When thinking about studying history, it’s easy to automatically think of lectures where you only learn about lineages of Kings and Queens, or Middle Age stories that, while interesting, won’t be useful for your career. But deepening your understanding of history can actually give you an insight on how the current world works. History can be divided in sub-categories, and you can specialise in a particular field, whether it’s art history and how it changed over the years, or political history and how governments are formed. Whatever area of history you are interested in, there are lots of courses you can take to get a useful degree at the end.
Where to study
Though you can complete a bachelor in history in most universities, you should consider looking at the rankings of top universities, as well as the specialties and options they offer, before choosing one. Cambridge and Oxford are both ranked in the top 10 Universities to study history by the QS World rankings, followed by Harvard, Berkeley and Yale in the US. Those universities have the advantage of having amazing libraries that you can use throughout your studies to do research. If you want to learn more about economics and political history, the London School of Economics also offers undergraduate degrees in International History and Economic History.
What you will gain from learning about History
Knowing about the past can help you understand current events and the foundations of our society. By connecting events and countries, you can start making sense out of the world’s evolution and learn about recurring patterns in history. Not only will this give you a good general knowledge, but it can also be a valuable asset in a number of professions, whether you want to be a journalist, a researcher or work in international relations. If you are considering studying History, check the different departments in universities, make sure that they offer options that are relevant to your choice of career, and you will certainly find one that suits you!