APU Careers & Learning Online Learning

A History Degree Makes You a Better Writer

history-major-writingI hold a bachelor’s in military history and I am working on a master’s in ancient and classical history. Given that my career is in technology working as a business analyst, people often ask what the point of my degree was. The obvious answer is I acquired a degree in what interests me.

Yet, there is more to it, as pursing a history degree has made me a better writer. It will make you better too. With upwards of 40 different teachers reviewing your work, you pick up basic concepts such as passive and active voice. More importantly, you learn how to construct well-reasoned arguments in the form of 300-word, five page, ten page, and even 40-page essays. After writing countless message board posts and dozens of research papers, my writing skills have improved dramatically.

You may think you do not write much in your job, but you’ll be surprised how much writing actually comes into play. As a business analyst, I write more than most people, but even a developer or accountant will have to write. Here are some common things we write:

  • Emails to just about everyone including internal and external stakeholders, coworkers, your boss, facilities about the broken AC, and tech support about your broken monitor
  • PowerPoint presentations
  • Requests for proposals, and responses to them
  • Functional design documents
  • Defect descriptions on internal or external applications
  • Tutorials
  • Comments within code
  • Reviews of document drafts

This list could on, but the point is that although your job description may not mention writing, the reality is that writing is likely a part of your workday. The better you are at writing, the better you will perform at your job and excel in your career. A history degree can help with that.

By Scott Manning
Online Learning Tips, Student Contributor

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