History

Career development in the history major

History is a versatile degree that gives you the skills to rise to the top of your chosen fields as well as the flexibility to change careers later in life. Our goal is to provide you with the opportunities and support to hit the ground running when you graduate – to help you succeed in your career as well as in the classroom.

There are so many ways to get involved, network and make new connections in the history program at UM. Clubs such as the UM History Society and Phi Alpha Theta host events and hold networking opportunities. Lectures, workshops, conferences and friendly get-togethers provide students, faculty and alumni with additional opportunities to share ideas and good times.

Many of our history majors gain specific career preparation (and often find employment opportunities) through internships in a variety of public history settings including:

• Museums and historical societies
• Libraries and archives
• Digital humanities projects
• Historical interpretive sites
• National and state parks
• Government agencies
• Local, regional and tribal heritage associations
• Historic preservation firms and agencies

Most of all, you'll benefit from the close, personal mentorship of our faculty who, in addition to being leading researchers with national and international reputations, have won more teaching awards than any other department here at UM.

Scholarships for history majors

Get extra help paying for your history degree. Each year, we award more than $15,000 in scholarships to majors in history. Learn more about scholarships in the history program.

1. Start Your Online Application

The University of Montana Graduate School processes applications for admission using ApplyWeb. Prospective students can navigate this system to submit an online application, review application, or make changes to an application.

Admission Application Instructions

Fill out the Application. There are three steps involved in the application process.

1. Fill out and submit the Graduate Program portion of the application that comes up when you click the above link. An email will be sent to you with a link to setup your account and finish your application.
2. Click the link in your email and complete the rest of the application fields and submit.
3. You will be directed to your application status portal. You will be able to pay your application fee and upload supplemental materials on this page. You will also receive another email with a link to this page so you can log in later and complete these steps and track your application progress.

2. Choose a Graduate Program

Once you find the program you are interested in, click the link below to explore. Requirements and deadlines are specific to each program.

3. Submit Application Materials

Most additional materials can be uploaded within the online application. Letter of recommendation forms are completed within the online application. Hard copies do not need to be sent in addition to the electronic copies. If a recommender does not want to use the online form sent from within the application, please have them use the Recommendation Form. 

Official transcripts should be sent directly to the program you are applying to or the Graduate School. We also accept transcripts electronically through the National Student Clearinghouse, parchment or e-script. Be sure to list the email for the Graduate School as [email protected].

4. Complete Online Application

Complete the online application which includes submitting a $60 non-refundable application fee electronically using a credit card (Mastercard, Visa, American Express, Discover) or debit check (Note: when using a debit check, there is usually a delay of up to ten working days until the check clears and the application can be processed). 

Applying to multiple departments requires an application for each department and a submission of a non-refundable application fee. The first application fee is $60.00; any application after, within a 12 month period is $20.00.

5. Review Application Status

Log into your application to see if all of your materials have been received. This checklist is updated by the department you applied to. Be sure to call them if you believe something has been received but is not marked as received on your application. This is also where your decision letter will be posted once a decision is made.