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History is the heart of a liberal arts education.
Students of history develop an understanding of change—how it happens and why it happens the way it does—that enables them to engage the world they inhabit and to participate fully in civic life. Department of History courses engage the diversity of American life and bring a global consciousness that helps students navigate the streets (and the news) from Iowa City to Berlin to Dar es Salaam.
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Thinking about majoring in History? Did you know that...
- History majors’ mid-career salaries are on par with those of business majors.
- Employers in tech, business, law, communications, health care, and public policy want people with humanities backgrounds.
- Double majoring makes you even more versatile (History BA requires 36 hours; many combine with PoliSci, JMC, IS, ANTH...).
- Political experts consider historical education to be key to a successful democracy.
Visit the American Historical Association
More reasons to study History
“Students of history develop an understanding of change – how it happens and why it happens the way it does – that enables them to engage the world they inhabit. Employers value history students’ ability to analyze human and social behavior, to research pressing problems, and to express themselves clearly.”Lisa Heineman Professor and former Chair, UI Department of History
The New York Times
"Heather Cox Richardson Wants You to Study History"
“Anybody who studies history learns two things: They learn to do research and they learn to write .... What history will give you is the ability to pivot into the different ideas, the different fields, the different careers as they arise.”