What courses will I take as a history major?–

Once you’ve declared your major in history, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized history electives, there are a several common courses that most history majors will be required to take, including: State, society and the individual in the non-western world. Rome to Renaissance: Introduction to the Middle Ages. Conflict and Identity in Modern Europe. Ancient Greek History. Intro to East Asian Civilization. Early Russian History. Political History of Contemporary Africa. Colonial Cities of the Americas

Is a research university right for me?–

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students. Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines. Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel. Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well. Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Is an online college right for me?–

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available. Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online. Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college. Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands. Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain. Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving. If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc. The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors. Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions. If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

Best Liberal Arts Colleges for History Degrees

Q: Is a liberal arts college right for me?–

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree. Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students. Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom). Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers. Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Badge for BEST FOR HISTORY LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES

By Dr. James Barham

Published: Nov 7, 2021
Updated: Oct 16, 2023

The best history liberal arts colleges are those with rich histories of influence, proven through the work produced by the program’s faculty and alumni. Beyond demonstrating scholarly impact in the field, the best history degree programs maximize your opportunities to interact with outstanding history faculty.

Top 10 Liberal Arts Colleges History Programs

Williams College
Swarthmore College
Amherst College
Wesleyan University
Pomona College
Wellesley College
United States Military Academy
Bowdoin College
Middlebury College
Claremont McKenna College

Wesleyan University
Amherst College
United States Military Academy
Oberlin College
Williams College
Swarthmore College
Smith College
Wellesley College
Bryn Mawr College
Vassar College

Oberlin College 35%
Kenyon College 34%
Reed College 31%
Bryn Mawr College 31%
University of Richmond 24%
Smith College 23%
Vassar College 19%
Carleton College 17%
Davidson College 17%
Colorado College 16%

Barnard College 10 to 1
Colorado College 10 to 1
Bowdoin College 9 to 1
Colgate University 9 to 1
Middlebury College 9 to 1
Davidson College 9 to 1
Kenyon College 9 to 1
Oberlin College 9 to 1
Reed College 9 to 1
Smith College 8 to 1

Kenyon College $66,490
Colorado College $65,028
Vassar College $64,800
Reed College $64,760
Wesleyan University $64,322
Colgate University $64,290
Amherst College $64,100
Haverford College $63,628
Carleton College $62,634
Barnard College $62,525

Claremont McKenna College $65,574
Colgate University $63,904
Vassar College $63,840
Wesleyan University $63,722
Williams College $61,775
Smith College $58,480
Bryn Mawr College $50,730
Oberlin College $29,692
Colorado College $27,600
University of Richmond $26,280

University of Richmond
Bryn Mawr College
Colorado College
Carleton College
Haverford College
Smith College
Reed College
Kenyon College
Oberlin College
Vassar College

Claremont McKenna College
Davidson College
Colorado College
University of Richmond
Kenyon College
United States Air Force Academy
Carleton College
Middlebury College
Colgate University
Pomona College

Pomona College 7%
Swarthmore College 7%
Amherst College 7%
Williams College 8%
Bowdoin College 9%
Barnard College 9%
Claremont McKenna College 10%
United States Naval Academy 11%
United States Military Academy 12%
Colgate University 12%

Williams College 6 to 1
Vassar College 7 to 1
Wellesley College 7 to 1
United States Air Force Academy 7 to 1
Amherst College 7 to 1
United States Military Academy 7 to 1
Wesleyan University 7 to 1
Pomona College 7 to 1
Smith College 8 to 1
United States Naval Academy 8 to 1

Davidson College $57,340
Smith College $58,768
Pomona College $59,238
Swarthmore College $59,328
Bryn Mawr College $59,330
University of Richmond $60,330
Claremont McKenna College $60,715
Bowdoin College $61,528
Williams College $61,770
Wellesley College $61,920

Middlebury College $14,550
University of Richmond $26,280
Colorado College $27,600
Oberlin College $29,692
Bryn Mawr College $50,730
Smith College $58,480
Williams College $61,775
Wesleyan University $63,722
Vassar College $63,840
Colgate University $63,904

Key Takeaways

As we study history, we learn how much our lives differ from those of our ancestors and yet how similar they are in their goals and values.
Attending a liberal arts college for your history degree program means that you will take an array of humanities and foundational courses, resulting in a well-rounded education.
History graduates go into research and heritage, education, and museum sector careers, as well as event marketing, advertising, public relations, and journalism.

Table of Contents

A bachelor’s degree in history is an excellent starting point for a career in education, government consultation, journalism, and a host of other stimulating fields. As a history major, you’ll study philosophy, literature, language, and a number of other related fields.

