Phi Alpha Theta - Public Sector Career Possibilities

Public Sector Career Possibilities

The government is one of the largest employers of students with training and degrees in history and related fields.

Executive Branch

In Cabinet-level departments (The Department of State, Department of the Interior, National Park Service, etc.) and in independent organizations within the federal government (The National Endowment for the Humanities, Smithsonian Institution, etc.):

	Studying current issues studies
	Analyzing policy performance, long-range trends, etc.
	Preserving and organizing institutional records
	Editing of public records and documents

Legislative Branch

In the historical offices of state legislatures, the Senate and the United States House of Representatives:

	Performing staff and committee investigations
	Publishing bibliographic material
	Serving on study commissions
	Providing research assistance where needed

Judicial Branch

In the United States Supreme Court Curator's Office and various historical offices, projects, and regulatory agencies:

	Collecting and preserving records
	Analyzing policy
	Providing research where needed
	Writing reports and various office correspondence, etc.

Military Services

	Managing the museums and archival and records centers for the United States Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and National Guard
	Lecturing on specific issues
	Prepare institutional histories, etc.

The Foreign Service

Duties include researching and writing on the diplomatic, economic, political, social, and cultural history of various areas. A test is required for entrance and placement analysis.

Civil Service

Duties depend on the type of location placement is granted. A test is required for entrance and placement analysis.

National Archives and Records Service

Duties include:

	Managing archives, manuscripts, and records
	Microfilming of collection items

Other Opportunities

The public sector offers many other possibilities, such as:

	Working in libraries, historic sites, museums, community history education centers, etc.
	Working in areas of policy history, oral history, public administration, cultural resource management, genealogy and family history, public works, land-use management, urban history and development, demographic history, environmental history, archeological projects, etc.
	Working in local, state-wide, and national historical societies

History Honor Society, Inc. - Revised 01/17/03 - Adobe Acrobat Reader