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History Department

To study history is to study the experiences, ideas, and motivations of past people around the world in order to obtain a better understanding of the nature of the human condition. At Northern Michigan University we challenge students to use their knowledge of the past to create a better future.

CAREER EXCELLENCE

The valuable skills you will develop by studying history at NMU, such as critical thinking, use of evidence, analyzing data, and understanding why events unfold as they do, are transferrable to many fields that are not immediately obvious. History graduates often find employment in law, business, finance, tech companies, politics, or other positions that require good communication and research skills. The traditional job path of a history graduate is a professional who researches and analyzes the past, such as an archivist, curator, educator, genealogist, or historian, but there are many other career paths as well!

Not sure what you can do with a history major? Students go on to a number of professions in government, research and preservation, business and industry and professional education. Explore possible careers.

WE LEARN BY DOING

At Northern, we strongly believe in learning by thinking and doing. With guidance from caring, engaged instructors, you will be challenged to develop a deeper understanding of history by doing history. Through doing high-quality research and directly engaging with historical sources, you will develop critical thinking skills, improve your written and oral communication, and foster an understanding of global, societal, and individual factors that motivate human action.

As an NMU student, your opportunities to get involved on campus and in the community are boundless. You can get involved in creating public historical displays for the Beaumier Upper Peninsula Heritage Center, Marquette Regional History Center, and Michigan Iron Industry Museum. You might do in-depth research for the NMU and Central Upper Peninsula Archives. You could become a history TA, participate in Reacting to the Past, or participate in the area school's history days.

Many Northern history graduates have used their hands-on experience to become museum curators, historical park managers, and history educators. What will you do?