Becoming a (or an) historian without a college degree is a controversial topic. People who have spent years getting their Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate degrees feel that only those who have put the time (and money) into their education can truly be given the label of historian.
Historian Defined
But I’ve got news. Nowhere in the definition of historian does it say you have to pay for your education. In fact, a historian is a student of history. She or he is someone who spends their time studying their favorite time period, war, or event in history. The more that person learns about their niche, the sooner that person can be called a historian.
Amateur Historian
Some people insist that if you do not have a college degree in history, but you are a history buff none-the-less, then you can call yourself an amateur historian.
I disagree. You are only an amateur historian when you begin studying your choice of history. When you reach that point where you feel you could talk endlessly about your topic or write countless articles on it without having to seek an outrageous amount of reference materials, then you are a full-fledged historian.
First Step to Becoming a Historian
No one can say that they know everything about the history of people. Instead, professional historians narrow down their focus. For example, one might be an art historian with a focus on Renaissance oil paintings and a different person might be an expert on Americans in the Vietnam War. My personal focus is on gross American history with a strong leaning towards the 1800s and early 1900s.
To become a historian, you need to discover what part of our history makes you tick. What are you drawn towards? After you make this discovery, you only need to research it, become familiar with it, and eventually become an expert in the topic.
Bleep the Naysayers
Finally, I would like to tell you to dismiss those who say you cannot do this without paying an arm and a leg to a brick and mortar college or university. Many of the greatest historical finds in our history were made by “amateur” historians with little to no formal education.
Can It Become a Career?
Maybe you are wondering if you are wasting your time becoming an expert in your chosen niche. After all, can all this studying and research help you earn money and/or recognition?
Yes. For example, I said before that I write about the dark side of American history for other websites, and those articles brought me to the attention of a highly popular television channel. Even though I do not have a degree in history at this time, I was asked to audition for a show. At no point was I asked if I had a degree. It was because of my detailed articles that I was contacted.
For many historians, the choice to write a book is a natural one. Should you make your own personal discoveries within your niche, it is only natural that you would want to write a book about it.
Directing documentaries is another option available to historians, as well as creating your own YouTube channel about your history niche.
There are an endless amount of ways you can turn your history passion into cash, and many people are doing this today.
