A Ph.D. in history is the only path toward a permanent academic position in higher education. Candidates who only have a master's in history can often get temporary employment in higher education, but they are not eligible for tenure and make less money than permanent faculty.
History Ph.D. students gain teaching experience throughout their academic program, beginning their apprenticeship in teaching after the first year of coursework. Ph.D. students receive training in teaching methods while working closely with their academic mentors. This provides valuable teaching experience in higher education that can be difficult to attain outside of the Ph.D. program.
Much of the training done in earning a doctorate in history gives students skills that can be transferred to many different areas. Brandeis University's Department of History says that students learn research, public speaking and writing skills that can be used in every career path.
Students who earn a Ph.D. in history will finish their coursework after two or three years. The rest of their time will be spent on a research project in their particular field of interest. This is a research project that will take several years, and the student is mentored by a professor who has similar academic interests. Stanford University categorizes its Department of History faculty webpages by area of interest, and it encourages students to contact professors directly about their research interests to find a perfect mentor match. Although students work independently on their research term papers, they consult their academic mentor throughout the process.