History, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

University of Wisconsin Madison

United States of America, Madison

University Rank:#110

The History, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison is a Full Time Bachelor program offered at the university's main campus in Madison , United States of America. The program is delivered on campus in English and can be completed in 4 years. Students develop academic knowledge and practical skills that prepare them for future careers in this field. The next available intake starts on September 7, 2027.

About History, B.A.

3211 Mosse Humanities Building, 455 North Park Street, Madison, WI 53706; 608-263-1800; history.wisc.edu

Why Study History at UWMadison?

History is so much more than memorizing names and dates. Are you interested in technology? Religion? The environment? Human rights? If you have a question, history can help you find an answer.

The history major at UWMadison is a great option for people who are interested in studyingchange.History asks, How did the world get to be this way?â€ and What factors might influence where the world is heading now?â€ Studying history helps us understand and grapple with complex questions and dilemmas by examining how the past has shapedand continues to shapeglobal, national, and local relationships between societies and people. The skills that history majors develop are used in awide range of careersand prepare students for graduate or professional study in fields such as law, business, medicine, public policy and much more. History majors who are unsure of their careers can get great advice from our engaged alumni, who serve as career mentors, and by taking HISTORY300History at Work: Professional Skills of the Major (see the Advising and Careers tab for more information).

The history major can also be combined with any other major in the college of Letters & Science (L&S), anything fromastronomytozoology. Majors that students most frequently pair with history are:economics,English,environmental studies,journalism, andpolitical science. History majors can also choose to add certificates in L&S or from outside the college, such as the certificates inbusinessoreducation and educational services. In addition to these, some of the most common certificates for history majors are currently:criminal justice,global health,European studies, anddigital studies. The history advising team is happy to discuss ways for you to make your intellectual and career goals work as part of afour-year plan.

(Define important historical questions) Pose a historical question and explain its academic and public implications.
(Define important historical questions) Using appropriate research procedures and aids, find the secondary resources in history and other disciplines available to answer a historical question.
(Define important historical questions) Evaluate the evidentiary and theoretical bases of pertinent historical conversations in order to highlight opportunities for further investigation.
(Collect and analyze evidence) Identify the range and limitations of sources available to engage the historical problem under investigation.
(Collect and analyze evidence) Examine the context in which sources were created, search for chronological and other relationships among them, and assess the sources in light of that knowledge.
(Collect and analyze evidence) Employ and, if necessary, modify appropriate theoretical frameworks to examine sources and develop arguments.
(Present original conclusions) Present original and coherent findings through clearly written, persuasive arguments and narratives.
(Present original conclusions) Orally convey persuasive arguments, whether in formal presentations or informal discussions.
(Present original conclusions) Use appropriate presentation formats and platforms to share information with academic and public audiences.
(Contribute to ongoing discussions) Extend insights from research to analysis of other historical problems.
(Contribute to ongoing discussions) Demonstrate the relevance of a historical perspective to contemporary issues.
(Contribute to ongoing discussions) Recognize, challenge, and avoid false analogies, overgeneralizations, anachronisms, and other logical fallacies.

Requirements and Admission Criteria for History, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

Entry Requirements

All undergraduate students at UW–Madison must complete the university-wide General Education Requirements, which are designed to convey the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. These requirements provide for breadth across the humanities and arts, social studies, and natural sciences; competence in communication, critical thinking, and analytical skills necessary for success in college and beyond; and investigation of the issues raised by living in a culturally diverse society. This core is intended to provide students with intellectual and practical skills, basic knowledge of human cultures and the physical world, strategies for understanding these topics, and tools intended to contribute to their sense of personal and social responsibility. General Education complements the work students do in their majors and degrees. Together, these requirements help students learn what they need to know not just for making a living, but also for making a life.

Completing the General Education Requirements is an important part of achieving these competencies, and to do so, students choose from many courses in communication, ethnic studies, quantitative reasoning, and breadth of study across disciplines in the natural sciences, humanities, literature, and arts, and social and behavioral sciences.

