Ever wondered what you can do with a major in history here at the University of Florida? The quick answer is that you can do anything you want. History majors can be found everywhere, not just libraries and classrooms, and being a history major puts you in pretty interesting company.
The longer version of this answer takes some thoughtful research, consideration of the evidence, and, well, treating the problem as a historian would. The fact is that history teaches you important skills that will reward you over the course of your career and, more importantly, your life. You’ll learn how to read critically, compose original arguments, sort good and bad evidence, and weigh in on some of life’s enduring mysteries after you major in history here at UF.
You’ve probably heard that history is a “useless” major somewhere down the line, but the data simply doesn’t support this assertion. Sure, it’s not the most vocationally oriented degree, but what other major would allow you to work as a leader of a non-profit organization, a professional editor or writer, an eco-adventure entrepreneur, or in settings that range from Abu Dhabi to the NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The value of a history major can’t really be reduced to a dollar amount–although the data shows that history majors earn very competitive salaries and are well-employed, especially when compared to other humanities disciplines–but instead in its flexibility and cultivation of critical thinking skills. Institutions from the University of Utah to Harvard University understand this fact. And for those of you who envision a career in a STEM discipline, a history major, or double-major, can help with that as well. Consider that someone working in the medical field can still draw upon the skills that they learned as a history major every day of their life.
And if you still don’t believe us about the value of a history, take the word of some of our students:
Here at UF we’ve spent decades building a strong faculty that cares deeply about both their research and their students. So come and give the history major a try at UF. You’ll have your whole life to thank for it.