History Major & Minor

About

What would you do with a History major from GC?

Based on our experience, you will stand out to any employer who is looking for someone who can think for themselves, finds joy in doing their own research, can understand text and data quickly, and tell engaging stories that take the culture, needs and emotions of others seriously. In a sea of college graduates whose degree prepares them only for career X, our students stand apart as curious learners and empathetic listeners who have the soft skills that prepare them for 100 careers and graduate programs, not just one. Our graduates do particularly well when compared to other Midwestern colleges in applying for graduate schools – from Law to Humanities, to Politics or Education. And they enter meaningful careers: recent graduates work in the justice system, financial analysis, city planning, teaching, criminal justice, NGO advocacy. They have become lawyers, political consultants, church leaders or software research directors at major Silicon Valley companies.

And how do you do a History major here?

You dive in early, closely mentored by us as professors beyond the classroom. Far from memorizing names and dates, you will explore and discuss the stories that made the world around you into what it is. We believe that any meaning, joy, justice or progress we wish to see today is only possible if we know how we came to be the way we are – in all our complexities and nuances. And you will research and tell these stories for yourself, working with original sources and cutting edge current scholars’ work, with your peers and professors – from American immigration history through the lens of food, to ancient empires, to constructions of gender in 20th century China. We call our students not only to high academic standards but also to honest reflections about your place in the world.

Many of our majors combine our 41 credit hours with another major or a minor or two. In fact, we will require that you take classes outside of our discipline that fit your goals. And we make sure your internship connects you to the real world value of what you study here.

Simply put, History is the best major for students who simply want to learn a lot about the world – and their active role in it.

Get started today by completing the form below. Financial aid is available. Contact us today to learn more!

Students & Alumni

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Faculty & Staff

Elizabeth Miller

Director of the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism
Assistant Professor of History

Julia Schiavone Camacho

Professor of History

Philipp Gollner

Associate Professor of US History & MQR Book Review Editor

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