Program Overview
People often think of studying history as a matter of memorizing names and dates. While having a command of basic facts is important, college-level study of history shifts the focus to learning how to ask new questions, find new evidence, incorporate more voices, and reconsider old assumptions. As a UCSC history major, you will cultivate a broad understanding of human history across time and space. You will learn how the challenges that confront us today, such as economic inequality, environmental degradation, and racism, have developed and changed over time. You will explore the patterns of social movements and political transformation that help us understand how people change the world. History is about the past, but it is also about understanding the world we live in today.
- History
- Major
- Minor
- 3 year pathway
- Humanities
Student Story: Leo
Leo is a History and Politics major who has been working as the Assistant Education Coordinator at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History in downtown Santa Cruz. Leo is interested in history, public service, and public education, and after graduation, they hope to continue their education with a Ph.D. in History or a Master’s in International Relations. In their internship with the Humanities EXCEL program, Leo has learned to switch roles from the student to the teacher, helping to coordinate tours and other educational programs.
Career Outcomes
Employers regularly express a need for the skills that studying history cultivates. History majors develop skills in critical reading, effective research, analytical thinking, and clear, persuasive communication. Such skills are essential for jobs directly connected to the discipline, like teaching, research, and working in public history venues such as museums, archives, and libraries. These skills are also invaluable to careers in law, business, government, foreign service, management, publishing, journalism, social media, and many others. A history major isn’t just fascinating, it’s a path to success.
History students regularly participate in a wide array of internship experiences related to their professional interests and goals, both domestically and even while studying abroad! Recent internship opportunities led by UCSC History faculty include the Okinawa Memories Initiative, Watsonville is in the Heart, and the Center for Jewish Studies Summer Fellowship with Digital Heritage Mapping.
Program Contact
