saved enough money to put you through a full 4-year ride at the college of your choice, you will need to secure financial aid to cover the shortfall.

Step 3: Earn Your Bachelor’s Degree

Option 1

Since there are fewer positions for historians in a highly competitive field, you will need to keep your grades up and graduate near the top of your class. If your university has any societies that you can join as a history major, be sure to be an active member and include it on your resumes for jobs. You want to come out of your program with impeccable historical research skills that you can explain clearly and lucidly in an interview.

Option 2

The only exception to the guidance on progressing through one’s bachelor’s degree is if you have your sights on becoming a history teacher in the school system.

If this is the case, you must determine in advance of beginning your bachelor’s degree program. In some states, you’ll need to have history as a major and be simultaneously taking teaching methods coursework. Each state is different in this regard.

Step 4: Participate in Paid Work, Internships, or Volunteer Work in the Field

Since history is a highly competitive field, prospective historians in their bachelor’s degree programs need to work in volunteer, intern, or paid positions that allow them to break into the field.

Potential internships might be in museums, county historical societies, historical research organizations and even living history sites, such as the State of California Gold Discovery State Park in Coloma. It may be harder to obtain paid work, but internships and volunteer work in the field are plentiful.

Skills to Acquire to Become A Historian In South Africa

A thorough, working knowledge of history and archeology

Reading comprehension in order to analyze historical records, documents, and artifacts

Writing skills in order to report one’s research findings and conclusions

Speaking and other communication skills as another means of reporting one’s findings and conclusions

Analytical skills in order to make hypotheses and come to conclusions about historical information and how it relates to how a society functioned in the past

Research skills, such as being able to find information, make hypotheses, and draw well-founded conclusions

What to Study in South Africa Become A Historian In South Africa

Degree: BA (History) – UFS, Wits, UWC, UNISA, UZ, US, RU, UCT, UP, UJ.

Post-graduate studies are essential for senior positions – UZ, UJ, Wits, UNISA. Although a masters degree is sufficient for some positions, advancement opportunities are limited for the historian who does not have a doctors degree.

A PhD is required for permanent teaching positions at college and university level and for many research and administrative positions.

A BA degree with at least one of the following subjects is a prerequisite for employment in the government service: History, Political Science, Public Administration, Languages and Cultural History.

What qualifications do you need to be a historian In South Africa?

To become a Historian, you will need to have a Batchelor’s and Master’s degree in History, or a relate subject, and to achieve this good grades at GCSE and A Level are vital. The better the grades, the better your university, and this can be hugely beneficial later on in your career.

How long does it take to become a historian In South Africa?

A historian needs to first graduate from high school and go on to earn a history degree at a 4-year institution. Upon receiving one’s bachelor’s degree, the prospective historian needs to attend a graduate program in their chosen area of specialization.

Where can I study history in South Africa?

Bachelor’s Degrees in History in South Africa

Bachelor. Political Studies. Humanities. Pretoria, South Africa.

Bachelor. Historical Studies. University of Kwazulu Natal. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa.

B.Sc. Archaeology. University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

B.A. Humanities. Stellenbosch University.

What course should I take to become a historian In South Africa?

Degrees for historians

History. A history degree is usually offered at the bachelor’s level.

Public history.

Historical preservation.

Museum studies.

Archival management.

Historical Interpretation.

Analytical thinking.

Written and oral communication.

Are historians in demand?

Employment of historians is projected to grow 5 percent from 2020 to 2030, slower than the average for all occupations. Despite limited employment growth, about 300 openings for historians are projected each year, on average, over the decade.

Is it worth becoming a historian In South Africa?

In general, most historians also report a pretty good work-life balance. Consequently, becoming a historian can make quite a lot of sense for you in case you want to have sufficient time for your hobbies and your family and friends while you can still make decent money at the same time.

Can you be a historian without a PhD In South Africa?

No, you don’t need a PhD to do anything, except teach. but what would make you qualified to be called a “historian”? evidence of research in the field is generally needed, and that could lead to earning a PhD. You can research and write about history without any degree at all.

How much money do historians make In South Africa?

The salaries of Historians in the US range from R 256771.54 to R 6806486.00, with a median salary of R 1223435.52 . The middle 57% of Historians makes between R 1223480.86 and R 3078492.75, with the top 86% making R 6806486.00.

What is a poor historian?

People labelled as ‘poor historians’ are often older and may have communication difficulties due to deafness, speech disturbance (dysarthria, dysphasia or dysphonia), cognitive dysfunction (delirium, dementia) or distraction (e.g. pain or emotional distress).

Is a history degree hard In South Africa?

Yet, History is seen as an ‘easy’ degree, a cop-out three years before you inevitably do your PGCE at Oxbridge and find yourself using a red-pen in a South London comprehensive to mark a 12 mark essay on whether Hitler really had one ball.

Is being a historian stressful In South Africa?

Most everything you’re studying as a historian has been over and done with for a long time, so it’s not like there are going to be any sudden historical emergencies. That doesn’t mean this is a stress-free job, however. The upside is historians do have pretty flexible jobs, which allow them some family time.

How much does it cost to become a historian In South Africa?

You would certainly need a bachelor’s degree in history, education or a related area, in order to become a historian. To improve job perspectives, you can decide to go for a master’s degree in history that can cost R 1057.92 -R 1057.92 per year.