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Historian

Social Sciences

Research, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs, interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal diaries and letters.

GeneralEducation

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
  2. 2Organize data, and analyze and interpret its authenticity and relative significance.
  3. 3Prepare publications and exhibits, or review those prepared by others, to ensure their historical accuracy.
  4. 4Organize information for publication and for other means of dissemination, such as via storage media or the Internet.
  5. 5Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction of historic places and materials.
  6. 6Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.
  7. 7Research the history of a particular country or region, or of a specific time period.
  8. 8Present historical accounts in terms of individuals or social, ethnic, political, economic, or geographic groupings.
  9. 9Conduct historical research, and publish or present findings and theories.
  10. 10Determine which topics to research, or pursue research topics specified by clients or employers.
  11. 11Recommend actions related to historical art, such as which items to add to a collection or which items to display in an exhibit.
  12. 12Coordinate activities of workers engaged in cataloging and filing materials.
  13. 13Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives.
  14. 14Collect detailed information on individuals for use in biographies.
  15. 15Speak to various groups, organizations, and clubs to promote the aims and activities of historical societies.
  16. 16Teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, museums, and other research agencies and schools.
  17. 17Advise or consult with individuals and institutions regarding issues such as the historical authenticity of materials or the customs of a specific historical period.
  18. 18Interview people to gather information about historical events and to record oral histories.
  19. 19Trace historical development in a particular field, such as social, cultural, political, or diplomatic history.
  20. 20Edit historical society publications.
  21. 21Translate or request translation of reference materials.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Historian
  • Historians
  • Researcher
  • Genealogist
  • PI Historian
  • Art Historian
  • Film Historian
  • Oral Historian
  • Protohistorian
  • Dance Historian

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. 3

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. Typical entry

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationMaster's degree

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

History (Sejarah)Draws directly on History and Archeology — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
GeographyDraws directly on Geography — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
BusinessDraws directly on Administrative — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Bahasa MelayuDraws directly on Communications and Media — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • History and Archeology92%

    History (Sejarah)

  • English Language81%

    English

  • Sociology and Anthropology71%
  • Geography70%

    Geography

  • Administrative69%

    Business

  • Education and Training65%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleContact most of the time
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsOften
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherRarely
  • Noisy environmentAlmost never

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Coordinate artifact donations on behalf of a museum.
  • Create and revise scripts for the tour guides.
  • Write policies and procedures for archival collection care and research protocols.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

32%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

0.10%

Of Malaysian Claude conversations, about this kind of work

Measures how much people use Claude for this work, not how many Malaysians do this job — and more AI use can mean people relying on it, not that it's replacing them.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Clinical Psychologist

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Asasi / Foundation

One-year runway into a specific university: public via UPU or private direct entry.

12 months

IPG (Teacher Training)

Become a school teacher: fully funded, with an allowance and a guaranteed posting. Apply separately through KPM after SPM.

~5 years

International Pre-U

A-Levels, AUSMAT, IB and more. The flexible premium route, local or overseas.

1–2 years

Related careers

If this interests you, these are worth a look too.

About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Historians

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org

Programmes that lead here

Programmes from the official UPU (KPT) and MQA catalogues whose field of study typically leads to this career. Matched by field, not a job guarantee.

Public universities (UPU)

Private institutions (MQA-accredited)

Search the programme catalogue