History Major

• What is History?
• What are Some Specializations Within this Broad Major?
• What Kinds of Students Major in History?
• What Courses Do History Majors Take?
• List of History Jobs
• What is the Median Salary Range for History Careers?
• College and University Departments to Consider

What is History?

History is the analytical reconstruction of the past ? distant and recent. Many people study history for its own sake, but the critical insights it brings make it also make it relevant for understanding one's own times and environment. It is an essential part of knowing the context within which one lives. History is one of the broadest of all fields. It overlaps and cuts across most other disciplines, frequently borrowing content and adapting concepts from them. History places a special emphasis on relation-ships among events, developments, ideas and cultures from all times and places. While it works to uncover valid analogies and comparisons, it recognizes uniqueness and tries to avoid the overly simple model or the too facile answer. History provides an ideal focus for a liberal education and a functional basis for lifelong learning. It is an essential component of higher education for majors and non-majors alike.

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What are Some Specializations Within this Broad Major?

Various specializations related to a major in History may be offered by colleges and universities. These specializations may be of greater or lesser interest to you. A few of these specializations related to this field include, but are not limited to:

African History	Asian History
Economic History	European History
History of Science	Latin American History
Political History	U.S. History

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What Kinds of Students Major in History?

Students who specialize in history are typically those who plan to teach, practice law, or enter government service; but history students also go into business, librarianship, foundation work, management of local history projects, and fundraising. Some history majors become successful writers. History majors should enjoy using their analytical skills to see beyond the surface of issues to understand their significance. They should also have well developed abilities in writing and evaluation so they can comprehend, compare, and criticize arguments and ideas.

Is History the right major for you?
Take the MyMajors Quiz and find out if it is one of your top recommended majors!

What Courses Do History Majors Take?

The required and elective courses you would take for History majors vary considerably among institutions. Courses are listed here that are illustrative of the breadth of topics you are likely to experience were you to major in this field.

American History	Biography and American History
European History	Freedom and Responsibility
Myth and Reality in the American Past	Non-Western History
Slavery in America	The American Civil War
The Holocaust	Western Tradition of Justice and the Law

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List of Potential Jobs in History

These professions and professional organizations illustrate the types of positions you might qualify for if you complete this major. Some majors are more directly related to employment than others, however. You should consider the likelihood of employment after graduation carefully, if you do not plan to go on for graduate work in a field. Even with the completion of graduate work in some fields, however, employment is difficult, so you should determine what the prospects are for this or any major. Employment possibilities are often enhanced by the selecting employment-related courses and by the enrollment in second major or in a minor.

Architectural Historian	Business
Historian	Historical Editing
Historical Preservation	History Professor
Museum Curator	Writing

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What is the Median Salary Range for History Careers?

U.S. Median Salary(starting):$38,800

U.S. Median Salary(mid-career):$70,000

Note: These numbers are national averages so you could make more or less than these amounts. Actual expected salaries will vary depending on your chosen career path, experience, and even your geographic location. Are you interested in detailed information about the forecasted demand for a particular profession? Are you interested in the estimated salaries such positions are likely to pay? This government Web site allows you to search on a particular job, whether listed here or not, to give you this information.

Bureau of Labor Statistics

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Colleges and Universities offering majors in History

MyMajors complete list has 1,296 schools in the USA with a major in History.
-View the national listing!

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For information on options available to campuses wishing to see their programs listed on MyMajors, contact for details.