Is a bachelors degree with a major in History and minor in Education a good choice for the military?

Nikalas Altenburg — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 23:44:10 -0500

I'm currently looking into college, specifically Texas A&M where I plan on doing ROTC through the Corps, my concern is whether a bachelors, majoring in History and minoring in Education is a good choice that will allow me to be competitive for promotions and generally assist me in the Military, especially if I try and become an Armor Officer.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2022 2:21 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 02:21:42 -0500

Any degree will be beneficial and make you competitive. It’s not really about the Major or minor the Army looks at. It’s more of the amount of education that you do have, i.e Associates vs Bachelors, Bachelors vs Masters, etc. I suggest once you commission to work towards that Masters degree. That will keep you competitive at-least until Major.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2022 3:26 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 03:26:37 -0500

Your degree choice doesn't make you competitive. It doesn't matter what your degree is in, it matters what level your degree is. You would be amazed at how many people in the Army have history degrees.

FYI, you don't get to pick your branch when you go active duty.

Response by LTC Kevin B. made Mar 3 at 2022 4:28 AM

LTC Kevin B. — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 04:28:15 -0500

For the most part, the military doesn't really care what discipline you pursue at the bachelors level. Just do well, both in academically and in ROTC, and you'll be able to get Armor branch. The academic discipline only comes into play with some of the more technical branches, and Armor doesn't fit that category.

Response by SSgt Christophe Murphy made Mar 3 at 2022 8:06 AM

SSgt Christophe Murphy — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 08:06:02 -0500

Your degree background isn't used to weigh your competitiveness. The only exception I ever witnessed outside of the Medical Field was Communications. The DOD standard is a 4 year bachelor's degree. Whether you get it in physical education, history, econ or general studies it won't matter much. Don't overthink it.

Response by LTC Ray Buenteo made Mar 3 at 2022 8:21 AM

LTC Ray Buenteo — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 08:21:18 -0500

Any time you further your education both military and civilian you improve yourself and speaks to your motivation to develop as a soldier, leader and person. Your initiative weighs heavy toward future assignments and promotion. The needs of the army determine the your branch your performance in college identifies your strengths.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2022 11:54 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 11:54:09 -0500

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2022 12:16 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:16:10 -0500

I majored in Military History with a "minor" in information technology. All of that was useful, in some way, as a junior Infantry Officer. Some of it still useful as a senior Space Officer.

Your degree gets you in the door. You'll do 5 years or more in the Army, as an Officer and whatever you studied in college will be less interesting than those years. Study what you are interested in, that may have some relevance to your expected future, and do well.

Response by SFC Kelly Fuerhoff made Mar 3 at 2022 12:53 PM

SFC Kelly Fuerhoff — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 12:53:00 -0500

Officers I have known over the last 18 years have a variety of degrees. I don't think it ultimately matters what your degree is in to be an officer, just that you have one. It really doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. Hell I have more degrees than most officers I know...

Response by Lt Col Jim Coe made Mar 3 at 2022 2:47 PM

Lt Col Jim Coe — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 14:47:44 -0500

My bachelor's degree is in History and Political Science from a small University. I spent a year in the College of Engineering. I couldn't hack the higher math. I transferred to Liberal Arts and took classes in stuff I was good at--history, political science, communications. It never made a great difference in my 22-year Air Force career. Some of the classes I took in college did have some application to being a pilot: geography, math, and communications. Many additional-duty jobs I had as a junior officer could have been done by an E-4 with a high school education. Just the way the Air Force works at the flying squadron level. Later in my career I worked as a flight safety officer. My training and work required use of math, physics, chemistry, psychology, physiology, and communication. The ability and inclination to study complex and sometimes boring material that may be fostered by college courses is useful in completing military training courses.

BTW I have great respect for the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. My roommate in ROTC Summer Training was an Aggie. He taught me how to arrange stuff in drawers, polish shoes and boots, and set up our closet correctly. In exchange I taught him how to put stuff on an Air Force uniform because he had never worn one until we showed up at training--the Corps has their own version of the Army's "pinks and greens."

Later in life as a private sector and public sector manager I paid little attention to the exact degree a job applicant held. It was more important for entry-level jobs that required a specified level of education and sometimes a specific degree type. In many cases the education became nothing more than a check-box filler once the applicant had significant relevant experience.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 3 at 2022 2:53 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 14:53:28 -0500

It doesn't matter if you have a Nobel Peace Prize if you can't lead troops in combat and can't manage them in Garrison. Don't worry about that. Learn what you can while you're there, give 100% at PT, Labs, help the Cadet Leadership, and CST and you'll be alright!
-ROTC Instructor

Response by MSG Thomas Currie made Mar 3 at 2022 3:25 PM

MSG Thomas Currie — Thu, 03 Mar 2022 15:25:33 -0500

As everyone has pointed out, your choice of major will not have any role in your competitiveness either in trying to select Armor branch or in your subsequent service. Certainly a good understanding of history and education are both useful for a military leader. No one is going to look down on those choices, it's not like you are planning to major in Gender Studies with a minor in Dance. Truthfully almost no one in the military is ever going to know what your major and minor were unless you mention it in conversation.

Select a major that you feel is the best fit for your interests and abilities.

Response by Nikalas Altenburg made Mar 4 at 2022 10:40 PM

Nikalas Altenburg — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 22:40:43 -0500

Thank you all for the responses, they've certainly been very helpful in my attempt to actually figure out what I'm trying to do and how best to go about it.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 4 at 2022 11:09 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 04 Mar 2022 23:09:35 -0500

Great minds think alike!! Just kidding. I have a BA and MA in history. I think history is a good field for an Army officer. It will teach you research, think critically, and write. Education will be very helpful because there will be times you will be teaching and instructing your soldiers.
Best of luck!

Response by CSM Darieus ZaGara made Mar 5 at 2022 6:24 AM

CSM Darieus ZaGara — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 06:24:16 -0500

The learned soft skills (reading, writing, math, etc. ) are what gets you rolling as an Officer. Your technical and tactical will come from service Academy’s and day to day operations.

Response by MAJ Byron Oyler made Mar 5 at 2022 8:21 AM

MAJ Byron Oyler — Sat, 05 Mar 2022 08:21:31 -0500

You need an education that will get you a job outside of the Army. There are a lot of things and time between now and a military retirement and you must consider if the Army falls through, what civilian job will make me happy and provide an income at the life I want to live. I chose nursing and my after the Army life is exactly what I wanted it to be.

Response by SSgt Russell Stevens made May 22 at 2022 10:56 PM

SSgt Russell Stevens — Sun, 22 May 2022 22:56:09 -0400

I have a number of university degrees. The only real benefit is I have access to more information than anyone assigned over me.

Response by Cpl James R. " Jim" Gossett Jr made Jul 26 at 2022 4:11 PM

Cpl James R. " Jim" Gossett Jr — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 16:11:03 -0400

Continue with ROTC