Your history degree will incorporate an array of humanities as well as foundational courses in the history of Western and Eastern Civilizations, ancient history, and contemporary history. The best schools for history are those which are regionally accredited, which offer a full array of history concentrations, and which give you the chance to work with the best and most influential professors and classmates.

Degree popularity: History bachelor’s degrees are the 39th most popular undergraduate degrees across all student demographics, ranking much higher for men at 24th. It’s most popular among white and Hispanic men, for whom it ranks 18th and 26th respectively, according to the number of degree earners reported by the National Center for Educational Statistics.

Featured Programs

Frequently Asked Questions About History Bachelor’s Degrees

A history major can provide you with the essential skills to succeed in a wide range of professional settings. As a history major, you will learn how to conduct research, cite your sources, and report on your findings. These are essential skills for finding and verifying information in life and work.

Moreover, the way we read and interpret history has a direct consequence on our everyday lives, from the way it informs behavior and policy to the way we preserve traditions and practice rituals.This means that those who tell history have enormous influence over the present day. Today, top influencers in history are exploring the connections between the environment and folk traditions [Link to https://academicinfluence.com/people/simon-schama]; the scope of human history through a macro-historical lens [Link to https://academicinfluence.com/people/yuval-noah-harari], what historian David Christian calls “Big History,” and much more.

History feels like a particularly excellent major during these times of social and political upheaval. When dramatic events like wars, natural disasters, and pandemics alter our way of life, the changes can be shocking and difficult to navigate. But those with a deeper understanding of history recognize the patterns that have played out across generations. History majors often have a better sense of preparedness for such events, and a willingness to adapt as changes inevitably occur. During a time when our economic, labor market, and society are in major flux, those with a degree in history are in a unique position to understand the events around us, and make informed professional and personal choices based on this specialized insight.

Once you’ve declared your major in history, you will likely be required to complete a set of core courses in a number of related subject areas. While your concentration will give you a chance to choose from a wide range of highly-specialized history electives, there are a several common courses that most history majors will be required to take, including:

State, society and the individual in the non-western world
Rome to Renaissance: Introduction to the Middle Ages
Conflict and Identity in Modern Europe
Ancient Greek History
Intro to East Asian Civilization
Early Russian History
Political History of Contemporary Africa
Colonial Cities of the Americas

History majors not only qualify for highly specialized roles in education, publishing and academia, but majoring in history will provide you with a number of valuable workplace skills. As such, your history major can lead to a wide range of career opportunities, including these top jobs:

Reasons to Study History

History helps confirms our identity.

Data on history provides evidence of how families, groups, institutions, and entire countries are formed and evolve while maintaining cohesion. For some Americans, studying one’s family history is the most obvious use of history since it allows them to learn about their genealogy and gain a deeper understanding of how their family has interacted with wider historical changes.

History allows us to understand society better.

History allows you to understand society better, including with a world history and political science perspective. To understand what is happening now, we must examine factors that were present earlier.

Major developments can sometimes be explained by fairly recent history, but we need to look back further to identify the causes. In studying history, we can understand how things change, what factors cause change, and what aspects of an institution or society persist despite change.

History improves moral understanding.

A student of history can hone their moral sense by studying the stories of individuals and situations in the past by comparing the complexities they have faced in difficult circumstances. There is an inspiration to be found in real-life, historical accounts of people who have faced adversity, in as far back as ancient and medieval history.

History builds citizenship.

History can build your sense of citizenship. Due to our common knowledge of our history, we have a shared history and a communal identity. To understand our present as a community, we need to know how we came to be as a group. This awareness contributes to that sense of nationalism as well.

Required Skill Sets for Future Historians

Here are some skill sets that you need to brush up on if you want to pursue a career in history:

Teamwork
Communication Skills
Problem-Solving Skills
Data Analyzing Skills
Has Good Initiative
Special Attention to Details

Frequently Asked Questions About Research Universities, Liberal Arts Colleges, Online Colleges

In pursuing a bachelor’s degree, you will need to choose between three kinds of schools: research universities, liberal arts colleges, and online colleges.

Research universities are colleges and universities whose faculty are active in research and publishing. Research universities offer a wide array of doctoral programs, especially in the sciences. They tend to be big, with tens of thousands of students.

Do you prefer a larger university setting, such as largest public university in your state? Research universities are typically big, offering degrees in many different disciplines.

Is a big high-powered research environment the thing for you? If not, you should think about a liberal arts college. In deciding on an undergraduate institution, ask yourself what sort of environment will best help you to be happy and excel.

