Students who major in History have a variety of career choices available, and the Option prepares students for advanced work in historical studies by training them in reading comprehension and textual analysis, critical thinking skills, and research methodologies. History classes help train students to appreciate a wide variety of writing styles and rhetorical strategies, thus exposing them to a greater diversity of literature. In addition, Writing Intensive Classes in History train students to conduct research and cite sources in accordance with standard scholarly practices.“Historical knowledge is no more and no less than carefully and critically constructed collective memory. As such it can both make us wiser in our public choices and more richly human in our private lives.” William H. McNeill, Why Study History? (1985)
Key Skills of a History Major
- The ability to assess evidence
- The ability to assess conflicting interpretations
- Highly developed research skills – the ability to find and evaluate diverse sources of information
- High capacity for critical thinking
- Increased understanding of diverse peoples and societies
- Proficiency in written communication
- The ability to interpret and clearly explain the significance of historical documents
Below is a brief list of career opportunities available to undergraduate history majors (source: American Historical Association):
- Educators (elementary, secondary, postsecondary, historic sites, museums)
- Researchers
- Writers and editors
- Journalists
- Documentarians
- Archivists
- Librarians
- Information managerss
- Lawyers and paralegals
- Litigation support staff
- Contract historians
Explore career possibilities on Career Connect.