Department of History and Philosophy
College of Liberal Arts
The Department of History and Philosophy welcomes you to its home page. Here we introduce our talented and student-friendly faculty, our undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and our organizations, clubs, events, activities, and projects.
There are many professional career paths that students majoring or minoring in history can pursue. We provide classes, courses of study, and academic programs that prepare students to live insightfully, advance professionally, and lead confidently in the 21st century. Students who major in history are well-prepared to enter many professional careers. For example, students planning a career in law often select history as a major. An interesting chart displaying the many career paths taken by historians is here.
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
The study of history your marketability
Students in other disciplines, such as mass communication, political science, and business, study history and increase their marketability in America’s evolving workplaces. Employment possibilities for history graduates include positions with government agencies and departments at the federal, state, and local levels. Within the federal government, historians in the Departments of Education, State, and Defense, serve as analysts and researchers. Diplomats and members of their entourages often have backgrounds in history. Federal and state legislatures also hire historians as staff members to work and investigative committees.
Teaching at the primary, secondary, or collegiate level is another option for the history graduate. There are also private sector jobs available to history majors. These opportunities are found at museums, archives, historical societies, and assorted research facilities.
Visit the following websites for more information:
- Katherine Brooks, “Why Major in History?” in Psychology Today.
- Best Careers for History Majors at BestColleges.com.
- Why Study History? by the American Historical Association.
- Paul B. Sturtevant, “History is Not a Useless Major: Fighting Myths with Data” in Perspectives on History.
LEARN BY DOING
The department offers a Bachelor of Science degree for students who wish to be teachers.
Students in this degree program combine history and education courses and finish as licensed
teachers. The department also offers a Bachelor of Arts degree for students interested in careers
beyond teaching, including public history. BA students may choose to pursue a general degree or
select a concentration in African Diaspora history or Public History. We also offer a minor in
History.
“Challenging Minds, Changing Lives.”
APPLY YOUR KNOWLEDGE
Students will contribute to historical knowledge through original and ethical research using primary and secondary sources. Students will analyze scholarly historical texts and synthesize multiple historical works. Students will create historical arguments and narratives. Students will communicate their historical research clearly, in oral and written form.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
History and Philosophy majors have a plethora of career options:
Park ranger | Reporter | Librarian | Museum archivist |
History professor | Historian | Writer or editor | Researcher |
PERSONNEL
READY TO JOIN?
For more information, please contact us at (601) 979-2191. We look forward to meeting with you and seeing how our program can help you achieve your goals.