Consider whether you are self motivated enough to be a face in the crowd for some classes and largely unknown on campus at a large university. Of course you can find clubs and friends at a large university, but often liberal arts colleges have a more personal quality to them. If you want the community feel, a research university may not fit you well.
Are you interested in STEM fields? Research universities have that name for a reason – real research is happening there. This can create an exciting atmosphere for students interested in STEM. Attending a research university can give you a better chance of getting into better programs for graduate degrees, although a lot of that depends on your performance.

Learn more about research universities by reading about the best research universities in the US.

Often referred to as “teaching colleges” liberal arts colleges put a premium on undergraduate studies and offers a broad range of subjects for students to study. A college of liberal arts typically provides smaller class sizes, more direct engagement with professors, and, most importantly, the opportunity to sample a wide range of subject areas on the way to a bachelor’s degree.

Do you want your professors to know you? Liberal arts colleges strive to cultivate campus cultures that encourage tight bonds between professors and students.

Professors at these schools will typically conduct original research. Yet the best of these schools offer their faculty reduced teaching loads so that they can both be productive researchers and still have plenty of time for students (both in and outside the classroom).

Do you want to feel like you know everybody? One of the most enticing features of a liberal arts college is that in very little time, you can feel like you know who’s who, which can create strong friendships and make walks across campus more fun. While your sports teams may never be on ESPN, it’s more likely that you’ll know the athletes as your peers.

Beyond student and faculty relationships, it’s not unusual for the school president and other administrators to learn who you are. When faced with problems with your student account or the need to switch classes, this can be comforting during a stressful moment.

Learn more about liberal arts colleges by reading about the best liberal arts colleges in the US.

Online colleges are typically the same colleges and universities you could attend in-person, but for certain degree programs the college or unviersity has made the degree programs available to be completed online. For over 5 million students, online degree programs allow students to earn their degrees in the most flexible format available.

Online degrees are as respected as the on-campus degrees you could earn from the same schools. There’s usually no distinction between the two degrees, and your degree and transcript will not say that the degree was earned online.

Online degree programs are offered by a vast majority of colleges and universities, and the number of offering continues to grow. Whether you are searching for an associate, bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate, there’s a good chance you can earn your degree online from a respectable online college.

Are you a self-driven student? Perhaps the hardest aspect of obtaining an online degree is whether you will be disciplined enough to manage your time and course demands.

Many online students report that online college made them more disciplined in all areas of their lives, but the flexible, self-paced learning that makes online colleges attractive can often be the same qualities that make it difficult. If you tend to be a procrastinator, you need to be honest with yourself. You can change your habits and propensities, or you can throw money down the drain.

Do you need the flexibility of an online degree program? Most online students study online because of time demands of balancing work and life, or because the online college affords them the chance to attend a better school without moving.

If you are serious about earning your degree for career advancement, online colleges make it possible. The most flexible options among online degrees are those that are asynchronous, meaning you don’t have scheduled times to meet with your class online. However, many students seek synchronous online degree programs so that they have some structure – set meeting times, scheduled exams, etc.

The good news is that attending an online college doesn’t mean you will miss out on getting to know your professors and classmates. In fact, many online students who have experienced both online and on-campus courses report having easier access to their professors.

Since most communication with your professor is expected to be in text – via email or your class learning management system – it makes asking your questions easier. The same students also report that they got to better know the thoughts of their classmates. While in-person course conversations can be dominated by a few extroverts, online courses that require online discussions make it so that you see all of your classmates’ thoughts and questions.

If you’re interested in an online bachelor’s degree, check out what the best online colleges offer, or search our online degrees for the exact program that interests you. In either case, you will find well respected colleges and universities that offer online degrees.

If you think a research university may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best research universities for a bachelor’s in history.

How do we determine the best history liberal arts colleges?

Methodology

The people affiliated with a school are ultimately what make it great. This is why we rank the best colleges and universities based on what we call “Influence”.

The influence of a college or university is based on the schools’s top academic influencers related to the discipline in this ranking. We track the influence of faculty and alumni affiliate with these school counting not only the publications and citations of the school’s affiliated people, but we also consider the overall web presence of the faculty and alumni. The greater the citations, authority of web links, web searches, and page views, the greater the individuals’s influence. Those combined make up the departments’s influence in the field of study. We believe tracking the academic influence of the people affiliated with a school is the best indicator of academic excellence.

If you are serious about finding the best colleges and universities, you should be asking where the most influential professors are teaching, and whether their graduates themselves are advancing the school’s reputation for academic excellence. Most ranking sites rely on an opaque combination of reputation surveys and misused performance metrics. Influence, as measured by our InfluenceRanking engine, provides a ranking that is more insulated from manipulation, and more reflective of real-world educational outcomes.