Undergraduate
Why History?
As a history major, you will receive rigorous training in the history of past events and societies. You will study the causes, contexts, and chronologies of individual events, explore how they are connected to larger historical developments, and discover continuity and change throughout time. As you complete your degree, you will gain greater sensitivity to human and cultural diversity in the past. You will also achieve a firmer understanding of contemporary issues and ideas as you begin to see current events in their historical perspective. As you study the past itself, you will gain an appreciation for how historians develop their interpretations about past events and societies, how and why these historical interpretations differ, and how they change over time. As a history major, finally, you will develop and refine your skills in reading, written and oral communication, research, and critical thinking and analysis.
The history BA degree is structured around an intentionally flexible curriculum. Whether you are a traditional student or a transfer student, our curriculum allows you to complete your degree requirements expeditiously, while choosing the elective coursework that best aligns with your own historical interests and professional goals.
What Can You Do With A Degree in History?
The skills you develop as a history major -- research, critical reasoning, analytical thinking, and written and oral communication -- provide excellent preparation for professional careers in a wide variety of fields, including business, government, law, education, finance, and international affairs. In fact, a recent survey of college graduates showed that history majors have employment opportunities in a much wider and more exciting range of fields than students in more specialized areas of study.
Many of our history graduates successfully compete for admission to the best law, business, and graduate schools in the country. Some history majors have gone on to medical school by combining a history major with an appropriate sequence of science courses. Others pursue master's or doctoral degrees to conduct research and teach at the college level. Still others enter the workforce immediately after receiving the BA degree, bringing the skills they gain as history majors into a diverse range of careers. Here’s what the American Historical Association has to say about careers for history majors.
Also, here are some examples of the wide variety of career opportunities that are open to history majors, and which our alumni have pursued:
- Law
- Diplomacy
- International Affairs
- Government Administration
- Historical Associations
- History Education
- Research and Consulting
- Archivists and Librarians
- Museum Administration
- Publishing and Editing
- Journalism and News Reporting
- Politics
While working toward your history degree, you also have opportunities to acquire work experience through internships that will help you develop skills to make you more competitive on the job market. Additionally, our students have the opportunity to volunteer in organizations while practicing your skills, which will lead to the development of a future network of contacts. USF also offers study abroad programs in several countries that will help you improve your language skills and enable you to become a better global citizen.