Why Students Should Still Pick a History Major

James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal ^ | November 22, 2019 | Jacob Bruggeman

[karpov]

Since the 2008 financial crisis, the history field has seen a precipitous decline in the number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in American colleges. As Benjamin Schmidt, a historian at Northeastern University, reported in the American Historical Association’s Perspectives, the number of history degrees awarded fell by 30 percent—from 34,642 to 24,266 in just nine years from 2008 to 2017.

History’s steep decline is not an anomaly, but part and parcel of a broader “crisis” in the humanities. STEM has steamrolled these disciplines on college campuses: Computer science has more than doubled its students between 2013 and 2017. Moreover, critics have made punching bags out of history, humanities, and social sciences writ large.

However, from the perspective of a freshly minted history graduate like myself, history departments are uniquely inspiring homes for an undergraduate education.

Indeed, history as a discipline is constantly engaging with the public, critiquing itself, and evolving through contemporary debate. Just as important, majoring in history prepares students for fulfilling and financially rewarding careers.

I studied history and political science at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio and am continuing my studies in history at the University of Cambridge. Had you told me five years ago that today I would be preparing for a career as a professional historian, I would have burst into laughter. It was only after the first session of my first class at Miami—“The History of the Graphic Novel”—that I decided to lean into my interest in history as a major.

I then discovered a department full of passionate professors dedicated to teaching and presenting historical topics in innovative ways. During “Food in History,” a course co-taught by nearly a dozen Miami historians, Elena Albarrán explained the significance of tortillas in Latin American history and demonstrated how to make them from scratch.

[cornfedcowboy]

And they can open a history store?

[CondoleezzaProtege]

I went to college to get an education, not to train for a job. If I wanted that I would have gone to a trade school.

Exactly. I received my BA in History 10 yrs ago. No regrets. My peers and I all went on to graduate school for different things as far ranging as medicine, law, and theater. So most of us did not end up in history as a career, but none of us regret the foundation it gives us. And the enjoyable undergraduate experience it afforded us. I find that history tends to be less stressful in terms of the workload it demands.

[Savage Beast]

The US education system--in the grip of the decadence of Western Civilization and the educators who have been corrupted by it--know nothing about history.

However, some read between the lines, rather like the oppressed peoples of the Iron Curtain nations did in trying to discern the truth behind the propaganda.

My daughter, in the public schools of California, said this to me: "They keep telling us that the Republicans are racists and the Democrats are not, but it was the Republicans who freed the slaves and the Democrats who were the Ku Klux Klan."

My other daughter said this to me: "All they talk about in school is how humans are killing the oceans and destroying the planet and we're all going to die from global warming!" I asked: "Do any of the children believe that?" "Some do!" she replied with a laugh at how ridiculous they all are.

My son (12 years old) had this to say yesterday: "My health teacher is nuts." Then he told me in explicit detail how she explained to grammar school children, mixed boys and girls, how girls masterbate, how boys masterbate, etc. Naturally I was outraged. So was he, I'm happy to be able to say. He said that the woman is crazy. I agreed. This is what they're learning instead of history.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

Education, correctly defined, means training toward growth and maturity to prepare a person to deal, in a flexible and successful way, with the problems of life and of eternity. It does not mean, as it increasingly is taken to mean by the educational operationalists who now control our educational bureaucracy, obtaining a ticket of admission to some other bureaucratic structure, however large and rich that may be.

- Carrol Quigley - Harvard history scholar who went onto become professor at Georgetown

[Skooz]

Exactly. I received my BA in History 10 yrs ago. No regrets. My peers and I all went on to graduate school for different things as far ranging as medicine, law, and theater. So most of us did not end up in history as a career, but none of us regret the foundation it gives us. And the enjoyable undergraduate experience it afforded us. I find that history tends to be less stressful in terms of the workload it demands.

Yep. And it teaches research skills that few other majors require. I remember endless hours pouring over seemingly innumerable books and documents in search of nuggets I could craft into term papers, etc.

I planned on grad school but, alas, married as an undergrad and followed mammon rather than my heart to provide for my young family.

[madison10]

I truly wish I had become a history teacher, my husband wishes he had done the same. High school counselor said there were too many, not a good major. Should never have listened to her.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

The world needs more actual historians and fewer Howard Zinns.

[Leaning Right]

> History is whatever the Left wants it to be. <

Yep. George Washington used to be portrayed as the Father of the Country. Now he’s just another one of those slave-owning white guys.

[CondoleezzaProtege]

I planned on grad school but, alas, married as an undergrad and followed mammon rather than my heart to provide for my young family.

I am sure you did a right and honorable thing. My prayer is that you won’t have to choose between the two and.., who knows where your career path may lead. Or what opportunities come up. In one of my summer classes, we had an ex lawyer from Beverly Hills! He decided to retire early and pursue his dream of becoming a history professor!

And you can start by being a historian to your children! :) Not to mention the many great places to take them and teach them through...some likely by your doorstep and in need of appreciation.

[teeman8r]

History Major? there’s no future there.

[IronJack]

The market speaks. If you want a marketable skill, go STEM. If you want knowledge, go liberal arts. If you want lies,propaganda, and debt, go “Studies.”

[mjp]

the history of ideas should be a required course in every school

[ealgeone]

History of the Second World War by Liddell Hart is an excellent book on the topic.

[dfwgator]

Churchill’s Six-Book “The Second World War” is also must reading.

[ealgeone]

Yep. I have that also. It's great insight to the behind the scenes of the War.

I've been to London and have toured the bunker where the Brits ran the War. Fascinating place. They left it as it was at the end of the War IIRC.

Very cramped. I bet the smoke from cigars and cigarettes was like fog in the place.

[dfwgator]

Going to London next month, going to see the Churchill War Room.

[chud]

A good book on WW2 is:
Churchill, Hitler, and "The Unnecessary War" by Patrick J. Buchanan

[chud]

I truly wish I had become a history teacher, my husband wishes he had done the same. High school counselor said there were too many, not a good major. Should never have listened to her.

My biggest lesson learned regarding school is, study what you want and don't let others talk you into studying what they want.
I had a friend in college that used to bad-mouth liberal arts majors all the time; he got a business degree because he felt it was more practical. Twenty years later, I can't count the number of times he has told me that he wishes he had got a history degree instead. History is his true passion.

[Utah Binger]

In 1967 I graduated with a degree in History? Why? Because I liked History and concentrated on History of the Western United States. I also enjoyed Russian History.

Now for what reason did I study something enjoyable? Because back then nobody would hire you for any reason without a degree. Certainly not Xerox Corporation where I was hired as a member of a marketing team. And WOW! What a great job especially since my broad knowledge base gave me better talking points in the bars in San Francisco. Those were the days!

[JoeFromSidney]

I also graduated from Miami University in Ohio. My major was physics. Through some academic quirk, chemistry majors could get as BS, but physics majors had to get a BA. Thus I had to take a lot of courses in history,literature,economics, and other liberal arts subjects in addition to the physics and math courses I needed for my major. At the time I resented it. Instead of the 120 credit hours needed for graduation, I accumulated over 150 credit hours in order to cram n all those liberal arts courses. However, I've since been grateful for all those liberal arts courses. I spent a career as an engineer, both in the Air Force and in subsequent civilian life, and I believe those liberal arts courses were well worth the time, both when I was on active duty and in my subsequent civilian career. I'm glad Miami insisted on them.