Why Study History?

A history degree prepares students for challenging and exciting careers in teaching, policy analysis, politics, public service, public relations, communications, and research, writing, and editing. ECU history graduates have found employment in schools, government agencies, international and non-profit agencies, museums, archives, and historic sites. History has long been recognized as one of the ideal undergraduate preparations for careers in law, journalism, public policy, business, and public history.

Chances are that today’s college graduates will experience several changes of career during the course of their working life.  Given this workplace reality, many students see the advantages of using their college years to equip themselves with a broad array of time-tested skills.  A degree in History, one of the core liberal arts disciplines in the Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, provides students with such education.  History graduates are able to think critically, write effectively, and assess the dynamics of the world around them.  History graduates learn how to become life-long learners, capable of success in a wide variety of fields. No matter what the future holds, there will always be jobs for people with these abilities.

Woodrow Wilson, W.E.B. Dubois, Katherine Hepburn, Lee Iacocca, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Antonin Scalia, Larry David, Wolf Blitzer and Conan O’Brien have this much in common--all were history majors!