Major Requirements and Courses

If you like to read, write, and learn about the experiences of people in different places and times, you should consider the history major. No other major prepares students for as many different careers. History majors’ strong communication skills are valued by all employers, including businesses and government agencies. The research, analytical, and evaluative skills that history majors develop prepare them for graduate study in many humanistic disciplines, public affairs, and library science and for careers as journalists, government officials, and attorneys. A growing number of history majors have made careers in the expanding field of public history. They work in museums, archives, and historical preservation.

Learn more about History majors.

If you want to teach history or social studies in a middle or high school, you should consider the History/Social Studies major. However, this major also prepares students for a wider range of careers. The knowledge students acquire and the skills they develop in their history courses and in courses in social sciences prepare them for law school, graduate programs in public policy and international affairs, and careers as journalists, government officials, and attorneys.

Secondary Education students who wish to be endorsed in Social Studies may choose this major. However, the History/Social Studies degree does not require that a student pursue a teaching certificate. History/Social Studies majors interested in Secondary certification must apply separately to the certification programs, such as those in Woodring College of Education. Students usually apply to Woodring in their senior year or after they graduate.

Learn more about History-Social Studies majors.

If you want to teach in an elementary school and are interested in history, you should consider the History-Elementary major.

The History-Elementary major is designed for students who plan to become elementary school teachers. In their history courses, History-Elementary majors learn how to locate and access a wide range of sources, to analyze historical evidence, including textual and visual sources, to evaluate historical interpretations, and to develop and support their own interpretations. The quantity of writing and discussion required in history courses also helps students to develop effective communication skills.

This major satisfies the academic major requirement for teacher certification with an endorsement in elementary education and must be accompanied by the professional preparation program in elementary education.

Learn more about History-Elementary majors.

If you are not a history major but like to read, write, and learn about the experiences of people in different places and times, you should consider the history minor. In addition to the knowledge and skills they acquire in their minors, history minors develop strong analytical, evaluative, and communication skills that are valued by all employers, including businesses and government agencies.

Learn more about History Minors.

If you are interested in history but are not particularly interested in teaching, you should consider a public history minor. Public History includes the production and presentation of historical interpretations for the general public and for more specialized audiences. Unlike history teachers, who often work as individuals to design and deliver their courses, most public historians work in cooperation with community members and professionals from other disciplinary backgrounds.

Learn more about Public History Minors.

If you are studying French, Spanish, or Russian, the foreign cultures minor will allow you to gain a deeper understanding of the histories of the parts of the world in which these languages are spoken. 

Learn more about Foreign Cultures Minors.