Overview

Overview

The only major where you can truly learn from other people's mistakes.

Description

History is a sacred thing to historians. Go figure. If you ever wondered about the proper way to handle and store a document, look no further than our history nerds. These guys take more care with a letter written two hundred years ago than some surgeons take when operating on a human heart. Although, we don't recommend you schedule procedures with any of those surgeons.

Historians research the past in order to create a cohesive and honest narrative of events, people, ideas, wars, and places. History is about as sprawling as the day is long, so historians generally specialize in a time period, civilization, or event that catches their fancy (although it's usually a little broader than "between May and July of 1814").

Most historians work for a university or college. They teach students, perform research, and write essays, articles, or books—hopefully for publication, and not just to share with their family around the dinner table. Some historians find jobs with museums, historical societies, history organizations, the National Park Service or consulting firms.

Famous People who majored in History

  • Conan O'Brien (American History)
  • Sacha Baron Cohen
  • Steve Carell
  • Edward Norton
  • Jimmy Buffet
  • Joe Biden (with Political Science)

Percentage of US students who major in History:

0.012%

Stats obtained from this source.