<p>I am incredibly passionate about history and the sciences as a high school student, and it would be a dream to go on to do research at a university in anthropology or history. I could see myself pursuing a PhD in anthropology or history. However, to be perfectly honest, I’m sure my parents would love to see me heading into a more lucrative scientific field, and having a career such as that would also be something I could delve into, if there would be a way to incorporate elements of a history degree, whether it be a double/combination major or further study. Any suggestions as to my title question or careers that combine aspects of biochemistry and other middle-ground “hard” sciences with world history? I appreciate any response and apologize for the somewhat pretentious nature of this question! </p>
<p><a href=“The disposable academic”>The disposable academic;
<p>If it is what you really want to do, you will just put up with the issues involved in getting a Ph.D. However, you are in high school and a Ph.D. is far away. If you like the sciences as much as history, you can get a degree in a scientific or engineering field and a minor in history. Then you can make a decision about what to do after your degree. If you choose to pursue a Ph.D. in history, having a science degree is not an impediment.</p>
<p>There is an actual academic field, the History of Science. Some college offer an undergrad major in it.</p>
<p>It depends on your definition of “worthwhile.”</p>
<p>The path is long and uncertain - not everyone finishes a PhD that they start, and not everyone who gets a PhD is offered a tenure-track job as a professor. In fact, most people who begin a PhD won’t ever have a tenure-track job. That is especially true in anthropology and history. In the sciences, your chances are better, but still not 100%. And really, the career field that a PhD is supposed to prepare you for is largely going away. Tenure lines are being replaced by part-time/adjunct professor positions. I think it’s been estimated that only 1 in 5 people who start a humanities PhD will eventually get a full-time position as a tenure-track professor.</p>
<p>That doesn’t mean that you can’t or shouldn’t try; just that you should be aware of these issues and go in with the full story. Many people do successfully finish PhDs in the humanities and get dream-job positions - it just isn’t the majority. You have to be comfortable with the possibility - really, the probability - that you will get the PhD in the field and then go into a field in which you probably didn’t need the PhD. If you are not comfortable with that idea - with the idea of spending 8-10 years getting a PhD and then not using it, or not using it the way in which you intended - then don’t do a PhD. (That’s moreso the case with anthro or history…there’s more of a non-academic market for PhDs in the sciences.)</p>
<p>But I agree with the above - there are many programs in the history of science, as well as science, technology and society (Stanford has one of the latter). Those might be right up your alley. But do be practical about it, and learn where and how you could use those degrees. STS academics and science historians are not scientists, and you’d also have to figure out how marketable your PhD would be after you finish.</p>
<p>Another option is for you to major in biochemistry and study that academically but pursue your interest in history more casually. Just because you love it doesn’t mean you have to pursue a career in it - I, too, love history, but I indulge my love by reading a lot about it.</p>
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Everything Juillet writes is correct. I’d just add that you’ll probably end up in a middle ground between potential negative extremes (Frustrated Ph.D. working at Starbucks vs. Frustrated high-paid but unfulfilled and doing something not really interesting to you.) During your college years you should major in something interesting to you that you are good at. The question of grad school will arise after a few years, and by that time you will know if you should take the Ph.D. plunge or not. Good luck!</p>
<p>A tenured position is EXTREMELY hard to secure. Seems that more and more, colleges are using adjuncts.</p>
<p>@juillet Thank you so much for your incredibly thoughtful answer. I really appreciate that you took the time to answer my question so thoroughly. Your response was chock-full of really useful things to think about and shed light on exactly what I was wondering about. I wish my school counselor was a fraction as informative as you were! Again, thank you and have a lovely evening! </p>
<p>@GMTplus7 Thank you for responding! That trend is among one of my concerns in perusing this path and it’s helpful to hear it voiced from someone else as well 
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<p>@snarlatron Thank you for responding and for the top-notch advice! It’s a great point that I should get a grasp of the workload and seemingly endless schooling before “taking the plunge.” You also illustrated the grim potential reality quite well–the Barista-with-a-PhD or being unsatisfied with a boring desk job are both fates I’d like to avoid. Thanks again for the highly informative answer to my somewhat vague question </p>
<p>@Conformist1688 It’s nice to hear from you again (you gave a great answer to a question I had for American entry requirements for UCL–the student room ended up being a great resource!) I’ll be sure to look into that and find out more about what sounds like an interesting major! </p>
<p>@kwlmy That’s pretty darn grim, but it was an enlightening (albeit a bit discouraging–although that may have been the piece’a goal) read. Thanks! </p>
<p>@xraymancs Thank you for your words of wisdom and incredibly applicable advice. I’ll definitely look into what you said! </p>
<p>You’re welcome! Good luck to you.</p>
<p>My pleasure, have fun in college.</p>