History as a Major: Things to Consider

Are you contemplating going to Law School, Becoming a Teacher, or an Advanced Degree? If so becoming a history major may be for you. I recently graduated with a degree in History. In the beginning I thought about going on to Law School and felt that being a History major made sense because of the course load. Law school is still in the back of my mind but it is further away than it was three years ago.

Why History? History gives us the incite of social, political, cultural, and economic events of the past. With this knowledge students develop an appreciation for the accomplishments of others.

What does History teach students? History teaches students to learn from the problems of the past and come up with more effective ways to deal with issues of the present and future. History trains students in research, writing, critical analysis skills, and verbal skills. History prepares you for the workforce regardless of industry.

In the Beginning: You start by taking the introduction classes such as Intro to European History, United States History I and II, etc., these classes are very easy. More than likely there are no paper assignments for these class. There is a lot of reading (50+ pages and night/ class) and lecturing. So get use to this.

In the Middle: You have gotten through your introduction classes. Now it starts to get tough. You no longer have lecture only based classes and easy exams. Your professors/instructors are now starting to teach you how write a paper and perform proper research (primary and secondary sources as well as footnoting, know as Research Methods). Your professors/instructors start to expect more out of you Now you will see the inside of the library more than your home. Be nice to the librarians because you will see a lot of them before you graduate (you will need their help for every research paper you write).

In the End: Almost time to graduate. Don't start to relax yet. You are close to finishing but you are not done yet. Your professors/instructors are no longer giving partial credit because by now you should catch careless mistakes. The last class you will take is Senior seminar, in this class you will write the biggest paper of your life, which can be anywhere between 20-30 pages. You will spend most of your time in the library ( you be there so much people will think that you work there).

Before You Choose this Major: In order to be a History major, you have to love reading, writing, and debating (have the ability to argue both sides, professors love this). It is a hard road and only few make it through but it is possible.

Sources:

www.uncc.edu
www.career.uncc.edu