Careers

“The history major to me was more than learning about things that happened in the past. It taught me how to understand situations from a multitude of perspectives and how that can affect how the story is told. Learning about the histories of music, sport, and the environment allowed me to build a broader understanding of the human experience and how we are shaping it now. The history major also taught me to think broadly and look at every question from multiple perspectives — an instrumental ability when developing and executing a landscape scale study that affects not only the environment, but the people who reside within it.”

Gabriela Cano '24

Ph.D. Student in Biology, Temple University

“Studying history teaches you synthesis, source evaluation, communication, and evidence-based argumentation — all critical professional skills you need to succeed working in public policy and diplomacy, where your job is to convince others that you have a common goal to achieve.  Additionally, because I was personally able to do so many funded travel, research, and internship opportunities thanks to the flexibility of the major, studying history made me particularly competitive for an international-oriented graduate degree and career.”

Meilin Scanish '21

Foreign Affairs Officer, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, U.S. Department of State

“The excellent writing and communication skills I developed in the history program helped me immensely as a leader and naval officer. The hard research and knowledge management skills have been an asset in the more administrative aspects of my career and have helped me live a more well-rounded personal life. I hope incoming students realize that a history degree or any degree in the College of Arts & Letters is more important than ever. We need research-driven people advocating for reliable information and data. The research methods you’ll learn at Notre Dame will help you in any career, including those that are technical or STEM-focused.”

Eileen Sullivan '17

U.S. Navy Veteran and Master's Student in Public Administration, Harvard Kennedy School

“The concepts in history surrounding knowledge and ethics from different locations and times added to my development as a thinker and leader. I learned how to look at policy and apply a critical thinking and ethical lens to it. Being in a variety of settings with people from different backgrounds, having conversations at a high level, prepared me to be with general counsels, members of Congress and industry, and other community members and leaders. Ethics and community have always been a guiding star — and something Notre Dame and the humanities excel at.”

JudeAnne Heath '08

Executive Director, Hispanic Tech & Telecommunications Partnerships

“In studying history, I not only gained a perspective on the history of humanity and the questions humans wrestle with, but I also developed the ability to be discerning when faced with questionable information, a skill that turned out to be far more valuable than I would have imagined. During my studies, I gained a reverence for primary sources and respect for legitimate, longstanding media organizations — and that turned out to be one of the things for which I am most grateful, particularly in this age of misinformation. I am a better person and a more valuable professional because of this.”

Bo Rottenborn '03

Senior Manager of Strategic Partnerships, CBS Sports