Skills, Careers, and Testimonials
Undergraduate
Skills
Whatever career you choose, knowing how to think historically will help. By taking History courses at UNC Charlotte, you will develop (1) Critical, interpretive thinking skills through in-depth analysis of primary and secondary source materials, (2) The ability to identify different sources of historical knowledge, (3) Close reading skills, (4) Analytical writing skills, and (5) Effective oral communication skills.
History is both a body of knowledge and a way of thinking about and seeing the world. To make sense of the past, you need to learn how to understand the strange and unfamiliar and how to empathize with people who once thought so differently than we do today. If you learn how to do these things, you begin to cultivate a crucial set of skills that not only help navigate the past, but the present as well. Historical literacy is key to developing one’s worldview, and our program aims to aid students in this process.
Careers
Our students go into education, law, government, non-profits, banking, marketing, and sales among many other careers. Some of the places alumni have gone on to work include:
- United States Secret Service
- Wells Fargo
- Bank of America
- Levine Museum of the New South
- U.S. House of Representatives
- London Stock Exchange
- Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools
- The Hartford
- Atrium Health
- Duke Energy
- Charlotte City Government
- North Carolina State Government
- International Law Firms
- A plethora of state and national historical sites
- University educators
Testimonials
Our program has graduated many alumni, some of whom have offered testimonials below:
“My time spent in the History program was a major step in setting me up for success in my future career as a historian. Classes such as Historiography and Methodology greatly enhanced my critical thinking, research, and writing abilities. The university also facilitated an internship at the President James K. Polk State Historic Sit, which led to a full-time position upon completion of the program.”
– Amelia Zytka, Assistant Site Manager at the President James K. Polk State Historic Site
“Your future is your own frontier. Uncharted, but full of potential. I was a minor in the History Department, and they welcomed me as equally as a major. The faculty will always be in my heart. If you have the chance, take a History Survey course. I had the opportunity to self-research topics of US History that were niche, and emerged having grown as a person. The faculty care so much about you and your outcomes, even after graduation. I shall always remember their enthusiasm and commitment to students. Even years after my graduation, I still connect with them and find in them support for my endeavors. I am a proud Niner thanks to their confidence in my journey.”
– Kaylee Hord, M.B.A. Student, Belk College of Business