Best Research Universities for History Degrees

Best Research Universities for History Degrees

The best history research universities 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 Research Universities History Programs

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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:

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Best Research Universities for History Degree Programs

If you think a liberal arts college may be a better fit for you, see our ranking of the best liberal arts colleges for a bachelor’s in history.

Best Research Universities for History Degrees

  1. #1

    Harvard University

    Cambridge , MA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $56K

    Acceptance

    4%

    Graduation

    97%

    Student body

    24K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1520/34

    Harvard University History Majors

    • Joint concentrations in Ancient History (Greek & Roman)
    • East Asian History
    • Near Eastern History
    • African and African American History
    • History and Anthropology

    Source

  2. #2

    Yale University

    New Haven , CT
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    5%

    Graduation

    97%

    Student body

    14K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1520/34

    Yale University History Majors

    • BA History – The Global Track
    • BA History – The Specialist Track
    • Combined BA/MA degree program
    • History of Science Medicine and Public Health

    Source

  3. #3

    Columbia University

    New York , NY
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $64K

    Acceptance

    4%

    Graduation

    97%

    Student body

    26K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1515/34

  4. #4

    Stanford University

    Stanford , CA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $56K

    Acceptance

    4%

    Graduation

    96%

    Student body

    13K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1495/33

    Stanford University History Majors

    • General History
    • Global Affairs and World History
    • History, Philosophy, and the Arts
    • History of Science and Medicine
    • History and Law
    • Public History / Public Service

    Source

  5. #5

    Princeton University

    Princeton , NJ
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $56K

    Acceptance

    4%

    Graduation

    98%

    Student body

    7K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1510/33

  6. #6

    University of Chicago

    Chicago , IL
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    6%

    Graduation

    96%

    Student body

    13K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1535/34

    University of Chicago History Majors

    • History – Research / Thesis Track
    • History – Capstone Track
    • History – Colloquium Track

    Source

  7. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $14K

    Acceptance

    14%

    Graduation

    93%

    Student body

    43K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1420/32

    University of California, Berkeley History Majors

    • Concentrations by Period, Geography, or Theme

    Source

  8. #8

    University of Pennsylvania

    Philadelphia , PA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    6%

    Graduation

    96%

    Student body

    28K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1515/34

    University of Pennsylvania History Majors

    • Concentrations by Region or Thematic area

    Source

  9. #9

    University of Michigan

    Ann Arbor , MI
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $17K

    Acceptance

    20%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    44K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1430/32

    University of Michigan History Majors

    • Major or Minor History
    • Teacher Certification in History

    Source

  10. #10

    Cornell University

    Ithaca , NY
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    9%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    25K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1470/33

    Cornell University History Majors

    • History Major
    • History Minor
    • Interdisciplinary Minor in the History of Capitalism
    • Independent Research

    Source

  11. #11

    Brown University

    Providence , RI
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    6%

    Graduation

    96%

    Student body

    9K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1500/34

  12. #12

    Duke University

    Durham , NC
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    6%

    Graduation

    96%

    Student body

    14K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1520/34

    Duke University History Major

    • Bachelor of Arts in History

    Source

  13. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $56K

    Acceptance

    4%

    Graduation

    96%

    Student body

    13K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1545/35

    MIT History Major

    • Bachelor of Science in History

    Source

  14. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $13K

    Acceptance

    11%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    46K

    University of California, Los Angeles History Major

    • Bachelor of Arts in History

    Source

  15. #15

    New York University

    New York , NY
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $57K

    Acceptance

    13%

    Graduation

    87%

    Student body

    49K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1455/32

    New York University History Majors

    • The Major in History
    • Global Liberal Studies Double Major (only for GLS students)
    • Global Public Health Joint Major
    • Minor in Native American and Indigenous Studies
    • Minor in Science and Society
    • Minor in South Asian Studies
    • BA/MA Program

    Source

  16. #16

    Johns Hopkins University

    Baltimore , MD
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $59K

    Acceptance

    8%

    Graduation

    95%

    Student body

    27K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1515/35

    Johns Hopkins University History Majors

    • Accelerated BA/MA at JHU (4-year)
    • Dual-degree BA/MA between JHU and Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF) in Barcelona

    Source

  17. #17

    Georgetown University

    Washington , DC
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $60K

    Acceptance

    12%

    Graduation

    95%

    Student body

    14K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1465/33

    Georgetown University History Major

    • History Major

    Source

  18. #18

    Northwestern University

    Evanston , IL
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    7%

    Graduation

    95%

    Student body

    20K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1490/34

    Northwestern University History Major

    • History Major or Minor

    Source

  19. #19

    University of Notre Dame

    Notre Dame , IN
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $59K

    Acceptance

    15%

    Graduation

    96%

    Student body

    13K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1475/33

    Unviersity of Notre Dame History Majors

    • Geographic concentrations – Eg. US history, modern Europe, Asia, Middle East
    • Chronological concentrations – Eg. US Civil War Era, 20th-Century Europe, Global 1960s
    • Topical concentrations – Eg. Religious history, labor history, military history, US Civil Rights Movement

    Source

  20. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $62K

    Acceptance

    13%

    Graduation

    92%

    Student body

    38K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1435/32

    University of Southern California History Majors

    • BA in History
    • BA in History and Social Science Education
    • BA in Law History and Culture
    • BA in Contemporary Latino and Latin American Studies

    Source

  21. #21

    University of Virginia

    Charlottesville , VA
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $20K

    Acceptance

    21%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    25K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1415/32

    Unviersity of Virginia History Major

    • Capitalism and Economic Life
    • Environment, Space and Society
    • Global and Transnational History
    • Law and Society
    • Race, Ethnicity, and Empire
    • War, Violence, and Society

    Source

  22. #22

    University of Florida

    Gainesville , FL
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $6K

    Acceptance

    30%

    Graduation

    91%

    Student body

    48K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1375/31

    Unviersity of Florida BA History

    • Legal History specialization

    Unviersity of Florida BA Classical Studies

    • Ancient Language
    • Classical Civilization
    • Modern Greek
    • Teacher Certification

    Source

  23. #23

    Dartmouth College

    Hanover , NH
    Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $61K

    Acceptance

    6%

    Graduation

    94%

    Student body

    6K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1500/33

    Dartmouth College History Majors

    • Major or Modified Major
    • Concentrate by geographic region or time period

    Source

  24. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $12K

    Acceptance

    29%

    Graduation

    88%

    Student body

    45K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1340/29

    UT Austin History Major

    • BA in History
    • History and Philosophy of Science Certificate Available

    Source

  25. Other Rankings

    Tuition + fees

    $9K

    Acceptance

    20%

    Graduation

    90%

    Student body

    25K

    Median SAT/ACT

    1385/30

    What is University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill known for?

    University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s faculty and alumni have been influential in:

    Most Influential Alumni

    UNC Chapel Hill History Majors

    • Ancient and Medieval
    • Global History
    • Politics, Law, and Economy
    • Religion, Culture, and Intellectual Life
    • War, Revolution, and Society
    • Women’s and Gender History

    Source

Go to all Research Universities for History programs

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