The History program is designed to provide students with a broad liberal arts education by creating an environment for students to develop academic skills in understanding American culture and history as well as those of other societies across the globe. The history program is committed to preparing thoughtful citizens and productive members of a global society by embracing both broad and "deep" content knowledge, pedagogical innovation, and the use of technology. The program is organized to prepare students for advanced study in history and law as well as careers in education, public history, government, research and other professions that require History's flexible skills set.

 

Goals of the History Program:

1. Provide general studies courses for the General Education curriculum.
   
   
2. Provide core courses leading to the B.A. Degree in History; prepare students for career opportunities and graduate studies in the fields of history, political science, public administration, public history, global studies, geography, law, and teaching in public and private schools through a minor in Secondary Education (Social Studies) and African Studies.

Plan of Study

Bachelor of Arts in History

concentrations:
Race, Gender & Ethnicity Studies

Digital & Public History

minors:
Black/Africana Studies
Secondary Education Minor Courses for History (License to teach in North Carolina)

ECSU History Scholars

ECSU History Scholars is a student club based in the History Program. It was established to encourage appreciation of the past and to provide service relevant to the mission on campus and in the local community. The club is open to both History majors and non-majors. The club hosts film screenings, social events, speakers, and other events. Club members visit museums and local historic sites, engage in community service, and plan other activities of interest to the membership.

 Contact: Melissa Stuckey, Ph.D.

American Historical Association

Organization of American Historians

World History Association

National Council for History Education

Association for the Study of African American Life and History

National Council on Public History

American Alliance of Museums

Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora

Association of Black Women Historians

National Council of Black Studies

Southern Conference for the Study of African American Studies, INC

Association for the Study of Classical African Civilization

Association of Black Museums

Phi Alpha Theta National Honors Society

Phi Alpha Theta is the national honors society for the study of History. The ECSU chapter, Alpha-Eta-Sigma, was founded on November 29, 1995.

Undergraduate students must complete a minimum of 12 semester hours (4 courses) in History, achieve a minimum GPA of 3.1 in History and a GPA of 3.0 or better overall. Membership is not limited to History majors. A one-time induction fee bestows life-time membership in the organization. PAT members will be recognized in the program at graduation and earn the right to wear a PAT honors cord or sash.

 Contact: Jingbin Wang, Ph.D.

Leonard Ballou Fund

The fund was established by History professor Dr. Glen Bowman using proceeds from the publication of his critical thinking readerThe Razor's Edge to honor the legacy of former university archivist Leonard Ballou. The fund supports the recruitment and retention of students at ECSU.

Contact: Glen C. Bowman, Ph.D.

 

Flora Bryant Brown History Scholarship Fund

The fund was established by ECSU History faculty in honor of Dr. Flora Brown, long-time professor of History, founder and chair of the Department of History and Political Science, and former Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The scholarship fund provides scholarships each term to new and continuing History students.

Contact: Charles V. Reed, Ph.D.

Give to History resource funds (be sure to choose the appropriate fund as your Gift Designation).

• High school history teacher

• Community college history lecturer

• College or university history professor

• Government historian 

• Historical consultant

• Political advisor

• Museum curator

• Archivist

• Lawyer

• Researcher

• Analyst

• Diplomat

• Journalist

• Writer

  Salary Information 
  10 Popular History Degree Jobs

  March 31, 2020

  While many professional undergraduate degrees lead to jobs directly related to their major, such as engineering, history majors can often choose from many different jobs in a wide range of industries. Whether you want to research, write, educate or consult, you have many different options depending on your interests. Discover what to do with a history major and draw inspiration from this list of careers.

  1. Park ranger

  National Average Salary: $14.33 per hour

  Park rangers are knowledgeable naturalists and outdoor guides who often have backgrounds in history. If you're seeking careers with a history degree that allow you to work at historical sites by sharing information with patrons, becoming a park ranger might be a good fit for you. As a park ranger, you might oversee the visitor center for a historical site, lead guided tours through a historic building or complex or prepare materials for visitors to consume.

  Since county, state and national parks host many of the available positions in this field, park rangers have access to some of the best history degree jobs in government settings. If you'd rather work for a private or public organization, you can find select park ranger jobs at historical non-profits as well.

  2. Museum archivist

  National Average Salary: $52,389 per year

  Museums specialize in displaying and interpreting historical artifacts. When you work at a museum, you'll get hands-on experience with art, artifacts and historical documents, no matter which role you decide to pursue. Museum archivists also appraise and research artifacts, and they often take responsibility for storage and preparation as well.

  Archivists excel at organization and use databases and classification systems to track important objects and records. Museum curators acquire objects and build collections of artifacts or artwork for their institutions. They design exhibitions for the public or select groups to view, and they may also research or write about historical topics.

  3. Librarian

  National Average Salary: $56,275 per year

  With your history degree, you likely developed abilities in finding information and analyzing sources. Librarians use these skills to help patrons find content, resources, research books and other publications as well as answer customer questions. You may also build databases for patrons and institutions or curate collections based on certain topics. Librarians also sometimes offer educational programs or teach patrons how to use tools and resources.

  If you pursue a career as a librarian, you could work for a school or university, a highly specialized institution or a public organization. Depending on their areas of specialty and the types of history majors they employ, libraries may hire for entry-level history jobs or for advanced positions that require a master's degree in library science. Librarians who can easily adapt to the latest technology are more competitive candidates as research shifts toward the digital sphere.

  4. Writer or editor

  National Average Salary: $56,366 per year

  As you author research papers and historical essays for your degree, you will build skills in conducting research, communicating facts and sharing historical information in an engaging way. Jobs in writing and editing could be a good fit for using your history knowledge and writing skills.

