The study of social, political, economic, and cultural problems within societies that are remote from our own, whether in time or space, fosters an appreciation of the complexity as well as the persistence and interconnectedness of cultural legacies. A history major provides students with the opportunity to study a variety of other societies in cooperation with professors who have spent their lives studying the languages, history, and cultures of these societies. This is a reasonable practical question. You may encounter friends and loved ones who fear that majoring in history will seriously limit your opportunities in life. We know this to be true because of the many different careers in which our own graduate majors have had compiled a record of success.
History is one of the leading majors among students who go on to law school.
What's less well known is that many history majors go on to do very well in business careers. History also provides excellent preparation for those who want to work in the financial industry. For aspiring journalists, there is probably no major that is more useful than history. As persons reporting the news, they must describe the world's events, which requires them to view these events in historical perspective. A history major can be invaluable in providing one with a sense of this past in the United States, but also an informed sense of the cultural legacies of other societies.