Undergraduate Program
The undergraduate history program at UNC offers majors the opportunity both to explore a wide range of historical fields and to develop expertise in a particular area of study. Courses are generally divided into three categories: 1) broad surveys, 2) specialized lecture courses, and 3) seminars. Writing is emphasized in virtually all history courses, even at the survey level, and research is integrated into many of them. Because writing, analysis, oral presentation, argumentation, and critical thinking form the essence of historical study and debate, the history major prepares students for careers in a variety of fields: law, journalism, teaching, business, public service, library sciences, international work, historical research, and many more. Because historical study highlights the variety and complexity of the human experience and fosters an appreciation for long-term processes of change, the history major also prepares students to be responsible and thoughtful citizens of the world. In the fall semester of 2005 the history program included 457 majors in the junior and senior classes, of whom 95 were double majors.
For further discussion of the value and uses of historical study, visit the following web sites of the American Historical Association:
History majors interested in joining an internet discussion group of national scope devoted to issues of concern to undergraduate history students should visit the H-HISTMAJOR web site.