  You can become a nonfiction writer who specializes in select historical figures, events or locations, or a novelist who uses the past as inspiration for fictional stories. You can also handle speech writing for politicians and other leaders or pursue content writing for magazines and digital publications. If you excel at conceptualizing stories and perfecting the content that others have written in this field, seeking a career as an editor could be an option as well.

  5. Business consultant

  National Average Salary: $70,134 per year

  Business consultants with a specialty in history commonly advise museums, institutions or historical sites. In this type of role, you'll serve as an expert on a specific topic, such as archives and preservation, or a certain time period, such as the prehistoric era or the Civil War.

  As a consultant, you'll contract your services on a per-project basis, working for different organizations for weeks, months or years at a time. Since consultants lend their expertise and take on leadership roles they have high earning potential. Because many organizations have funding that's too limited for full-time hires but sufficient for project-based contractors, historical consultants may find substantial job growth in the next few years.

  6. Lawyer

  National Average Salary: $73,352 per year

  Paralegals and legal assistants provide support for attorneys and law offices. In this role, your history degree can help you excel at legal research, gathering and analyzing evidence and drafting legal documents. You might also file briefs and appeals or review court transcripts. Since most professionals at this level have a bachelor's degree, working as a paralegal can be a great entry-level job for history majors.

  As a lawyer, you'll interpret laws and regulations and research and analyze legal precedents. You may also advise clients, represent them in court and argue on their behalf. Whether you work as a defense attorney, a prosecutor or legal counsel, you'll need an advanced degree to supplement your B.A. in history. You will also need a J.D. degree from an accredited law school, which typically takes about three years of graduate-level education.

  7. Researcher

  National Average Salary: $73,587 per year

  Professional researchers and market analysts are two of the most popular entry-level jobs for history majors.

  As a research assistant, you'll work with a team to uncover information and gather data on specific topics. You will use your analytical and critical thinking skills to make observations and draw conclusions. In this role, you can work in a wide variety of industries and find employment in the public, private and government sectors.

  Market analysts monitor trends and developments in a specific market and serve as experts on certain target markets and competitors. You'll collect data, analyze information and translate figures and trends into reports. Having a background in history can be a significant advantage for market analysts and researchers as your learned skills can help you interpret data and find patterns that point to future trends.

  8. Historian

  National Average Salary: $74,158 per year

  In this profession, you will continue to build and master many of the skills you learned while working toward your history degree, from researching and analyzing to writing and presenting about historical matters of interest.

  Professional historians study information from texts and artifacts, tie historical developments together, advise on preservation methods and prepare reports or books on select topics. Historians can work for private businesses, government agencies, nonprofit organizations or individual employers. Many historians travel extensively for their jobs, often if they are required to analyze original documents or artifacts.

  While historians often work behind the scenes, many build public personas. For example, historians can publish books, offer presentations and classes or offer guidance to professional groups. Professional historians typically specialize in certain time periods, geographic areas or historical topics, serving as experts in these niches.

  9. Reporter or journalist

  National Average Salary: $37.66 per hour

  While many historians write fiction or non-fiction, a history degree can also prepare you for a career as a reporter or journalist. With a degree in history, you'll have a strong understanding of the background of the issues you're covering, which allows you to conduct high-quality investigations.

  Although newspapers may be experiencing a decrease in circulation and staff numbers, journalists can still pursue exciting careers in the news industry. Reporters often create investigative content for online and print newspapers, while multimedia journalists often produce video-based stories for news outlets.

  Whether you want to pursue full-time or freelance jobs, you can seek out a position as a reporter, correspondent or journalist. Most professionals in this field have a bachelor's degree and relevant experience with writing, reporting and multimedia.

  10. History professor

  National Average Salary: $76,135 per year

  If you have strong leadership skills and enjoy explaining history concepts to others, teaching could be a good career choice for you. History teachers work at every level of the education system, so you could work as a high school teacher in a public or private school or as a history professor in a state or private university.

  High school history teachers typically plan lessons, assist students with assignments and administer tests and assignments to assess student progress. History teachers at this level may work with students in large classes or small groups. They may also take responsibility for working with individual students and communicating with parents.

  University professors generally give lectures and meet with college students in small groups. They may also take responsibility for advising students about academic progress and goals. Unlike high school teachers, university professors often pursue history-related research and publish their work in addition to their teaching duties. While high school teachers generally need a bachelor's degree, professors typically need a master's degree or a Ph.D.

  Want to learn more about the jobs you can get with a history degree? Explore history degree jobs by industry to find the career path that works for your unique skill set and interests.

SOCIAL JUSTICE FORUM: ECSU history department is establishing a new direction in teaching and participation in social justice reform in Elizabeth City, while addressing racism and social injustices directed at African Americans. The death of  George Floyd along with other African Americans over the last decade by police agencies or White racist citizens need to be addressed. Critical to the concentration in Race, Gender, and Ethnic Studies, ECSU students and faculty will learn about critical race theory, establish an activist paradigm, and provided critical knowledge on how to combat institutional racism. Please contact Latif A. Tarik, history program coordinator, and social justice forum faculty for presentations, discussions, workshops, or community engagement.

Latif A. Tarik, Ph.d.
Assistant Professor of History/History Program Coordinator

Department of Social Sciences
351 Willie and Jacqueline Gilchrist Education and Psychology Complex
Phone: (252) 335-3972

Fax: (252) 335-8765
E-mail: latarik@ecsu.edu

Address: 1704 Weeksville Rd, Elizabeth City, NC 27909

Careers in History (American Historical Association)

Famous History Majors

History Discipline Core (American Historical Association)