History Major
The B.A. in History will provide you with a broad knowledge of human history. You'll be able to go everywhere from ancient Rome to the modern Middle East and to study everything from the world wars to the American West. Along the way you’ll learn to read and think critically, to ask good questions and find the resources to answer them, to write and speak persuasively, and to treat others with empathy and respect. Bethel's history major is flexible and fairly small, allowing you options to study abroad, earn a second major, or graduate early. You can pursue your passions through a paid internship at the White Bear Lake Historical Society or on campus at Bethel's History Center archives. You have the chance to learn relevant tech skills, too, in areas like documentary filmmaking, podcasting, blogging, and digital preservation.
What can I do with this degree?
There is almost no college major more versatile than history. Nationwide, the single most popular career for history majors is law, and that only accounts for 15% of us.
While we’ve had alumni go on to work in corporate, family, military, and other forms of law, business and education are even more common careers for Bethel history majors.
- Almost 30% work in business fields like marketing, recruiting, financial services, sales, and human resources.
- Those interested in teaching middle or high school students can pair a history major with a Social Studies Education 5-12 degree (the two overlap considerably), or return to school and add a graduate degree in teaching. Some of these educators later become school principals.
- Other history majors choose to work in higher education. Here at Bethel, our former students fill leading roles in admissions, web services, church relations, and athletics.
- A few of our students become professional historians, pursuing graduate degrees from schools as prestigious as Columbia University, the University of Edinburgh, the University of Virginia, the University of Minnesota, and Rice University.
But the list of careers stretches much longer than law, business, and education. Our recent graduates work as social entrepreneurs, pastors, political lobbyists, military officers, social workers, nurses, and more.
Don’t take it from us: you can read interviews with about 20 of our alumni at our department blog!
What skills will I develop?
Three stand out: When we asked our alumni, more than 95% said that majoring in history at Bethel improved their abilities in research, writing, and critical thinking. You’ll learn to find patterns in data, evaluate the quality of sources and arguments, understand causation and context, and write everything from a 250-word summary to a 25-page report.
Majoring in history is a great way to pick up digital-age skills, as well. In courses or independent projects, through internships, or by working with our archives and digital library, you’ll have opportunities to learn about documentary filmmaking, podcasting, blogging, and digital preservation.
What unique experiences or opportunities will I have?
- Learn about teaching, administration, and research as a departmental teaching assistant
- Work in our archives or digital library
- Get an internship with the country’s best state historical society
- Partner with a professor on a summer research project, and conduct your own original research in local or digital archives for your Senior Seminar paper
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students in political science majors
6 majors, 6 minors, and 2 endorsements available in the department
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The faculty’s ability to disciple me in how to think analytically, empathetically, and creatively has proven to be immensely helpful since my graduation. I am so grateful for the personal attention and challenges I received from my professors as I wrestled with hard questions and reshaped how I applied my faith to the world.
Cody Bishop ’15I think the most distinctive strength of this department was its commitment to teaching all sides of the story. Learning about Political Science from different perspectives and about different perspectives was crucial to my growing worldview at the time.
Marisa Tillman ’16By studying Western ideas and the role Christianity has played in society, I believe I had a greater depth of understanding than students who studied American politics in a more narrow sense. In the process, I also improved my reasoning and critical thinking skills: the number one thing employers are looking for in an ever-changing labor market.
Ben Olson ’07The professors supported my personal development, academic interests, and writing skills. Also, their class content was extremely relevant to the formation of my identity, values, and thinking.
Jordan Nelson ’13I can honestly say that, as a student, I didn't know my professors' political preferences. Getting such a balanced education from a variety of resources has made me a better consumer of information. From the news I read, the podcasts I listen to, and the conversations I have with others—I am constantly consuming from different/varied credible sources in order to get a well-rounded perspective. This information helps me process and create my own, well-informed opinion.
Dawna Diamon ’09The professors are fantastic. They do a great job delivering interesting and relevant material, providing feedback that fosters growth in academic skill, and building relationships with students. I felt cared about and challenged as I developed as a student, and I felt prepared to go out into the real world.
Kyle Kilgore ’20