ACADEMIC ADVISING
Students who are declared or interested in the history certificate 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.
CAREER ADVISING
History is a rigorous but flexible certificate, and history students 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 students 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 and certificate students are available on the History Major Gateway, a Canvas site that serves as a resource for prospective and declared history students. 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. History 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 students understand how their academic studies apply 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 students 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 certificate students 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 certificate. 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.