<p>For some time I have been researching undergraduate history programs. However, I have found that information is limited to graduate schools. Accordingly, I am curious as to what the top undergraduate history programs are. It seems to me that, in general, history programs mirror the top universities/colleges. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thank you for your time and for any posts.</p>
<p>My alma mater Knox College is particularly strong in American history, but I don’t know enough to say about other areas. I keep seeing Knox profs on History Channel documentaries, always regarding American history. Knox also has an interesting web page showing what kinds of jobs their former history majors are doing now. [Alumni</a> in History | Knox College](<a href=“http://www.knox.edu/Academics/Courses-of-Study/History/Alumni-in-History.html]Alumni”>http://www.knox.edu/Academics/Courses-of-Study/History/Alumni-in-History.html) Business, teaching, and law top the list.</p>
<p>Johns Hopkins’ undergraduate history program is top 10 according to USNWR.</p>
<p>
They do. Generally all top colleges will have strong programs in the basic fields (biology, English, history, psychology, etc.).</p>
<p>I highly recommend selecting fit factors first. Here are a few suggestions to consider:
[ul][<em>]Which part of the country (Midwest, Southeast, etc.)?
[</em>]Public or private?
[<em>]Coed or single-sex?
[</em>]Rural, suburban, or urban?
[<em>]Small (< 2000), medium (2000-10000), or large (10000+)?
[</em>]Is cost a concern?
[<em>]How selective do you want?
[</em>]Do you want certain extracurricular activities, like a fencing team?[/ul]</p>
<p>Rugg’s Recommendations for history
Albion (MI) ………
Amherst (MA) ……
Barnard (NY) ….
Boston Col. (MA) ….
Boston U. (MA) …….
Bowdoin (ME) …….
Brandeis (MA) ……
Brown (RI) ………
Bryn Mawr ¶ .,
Bucknell ¶ …,
California, U. of (Berkeley) …
California, U. of (Los Angeles) …
Carleton (MN) ……
Centre (KY) ……,
Chicago, U. of (IL) ….’
Claremont McKenna (CA) ………
Colgate (NY) ……….’
Colorado Co. ……
Columbia (NY) ……,
Connecticut Co. ….’
Cornell (NY) ………
Dallas, U. of (TX) ……….,
Davidson (NC) ……
Dickinson ¶ ….
Drew (NJ) ……
Duke (NC) ……
Emory (GA) ….
George Washington (DC) ….
Georgetown (DC) “,
Gettysburg ¶ ……
Grinnell (IA) ……,
Hamilton (NY) ……
Harvard (MA) …
Haverford ¶ …
Holy Cross (MA) ….
Kalamazoo (Ml) …….
Kenyon (OH) ….
Lafayette ¶ ……
Lawrence (WI) …….
Macalester (MN) …
Middlebury (VT) ……
Mount Holyoke (MA) …
North Carolina, U. of ….
Northwestern (lL) ……
Notre Dame (IN) ….
Oberlin (OH) ………,
Pennsylvania, U. of ……
Pomona (CA) …….
Princeton (NJ) …
Reed (OR) ………
Rhodes (TN) ….,
Rice (TX) …….
Smith (M~) ……………
South, U. of the (TN) ….
Southwestern (TX) ….,
Swarthmore ¶ ……’
Texas Christian U. (TX) ……
Trinity (TX) …
Tufts (MA) ……
Tulane (LA) …….
Union (NY) ….,
Vanderbilt (TN) …
Vassar (NY) ….
Virginia, U. of ….
Wabash (IN) …….
Wake Forest (NC) …
Washington & lee (VA) ….
