The history major at the University of Connecticut is an opportunity I never expected to take. When I was choosing my major, I knew my interest in history would lead me somewhere, but I didn’t know exactly where. Luckily, the history major has brought me so much more than I expected.
What history can do for you
Whether you want to be a historian, teach history, work at a museum, or simply enjoy history, being a history major has many perks. First, the history major teaches you how to read efficiently. Reading academic journals and understanding the inner workings of government, war, politics, and society are not easy, especially when they have been translated many times or used old-timey language.
With reading comes writing. Many history classes require you to write about a topic, whether it be an article, video, or primary or secondary source. You learn to analyze, dissect, and present the source, proving that you understand what you just read.
The history major also can teach you how to debate and support your claims. Many classes focus on discussions. While these may be scary, the right professor will make you feel comfortable to participate and ask questions.
Lastly, with a history major, you can learn anything you want while broadening your world knowledge. That is an offer I knew I could not pass up.
Suggested and Required courses
The history major is so great at UConn because it’s super flexible. You are encouraged to take introductory courses before jumping into 2000 and 3000-level courses, but they’re not required.
While the history major does have a few required courses, they’re flexible in their chronology and topics.
There are four groups of required courses: A to D, and each group dives into a specific period or region of history. Group A is Ancient, Medieval, and Early Modern History; Group B is Modern European History; Group C is United States History; and Group D is African, Asian, Latin American, and Middle Eastern History. You must take one 3-credit course from Group A, B, and C and two 3-credit courses from Group D.
Some courses offered in the Spring 2023 semester, for example, are History of Women and Gender in the U.S. 1850 to Present (HIST 3562; Group C), Ancient Rome: Emperors and Barbarians (HIST 3326; Group A), Latinos/as and Human Rights (HIST 3575; Group D) and Modern China (HIST 3822; Group D), to name a few.
All history majors must take HIST 2100 in either their third, fourth, or fifth semester and HIST 4994W in their senior year. In HIST 2100, you “learn critical reading, thinking and writing skills by interpreting a variety of primary sources.” HIST 4994W is a Senior Seminar.
Then, you are required to receive at least 12 credits from a related course. This can be anything from Anthropology, Communications, Economics, Journalism, Political Science, and Sociology. While these may seem like a lot, there is no chronological order in which you must take these courses.
Opportunities
The history major is relatively small. This means advisers have time to get to know you and can write genuine letters of recommendation for internships, jobs, and scholarships.
Speaking of internships, students can receive course credit for internships they do in the Fall, Spring, or Summer. Reach out to professors and ask them what they’re working on to see if it aligns with your interests. Just make sure to talk to an adviser before you do this. The Department of History website also includes a list of internships in New England throughout the year.
If you’re interested in studying abroad, the history major has multiple opportunities in Italy, Greece, Hungary, and Morocco, to name a few.
The department also offers weekly seminars and workshops. For an updated list, go to the News and Events section of the Department of History website.
Stigma
The history major does have a bit of stigma and stereotypes surrounding it. For example, some say that it is a dead-end major, there are no job opportunities, it’s only a hobby, and most History majors, if not all, will be teachers or professors. These are not true.
The great thing about the history major is that there’s no rigid end goal. So if you are debating doing more schooling after university or want to go straight to work, then the history major can be for you.
Interested in learning even more about the history major at UConn? Check out the History Major and Minor website for more information.