Best schools for a history major?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MIT

Unironically MIT history and poly sci are extremely strong

History, poli sci, international affairs, etc. are often very strong at "tech" schools. A lot of people dismiss them without really investigating.
DP

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: Not sure why people say SLACs. You’ll end up with same professors for more than one class

If you will need letters of recommendation from professors, it's a good thing to get to know your professor. In the large university's history department, the grad student TA leading your discussion section or teaching your seminar will not be as good a bet in this situation, nor will the eminent historian who lectures to a class of 500 undergrads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small highly ranked universities

Yes. Where professors teach everything

Because they have to since they were unable to get employment with a National University. Not intended as a knock against teachers, but the real experts in each field are at National Universities, not at small schools.

Do you really need famous historians to teach undergrad classes? This fallacy that Chad & Susie need to be dealing with world-class historians/economists/psychologists on their way to a B.A. is causing a lot of people to spend money unnecessarily. You don’t need Nick Saban to teach you to throw a f’ing spiral. Grad school, great. But undergrad???

[Anonymous]

The usual suspects, like Yale, Princeton, UVA, etc.

However, I do vote for SLACs. I was taught mainly by full professors and had lots of personal attention. Look at the course catalogs. Be part of a college in a consortium like Amherst or Pomona. I also studied abroad for a year a top university and learned so much about that geographic region's history.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small highly ranked universities

Yes. Where professors teach everything

Because they have to since they were unable to get employment with a National University. Not intended as a knock against teachers, but the real experts in each field are at National Universities, not at small schools.

Do you really need famous historians to teach undergrad classes? This fallacy that Chad & Susie need to be dealing with world-class historians/economists/psychologists on their way to a B.A. is causing a lot of people to spend money unnecessarily. You don’t need Nick Saban to teach you to throw a f’ing spiral. Grad school, great. But undergrad???

No, it is not necessary.

The problem at LACs (small schools) is the lack of professors in each department & the lack of breadth & depth of courses offered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small highly ranked universities

Yes. Where professors teach everything

Because they have to since they were unable to get employment with a National University. Not intended as a knock against teachers, but the real experts in each field are at National Universities, not at small schools.

Do you really need famous historians to teach undergrad classes? This fallacy that Chad & Susie need to be dealing with world-class historians/economists/psychologists on their way to a B.A. is causing a lot of people to spend money unnecessarily. You don’t need Nick Saban to teach you to throw a f’ing spiral. Grad school, great. But undergrad???

No, it is not necessary.

The problem at LACs (small schools) is the lack of professors in each department & the lack of breadth & depth of courses offered.

+100
Completely agree. Larger schools usually have far better, more in-depth history departments.

[Anonymous]

It's been a while, but Yale was fabulous for history. So many amazing courses, it was always hard to narrow it down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP: The study of history can be done at almost any school. The smaller the school, the fewer history professors and fewer courses & specialties offered.

I was a history major at an LAC of over 2,000 students, but under 2,500 students. The faculty was small and the courses offered were basic and not very exciting to me. I wish that I had attended a large university as I was interested in much more than just US history and I wanted courses taught by different professors who could offer different perspectives. The study of history is easy--just requires reading and analytical thinking. In order to experience a better education than my small school offered, I often bought and read additional text books on my own.

Truthfully, the study of history can be self-taught using standard textbooks and additional books of interest to the student.

My best advice: Go to the university with the largest history dept. that you find. Small schools are too limiting. Also, consider double majoring. History and economics/business or history & a foreign language. Surround yourself with the brightest, most intelligent peers and professors that you can. Find an environment that works for you. If you prefer a small school setting, then examine the courses offered in your intended major.

I disagree. Good history departments do not typically use textbooks. You want a school where students can get involved in meaningful historical projects so that they can learn to ask good questions, search archives, build a case from primary documents, learn how to make compelling historical arguments etc. SLACs and mid-size schools are good for having access to that for undergraduates. If in VA, both W&M and UVA have strong history departments if you're considering in-state options.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Michigan and Wisconsin have great history programs and you get the cross-disipline academic benefits as well as the big school/fun sports rah rah spirit benefits.

Way too many UGs in these programs so the quality is all over the place

It's important to remember that the quality of _any_ undergraduate education depends in significant part upon the undergraduate, not just the institution, the department, or the faculty.

- College prof with a state flagship undergrad degree in the humanities

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Small highly ranked universities

Yes. Where professors teach everything

Because they have to since they were unable to get employment with a National University. Not intended as a knock against teachers, but the real experts in each field are at National Universities, not at small schools.

Sometimes. Sometimes absolutely not. Employment in higher ed is much more random than you might think. And it doesn't take extraordinary depth and long years of research to teach a great intro course. It takes time, planning, effort, and the desire to connect with students. You don't need to be a top researcher or even a completed PhD to accomplish that.

- College prof

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MIT

Unironically MIT history and poly sci are extremely strong

History, poli sci, international affairs, etc. are often very strong at "tech" schools. A lot of people dismiss them without really investigating.
DP

Yep. Hopkins for one. And then they have SAIS for grad school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yale

Agree, but 3-5% acceptance rate isn't really realistic without any hooks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Michigan and Wisconsin have great history programs and you get the cross-disipline academic benefits as well as the big school/fun sports rah rah spirit benefits.

These are both great programs, but humanities and social science departments at R1 schools of this size generally focus their attention on their graduate students. As PP mentioned, you're better off at a smaller school and working closely with profs rather than with PhD students.

It depends on the kid. My husband was a history major at Mich. He had some world renowned profs that he got to know pretty well. 5 years later they wrote his recos for law school apps. Me? Never spoke to a prof there unless absolutely necessary.

[Anonymous]

UMiami is good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Michigan and Wisconsin have great history programs and you get the cross-disipline academic benefits as well as the big school/fun sports rah rah spirit benefits.

These are both great programs, but humanities and social science departments at R1 schools of this size generally focus their attention on their graduate students. As PP mentioned, you're better off at a smaller school and working closely with profs rather than with PhD students.

It depends on the kid. My husband was a history major at Mich. He had some world renowned profs that he got to know pretty well. 5 years later they wrote his recos for law school apps. Me? Never spoke to a prof there unless absolutely necessary.

Exactly correct. If the student is proactive, top rated departments are definitely an asset.

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-humanities-schools/history-rankings