Career prospects

After successful completion of the programme, you are fully qualified to apply for PhD positions. Additionally, you will find that your excellent research skills are also in demand with non-academic public and private organisations. We encourage our students to explore these job opportunities outside academia.

Academic careers

Our students have succesfully applied for PhD positions at the following universities and research institutes:
Biography Institute in Groningen | Centre for Terrorism and Counter-terrorism in The Hague | Duitsland Instituut in Amsterdam | International Institute for Social History | Leiden University | LMU Munich (Germany) | Maastricht University | Netherlands Institute in Turkey | University of Oxford | University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).

Alumni involved in adoption research

Graduates of the History programme, Yannick Balk and Juul Dreesen, were involved in the realisation of the report on possible abuses in intercountry / foreign adoptions in the past, and the role of the Dutch government and adoption mediators. 

Towards the job market

Our alumni are working in diverse jobs in which an expertise in the field of history plays a role. They work as:

• Assistant to the Secretary General of the Konferenz der Kantonsregierungen in Bern
• Foreign News Journalist at press agency Novum
• Researcher for the international executive recruiting firm Egon Zehnder
• Policy Advisor of the Raad voor Maatschappelijke Ontwikkeling (RMO)

Read our alumni stories

• Eva Zeilstra is a Privacy, Security & data Consultant at Cranium NL.
• Iris Clever is a Phd Candidate at UCLA. 
• Hans Rodenburg is a researcher at the Centre for Parliamentary History at the Radboud University.

Alumni on LinkedIn

• 

  Karen Hollewand

  Postdoctoral Researcher at Utrecht University

• 

  Tom ten Berge

  Rijkstrainee at Ministerie van Economische Zaken & Klimaat en Ministerie van Landbouw

Career development

Developing skills

Throughout your Master’s you will participate in a series of seminars in which students and academic staff exchange their knowledge and skills that are useful for future career paths. In this way, you can also develop your network.

Network building

As a student of this research Master’s programme, you are part of the international learning and research community in our department. As staff members we see it as part of our work to help our students develop an international network that puts them in a favourable position, for instance on the international market for PhD positions. A monthly newsletter informs you of career opportunities such as PhD positions and internships.

Extra training

Students can obtain additional training in academic skills from the Graduate School, including extra training in written English for those who need it.

Career events 

During the mid-term meeting, which takes place in the second semester, students can meet alumni who have successfully applied for PhD positions and are employed in academia as well as alumni who have transitioned to non-academic professions in governmental organisations, research institutes, journalism or teaching. A workshop on professional presentation and writing a CV, organised in cooperation with career services, is part of this meeting. This event will help you set up a professional network and teach you skills that are not part of the standard curriculum.