Virginia Tech® home

History Major

What is a Major in History?

Studying history offers you new ways to think about people, places, and events in the past. In the process, it also helps you develop critical thinking skills, conduct research, analyze sources, craft arguments, and uncover the diverse ways that the past continues to shape the present.

History Header

Why Study History at Virginia Tech?

We pride ourselves on an innovative curriculum, an emphasis on learning outside the classroom, and close-working relationships between our award-winning history faculty and our students, who leave well prepared for graduate or professional school. Graduates often go into teaching, business, government, and other careers that value analytical thinking and strong research and writing skills.

 
1:11
Faculty-Student Ratio

 
23
Average Class Size

 
100+
Courses to Choose From

Careers and Further Study

What can you do with a major in History?

Jobs Held by Our Graduates

  • Museum Curator
  • Legislative Staffer
  • Intelligence Analyst
  • Publishing Coordinator
  • Inventory Specialist
  • Law Associate
  • Secondary Educator 

Beyond the Classroom

Experiential Learning

Student Organizations 

Majoring in history at Virginia Tech means joining an active and welcoming community. Our faculty work side-by-side with you to advise you on pursuing research interests, presenting and publishing your work, and preparing you for a career after graduation. Our award-winning Phi Alpha Theta chapter and the history club hold regular get-togethers, service projects, and events like Stump the Chumps — our annual student-versus-faculty trivia challenge.  

collaborate
Undergraduate Research 

We place a strong emphasis on undergraduate research, so there are many opportunities to submit papers to conferences and publish research in peer-reviewed journals like Philologia or our own Undergraduate Historical Review.

History majors can also apply for the Undergraduate Research Scholarship. More details can be found here!

collaborate
Come with us

Immersing yourself in a culture is an important aspect of being a history major, so we encourage students to conduct hands-on study. We sponsor study abroad programs and partner with local historical organizations and public history projects, where you can participate in preservation and get valuable experience. Our department also operates the Virginia Center for Civil War Studies, which sponsors outreach opportunities for students.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

collaborate
Internships 

Our program offers hands-on work in public and digital history as well as local, regional, and national internships. Work with faculty like Tom Ewing and Amy Nelson on digital history projects.

collaborate

Bachelor of Arts in History Degree

History Major Requirements

  • Empires, Colonialism, and Globalization
  • Ideas, Traditions, and Cultures
  • Science, Technology, Environment, and Medicine
  • Conflict, War, and Peace

Minor and Elective Hours

Our program gives you the opportunity to build knowledge in another area by pursuing a minor, double major, or cognate.


120 hrs
B.A. History

45 hrs
General Education

39 hrs
Major Requirements

36-57 hrs
Elective


 

Campus Life

Virtual Tour

Explore the university through either a guided or self-guided virtual tour.

Campus Life

Discover all that Virginia Tech has to offer inside and outside of the classroom. Our campus life aims to build communities, promote holistic education, and cultivate environments that offer opportunities for leadership, innovation, and service.