Wellesley (MA) ………,
Whitman (WA) ……’
William & Mary (VA) ……,
Williams (MA) ……
Yeshiva (NY) …….</p>
<p>I agree with IBClass06, History is a pretty bread and butter department for colleges. Quality schools will have quality history departments.</p>
<p>Honestly, history is such a broad and popular major that most top colleges will have decent history programs. If you know what field you’re interested in specifically we can probably be of more help (i.e. Georgetown for international history, William & Mary for early American).</p>
<p>Rather than looking at rankings which tend to be skewed towards those with faculty prominent in the field (even if they have minimal interaction with undergrads), I suggest you look for colleges with decent academic standards (so class content isn’t dumbed down) where you’ll get personal attention. You’ll want a college with smaller classes so the prof is reading your papers and essays, not a grad student just a few years older than you. In smaller classes you’ll also have a chance to take part in discussions, something that happens a lot less often in a class of 300 (or 50). I’d suggest also finding out about the atmosphere of the colleges you consider; at some the parties start on Thu nite, at others high academic standards are self-imposed.</p>
<p>As you may (or may not) know, there is a glut of PhDs these days. That means the faculty at even lesser-known schools probably attended top grad schools. So you can get great instruction at places that aren’t the everyday names on this forum, providing you do a little homework first.</p>
<p>I’ve heard that the University of Wisconsin was a good school for history. Don’t know much about it though.</p>
<p>Re. the University of Wisconsin: I am a graduate of that fine institution and can speak first-hand re. the excellence of the History dept.–I am currently a professor teaching US and Women’s History and know that the quality of the education I received at UW as well as the university/department reputation helped me to gain employment in a highly competitive field.</p>
<p>I cannot believe that that Rugg’s list did not include Michigan or Wisconsin back in 2009 when this thread was started.</p>
<p>Be wary of lists and rankings. Most are totally subjective and often bogus. </p>
<p>There are MANY schools with outstanding History programs and faculty. If you want to study history, that involves a lot of research and thus, you should be researching this yourself and not relying on people here. Sorry to be smug, but that is a fact.</p>
<p>Pick the colleges you LIKE for all around reasons, then go online and examine their programs and faculty/credentials. Go from there.</p>
<p>The Jesuit schools are renowned for outstanding history programs. It also depends on what part of history you like. Some schools will be strong in Civil War History. Some in American Revolution History. Some in Medieval History. Some in Asian or African History. etc etc.</p>
<p>It is nearly impossible to find a bad history department. There may be many that have a limited selection of courses though. So, you need to decide what type of history you want to study, and see what research facilities are available, and then choose your school.</p>
<p>My son knew that he wanted to be a history major when he started looking at schools. He also knew he wanted a small LAC. Given that most history departments had only 4 or 5 professors, we checked out their backgrounds and actual classes offered since he has a very specific interest in Ancient History. Two schools he eliminated because he didn’t think their history departments would offer enough classes that he would be interested in. Ultimately, the school he choose among his finalists probably has the weakest history course offerings for him but still met his minimum requirements. He just thought it was an overall better fit than the other schools.</p>
<p>It seems to me, that universities that have strong law schools seems to also have strong history undergrad programs.</p>
<p>^^^^^^ well, that is a new one. I have never seen that comparison made before. Could be true…just saying its a new one on me.</p>
<p>I would only add to the Original Poster that its important to understand that departments have agendas and to sniff around for that…not necessarily a bad or evil agenda…but a focus or perspective and often seen in their course offerings. Finally, the undergrad History degree is very difficult and if done right, is grueling…lots and lots of reading and critical writing. Its a misnomer to call it a weak degree. NOT! And where the rubber meets the road is in graduate school anyway…so if I were him/her, to take a degree from a balanced program…some European, some American, some period history…but not too focused just yet. Save that narrow view for graduate school.</p>
<p>History degrees are excellent for going into law, medicine (coupled with the requisite science courses), business, journalism/communications, teaching, coaching. Very versatile degree, but it will be up to you to make it happen and open doors. Its not like career services on campus will have “History Major Day” for employers. They don’t. You have to know how to shake, rattle and roll with the best of them. But a good History major is well prepared, can think and analyze and WRITE VERY WELL. A prized skill anywhere.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>Williams!!</p>
<p>I do know that Hampshire boasts a statistic that says they have the highest percentage of alumni who go on to get History Ph.D’s among LACs or something like that</p>
<p>Predictably, Gettysburg, especially for American history.</p>
<p>See this link: [Privileging</a> History: Trends in the Undergraduate Origins](<a href=“Perspectives on History | AHA”>Privileging History: Trends in the Undergraduate Origins of History PhDs | Perspectives on History | AHA)</p>
<p>Also, see my post in this thread: <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/other-college-majors/924594-ranking-history-departments.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/other-college-majors/924594-ranking-history-departments.html</a></p>