Each school and college may choose to allow General Education courses to count toward other degree and/or major requirements. Students should always check with their advisors to discuss any additional degree requirements and determine if students are required to take specific General Education courses or to complete the requirements in a particular order. Students should review their Degree Audit (DARS) report to see how they are progressing toward fulfilling the General Education requirements. Please refer to.

English Requirements

IELTSMin 6.5
TOEFLMin 80

English Program Requirements

Freshman applicants educated in non-English speaking countries must submit an official TOEFL, IELTS, or Duolingo English Test (DET) score, unless English was the primary language of instruction in all four years of secondary school.

All English proficiency exams should be sent electronically, directly from the testing service.

We do not superscore any English Proficiency exam and score reports cannot be older than two years from the time you apply.

How to Send Official Test Scores

Duolingo English Test (DET)

Minimum accepted score: 105+
When submitting your score(s): Search category should be “Undergraduate,” then select “University of Wisconsin–Madison”
Please do not send to offices listed under “Other,” as we are unable to retrieve those scores
The DET should be sent with sub-scores

IELTS

Minimum accepted score: 6.5+
When submitting your score(s): IELTS does not require a code, so please select our account name, “University of Wisconsin, Madison Undergraduate”
Please do not send paper copies of your IELTS scores
We do accept the IELTS Indicator

TOEFL iBT:

Minimum accepted score: 80+
When submitting your score(s): TOEFL test code is 1846
We do not accept “MyBest” score from TOEFL nor any English Proficiency exam
For each TOEFL you submit, we will require the full score report
We do not accept the TOEFL iTP Plus for China, but we will accept the iBT Special Home Edition

If you feel that you qualify for an English Proficiency Exam waiver based upon the requirements above, please submit all required transcripts to our office. Other test scores such as ACT, SAT, or AP (Advanced Placement) scores do not meet the requirements for a waiver. Once your transcripts are received in our office (are no longer displayed on your to-do list in your Student Center), we will determine your waiver eligibility. Waivers will not be processed prior to receipt of both the admissions application and transcripts.

Career Opportunities after Completing History, B.A.

Academic Advising

Students who are declared or interested in the history major have numerous advising resources available to them. The history advising team is comprised of professional and peer advisors who are excited to talk with students about everything from academic planning to professional development for future careers. Information on the history advising team, how to contact an advisor, how to schedule an appointment, and drop-in advising hours can be found on our website.

The history major can also be combined with any other major in the college of Letters & Science (L&S), anything from astronomy to zoology. Majors that students most frequently pair with history are: economics, English, environmental studies, journalism, and political science. History majors can also choose to add certificates in L&S or from outside the college, such as the certificates in business or education and educational services. In addition to these, some of the most common certificates for history majors are currently: criminal justice, global health, European studies, and digital studies. The history advising team is happy to discuss ways for you to make your intellectual and career goals work as part of a four-year plan.

Honors in the Major

The Honors in the Major track in history is intended for students who are eager to experience the excitement of original historical research and who wish to graduate with the best possible undergraduate training in this discipline. Honors in the Major is especially appropriate for students who are considering graduate work in history or who want an especially advanced training in research, reasoning, and writing skills useful to a wide range of career choices.

Career Advising

History is a rigorous but flexible major, and history majors are known for being excellent communicators and savvy researchers. Historians are experts in synthesizing disparate pieces of evidence into coherent, persuasive arguments. The real world is filled with disparate facts and incomplete sets of data, so this is a real-world skill that history alumni utilize throughout their entire careers. The department's career advisor, Christina Matta, helps history majors map out future career plans and connects students to a variety of resources on campus and beyond, including history alumni who volunteer as career mentors (see below for more information).

