But, it's all in the past! Why is History useful now?

It would be great to know what could happen before we make an important decision wouldn’t it? Well, studying history can help you do this!

By analysing past events you can learn about the consequences of people’s actions, from military leaders to the King of Scotland who wouldn't listen to the advice of his nobles on the evening of March 19th 1286.

If we apply this knowledge to the present, governments, businesses and individuals can learn lessons from past mistakes or successes and make informed choices about their futures.

For example, Economists might look at the causes of the recent recession and past economic problems to try and avoid them happening again.

In history we study lots of different sources and learn that events are often the result of complex and multiple factors. Politics, communication, beliefs, misunderstandings and even the environment can shape the way things turn out.

Studying history can also be inspiring. When we discover what people have achieved and how things change over time, it can give us the motivation we need to succeed.

What skills will I get from studying History?

History teaches you to ask two very important questions: why and how? This is key to sharpening your critical thinking abilities, which combine analysis, research, essay writing and communication skills to help you solve problems and form arguments for debate.

Historians look at all the available evidence and come to conclusions, a lot like a good detective, which helps them to be organised and manage information. If you’re working with ancient history, you may not have a lot of source material and it will be up to you to bring together all your knowledge to try and solve the mysteries of the past.

What careers are relevant to History?

With your analytical, writing, debate and detective skills, you’ll be primed for a huge range of careers in law, politics, public sector, business, marketing, journalism, economics, teaching, academia, research, archaeology and curation (museums, galleries, archives and libraries). However, this list could go on and on...

How does History help me study other subjects?

Studying History will help you with other subjects like English, Languages, Modern Studies, Sociology, Psychology and Business Management. This is because studying History helps you develop both writing and analytical skills, it can also be very useful alongside a Science or Maths to broaden your knowledge and abilities.

What degrees and college courses do I need to study History for?

If you want to study History at university, you will need to study to at least Higher level.

The Russell Group recommends History as an excellent subject for "keeping your options open" when choosing a degree. It can be especially useful for courses that include elements of history and essay writing like: Archaeology, Economics, Classical Studies, Modern Languages, English, History of Art, Law, Politics, Teaching and Religious Studies.

History at National 4/5 level can also be useful for studying vocational courses at college.