Choose Your Path: Two Distinct History Majors

Students interested in history at Western Michigan University can choose between two distinct undergraduate majors, each offering deep historical insights and robust professional preparation.

1. The History Major & Minor

As a history major or minor, you will receive an in-depth education covering a wide range of fascinating eras, regions, and specialized subjects, including:

• Geographic Regions: African, Asian, European, Latin American, Middle Eastern, and U.S. history.
• Historical Eras: Ancient, Medieval, Early Modern, and Modern history.
• Areas of emphasis: The environment, gender, history in film, the Holocaust, law, memory, sports, urban, World War II, and more.

2. The Public History Major & Minor

WMU’s public history major and minor programs are internationally renowned and among an elite group of dedicated undergraduate public history programs nationwide.

In addition to exploring core historical eras and themes, you will receive extensive, specialized professional training in archives administration, museum studies, and historic preservation. A major part of your training as a public history professional will be a hands-on field internship.

Where Public Historians Work

Public historians step outside the traditional classroom to engage communities in a wide variety of career fields, including:

• Cultural Institutions: Museums, monuments, and memorials
• Research & Preservation: Historic and archaeological sites, archives, and libraries
• Public Lands: National parks and other governmental organizations
• Specialized Careers: Roles as historic preservationists, tour guides, or cultural interpreters