Information on upcoming career events and internship opportunities for history majors are available on the History Major Gateway, a Canvas site that serves as a resource for prospective and declared history majors. Alumni of the history department have enjoyed careers in medical research and practice; broadcast and print media; sports management; museums, archives, and libraries; finance and business, and community service and nonprofit organizations—as well as law, academia, and many other fields. The history major provides excellent preparation for the study of law, but our students also go on to study medicine and many other graduate fields. The centers for Pre-Law Advising and Pre-Health Advising are especially helpful resources on campus for students interested in those areas of study.

Want to see what some of our alumni have done with their history majors? Check out our “featured alumni” profiles on the department website.

History Careers Course: “History at Work”

HISTORY 300 History at Work: Professional Skills of the Major is a course intended to help history majors understand how their history degree applies to the world of work. Students explore how their history skills relate to the needs of professional employers and are guided in the process of finding and obtaining professional internships and jobs. In this course, history majors can polish their written and oral communication skills in forms appropriate for professional situations and learn from the experiences of guest speakers from a variety of fields.

Internships

The Department of History recognizes the importance of internships in helping students develop professional skills and explore potential career paths. Positions can vary depending on availability and students’ interests, but recent sponsors have included the Wisconsin State Historical Museum, the University of Wisconsin Archives, offices of elected officials in the Wisconsin State Legislature and United States Congress, the Milwaukee Brewers, and Community Shares of Wisconsin—just to name a few! History majors can also get academic credit in conjunction with an internship by taking HISTORY 301 History at Work: History Internship Seminar.

Alumni Mentoring

Like internships, networking can be a valuable tool in opening professional doors and learning more about the professional value of the history major. The department often matches students with alumni mentors drawn from our Board of Visitors and other graduates who can help them get started building a professional network, answer questions about a specific field, provide guidance in applying for jobs or preparing for interviews, and providing general career advice.

Students interested in participating in an internship or talking with an alumni mentor should meet with Christina Matta, the department’s undergraduate career advisor, to discuss their interests and possible career goals.

L&S career resources

SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students leverage the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and liberal arts degree; explore and try out different career paths; participate in internships; prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications; and network with professionals in the field (alumni and employers). In short, SuccessWorks helps students in the College of Letters & Science discover themselves, find opportunities, and develop the skills they need for success after graduation.

SuccessWorks can also assist students in career advising, résumé and cover letter writing, networking opportunities, and interview skills, as well as course offerings for undergraduates to begin their career exploration early in their undergraduate career.

Students should set up their profiles in Handshake to take care of everything they need to explore career events, manage their campus interviews, and apply to jobs and internships from 200,000+ employers around the country.

SuccessWorks
Set up a career advising appointment
INTER-LS 210 L&S Career Development: Taking Initiative (1 credit, targeted to first- and second-year students)—for more information, see Inter-LS 210: Career Development, Taking Initiative
INTER-LS 215 Communicating About Careers (3 credits, fulfills Com B General Education Requirement)
Handshake
Learn how we’re transforming career preparation: L&S Career Initiative

Tuition and Fee Information for History, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

Application Fee 60

How to Apply for History, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

Every year, we are fortunate to receive thousands of applications from a diverse range of students who are incredibly bright, engaged, and passionate. They have challenged themselves and those around them to make a difference in the world. They know that the University of Wisconsin–Madison is their next step toward something extraordinary—a place where they can lead, make discoveries, tackle key issues, gain knowledge, and establish lifelong friendships.

Starting on August 1 every year, you can begin applying to the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

The following deadlines pertain to both domestic and international applicants.

Applications and all required application materials must arrive in our office by 11:59 p.m. Pacific time on the noted deadline dates.

We cannot begin to review your application until all required materials are received.

We strongly recommend that you apply with an email that is not affiliated with your high school and that you check often. This will ensure that you have continued access to your email account after graduation from high school.

You can apply using either the Common Application or the UW System Application.

History, B.A. at University of Wisconsin Madison

University of Wisconsin Madison

United States of America, Madison