Whether you are working on your general education requirements or plan to major in
history at a four-year school, Harper College offers a wide variety of history courses that fit your needs and interests. From the pyramids of ancient Egypt to the capitol
building in Springfield, our course offerings cover the globe, and will give you an
understanding and appreciation for the major events that shaped the world we live
in today.
History courses are open to students taking general education requirements, as well
as community members who would like to expand their knowledge and engage in conversation
of history, culture, and current events.
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Planning for your future begins here.
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Planning for your future begins here.
It only takes 20 seconds to get started!
Start at Harper. Finish at a four-year university.
The Associate in Arts (AA) degree prepares you to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete
a bachelor's degree in history. Speak with your advisor about the best courses to
take to meet your academic goals.
Harper also offers institution-specific transfer information to help prepare you to
transition to a four-year university. To learn more, visit our Transfer Information page or see your advisor.
Explore History Careers
Learn more about career outcomes for Harper's History degree program. Each career
profile offers a complete picture on the local job market, including salaries, open
positions, top local employers and more. To learn more, visit our History Careers page.
Archivists
Archivists
* Data sampled April 2025. Visit the Archivists career profile for most current data.
$62,213 Median Salary
2% Projected Job Growth (2025-2032)
5 Job Postings
Description:
Appraise, edit, and direct safekeeping of permanent records and historically valuable
documents. Participate in research activities based on archival materials.
Core tasks:
Organize archival records and develop classification systems to facilitate access
to archival materials.
Provide reference services and assistance for users needing archival materials.
Prepare archival records, such as document descriptions, to allow easy access to information.
Create and maintain accessible, retrievable computer archives and databases, incorporating
current advances in electronic information storage technology.
Quick facts:
Historians
Historians
* Data sampled April 2025. Visit the Historians career profile for most current data.
$56,397 Median Salary
8.5% Projected Job Growth (2025-2032)
8 Job Postings
Description:
Research, analyze, record, and interpret the past as recorded in sources, such as
government and institutional records, newspapers and other periodicals, photographs,
interviews, films, electronic media, and unpublished manuscripts, such as personal
diaries and letters.
Core tasks:
Conserve and preserve manuscripts, records, and other artifacts.
Gather historical data from sources such as archives, court records, diaries, news
files, and photographs, as well as from books, pamphlets, and periodicals.
Conduct historical research as a basis for the identification, conservation, and reconstruction
of historic places and materials.
Research and prepare manuscripts in support of public programming and the development
of exhibits at historic sites, museums, libraries, and archives.
Teach courses in human history and historiography. Includes both teachers primarily
engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Core tasks:
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such
as ancient history, postwar civilizations, and the history of third-world countries.
Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with
colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
Restore, maintain, or prepare objects in museum collections for storage, research,
or exhibit. May work with specimens such as fossils, skeletal parts, or botanicals;
or artifacts, textiles, or art. May identify and record objects or install and arrange
them in exhibits. Includes book or document conservators.
Core tasks:
Install, arrange, assemble, and prepare artifacts for exhibition, ensuring the artifacts'
safety, reporting their status and condition, and identifying and correcting any problems
with the set up.
Repair, restore, and reassemble artifacts, designing and fabricating missing or broken
parts, to restore them to their original appearance and prevent deterioration.
Clean objects, such as paper, textiles, wood, metal, glass, rock, pottery, and furniture,
using cleansers, solvents, soap solutions, and polishes.
For more information about starting your college education at Harper, please contact
Admissions Outreach at 847.925.6700 or fill out our request information form.
