Question

why study history?

Answer 1

Answer:

Studying history is important because it allows us to understand our past, which in turn allows us to understand our present.

If we want to know how and why our world is the way it is today, we have to look to history for answers.

People often say that “history repeats itself,” but if we study the successes and failures of the past, we may, ideally, be able to learn from our mistakes and avoid repeating them in the future.

Studying history can provide us with insight into our cultures of origin as well as cultures with which we might be less familiar, thereby increasing cross-cultural awareness and understanding.

Seven Reasons to Study History :

1. Transferable skills

Studying History provides a student with skills which are not confined to the study of the past. Skills of analysis are invaluable in many jobs, and the ability to analyse and then priorities information is vital to decision making. This not only provides a skill set for a student but it also keeps career options open.

2. History is relevant

There is a stigma attached to History that it is based entirely in the distant past, but this does not account for the huge amount of modern history which is studied in such depth. In order to make sense of current affairs it is important to study the past, as everything which is happening around us has been influenced by, and is a direct result of, that which preceded it. In this way, the study of History is explicitly relevant to us.

3. A History degree is an investment in your future

If studied at an esteemed university, a degree in History can be an impressive and attractive feature on a CV. As seen on our History Subject Table, Graduate Prospects in the Top 10 UK universities for History are generally high.

• Check out our History Subject Table

4. Combined Courses

Like many degrees, History can be easily combined with a number of other subjects. From History and Mathematics, to History and Music and even History and Chinese, the range of joint honours available is seemingly endless.

• Use our Course Chooser to find joint degrees

5. A degree in History encourages independence

A degree in History endorses independence in young people. The typically few contact hours offered by a History degree enable students to lead their own inquiries into the past, while still offering the reassurance of a lecturer who can support and help develop potential theories or lines of thought. Knowledge is not just handed over at degree level; it requires hard work, and in a subject dominated by reading, students will develop self-sufficiency and become less dependent pupils.

6. Studying History provides cultural awareness

By looking at the history of different cultures, a History student can build up a better understanding of why certain peoples act the way they do. Looking at the history of the USA we can see why race tensions continued on past the abolition of slavery and arguably remain today. In reading the history of India we can see why the Caste system still remains in the subcontinent. By studying at the various tributaries of humanity, a broad cultural awareness is yours for the taking.

7. A History degree allows us to learn from the past

If you are to look at human history there are particular patterns which tend to repeat themselves. Whether it is the role of charismatic dictators like Caesar through to Hitler, or the significance of Religion in human conflict, humans have an astounding habit of ignoring the obvious contributing factors which can lead to war and oppression. It is then the job of the Historian to identify where we have been going wrong, comment on it, and attempt to avoid it in the future.