History

Undergraduate Program

Introduction to the Major

History is at the foundation of everything we do. We cannot understand the world or hope to improve it without serious attention to the historical processes that created it. Our faculty’s teaching and research cover almost the entirety of recorded history and span most of the globe. We are internationally respected for our expertise in many subfields of the discipline, including cultural, political, economic, religious, intellectual, urban, and imperial and world history, as well as histories of science and sexuality, among others. Faculty have won the most prestigious awards our profession has to offer, from MacArthur “Genius Grants” to Berkeley’s own Distinguished Teaching Award. Whether you choose to major or minor, we hope that you will join our community of historians and add your talents and strengths to ours.

The History Curriculum 

History at Berkeley is a highly flexible major that prizes and prioritizes original research. Students take four lower division classes (emphasizing breadth) and eight upper division classes (emphasizing depth). In office hours, lectures, and particularly the two required small seminars (History 103 and 101), students work closely with our faculty to conceptualize, research, and write a capstone thesis.

Amplify Your Major

Examining historical texts in collaboration with fellow students and a professor is an inspiring experience. It made me see directly how doing good historical research can build and strengthen communities.
Walker Laughlin ‘20

Four-Year Student Timeline

First Year

Explore Your Major

Connect and Build Community

Discover Your Passions

Engage Locally and Globally

Reflect and Plan Your Future

Second Year

Explore Your Major

  • Declare the major after completing three courses in the department, including at least two lower division courses.

  • Review major guidelines for study abroad and look into history-related programs.

Connect and Build Community

  • Join a History student organization such as Phi Alpha Theta or Clio’s Scroll.

  • Connect with current students and faculty at the annual Faculty Student Dinner.

  • Get to know professors, the history librarian, and graduate student instructors during their office hours.

Discover Your Passions

Engage Locally and Globally

Reflect and Plan Your Future

Third Year

Explore Your Major

  • Review your degree progress with your major and college advisor.

  • Enroll in HISTORY 103 (proseminar) and consider applying for a one-year thesis project.

  • Attend workshops at the Office of Undergraduate Research.

Connect and Build Community

Discover Your Passions

Engage Locally and Globally

Reflect and Plan Your Future

  • Update your resume and LinkedIn profile.

  • Discuss post-graduate options with advisors and professors.

  • Attend career and graduate school fairs.

  • Ask professors and graduate student instructors for recommendation letters. (See the History Major Handbook for “Advice for Requesting Letters of Recommendation.”)

Fourth Year

Explore Your Major

  • Do a degree check to ensure you are on track to graduate.

  • Enroll in HISTORY 101 (research seminar) and complete your senior thesis.

  • Complete any “bucket list” courses and remaining major,college, and campus requirements.

Connect and Build Community

Discover Your Passions

Engage Locally and Globally

Reflect and Plan Your Future

What Can I Do With My Major?

History alumni have gone on to a variety of successful careers in research, communications, education, law, business, public service, and many other professions.

Jobs and Employers

  • Admissions Specialist, App Academy

  • Analyst Consultant, Mercer

  • Archivist, Defense Language Institute

  • Asst. Editor, China Digital Times

  • Communications Manager, Google

  • Director, San Joaquin County Historical Museum

  • English Teaching Assistant, Fulbright

  • Executive Team Leader, Macy’s

  • Law Clerk, US District Court San Diego

  • Marine Officer, US Marine Corps

  • Operations Research Analyst, Kinetix

  • Patent Agent, Genentech

  • Recruiter, Zendrive

  • Research Associate, Harvard University

  • Software Engineer, Twitter

Graduate Programs

  • Creative Writing, Master’s

  • Education, Master’s

  • History, PhD

  • International Relations, Master’s

  • Journalism, Master’s

  • Law, JD

  • Political Science, Master’s

  • Public Administration, Master’s

  • Public Policy, Master’s

Examples gathered from LinkedIn and the First Destination Survey of recent Berkeley graduates.

Learn More

Connect With Us

Cal Day

Come to Berkeley’s annual Open House in April for a special orientation for prospective students and their families, as well as a faculty presentation.

Golden Bear Orientation

Join your peers in the campus-wide UC Berkeley orientation program for all new students. The History department also holds an annual orientation and welcome for new and continuing students in late August.

Events

Attend department events with students, staff, and faculty.

Advising

Students can schedule an appointment with the History undergraduate advisor or send an email to history-undergradadvising@berkeley.edu. Visit history.berkeley.edu/undergraduate/advising for advising hours and appointment signups.

How to Use this Map

Use this map to help plan and guide your experience at UC Berkeley, including academic, co-curricular, and discovery opportunities. Everyone’s Berkeley experience is different and activities in this map are suggestions. Always consult with your advisors whenever possible for new opportunities and updates.