Program Overview

History program equips students with the tools of historical thinking, which they can then apply to a broad range of career fields through the department’s extensive internship program.

History majors develop valuable 21st century skills such as clear written and oral communication, sound research techniques, and critical thinking as they learn to analyze historical evidence.

Studying the past helps students to understand the present and anticipate the future, as well as to better appreciate our multicultural society and their place in it.

The history department offers innovative, high-interest courses in US and global history that allow students to explore the historical context of the complex issues facing the world today. History majors can complete minors in fields such as pre-law, business, economics, communications, or writing studies that complement the history program and advance their career goals.

Minors in Public History, Africana/Black Studies, Women’s Studies, and Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies provide opportunities for students to develop areas of interdisciplinary expertise.

The history department helps students find clear career pathways into a variety of fields through one-on-one faculty advisement each semester. A wide array of experiential learning opportunities and internships exist at local landmarks, heritage areas, museums, and government offices such as Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Heritage Center, Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Site, Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum, Old Fort Niagara, and Buffalo Niagara Heritage Village. NU’s Office of Career Services offers additional assistance through the Pathways Program, and provides lifetime job placement assistance for all graduates.

The curriculum blends courses in liberal arts such as political science, communication, and public policy with science courses in biology and chemistry, with a heavy focus on research and fieldwork. Students will have access to state of art laboratories and research facilities in the B. Thomas Golisano Center for Integrated Sciences.

Employment of environmental scientists and specialists is projected to grow 8 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations. Heightened public interest in the hazards facing the environment, as well as increasing demands placed on the environment by population growth, are expected to spur demand for environmental scientists and specialists.