Decide the era, culture and country or region that you would like to study. Many schools offer a concentration in American history, but there are schools like Morehouse College in Atlanta that offer a more diverse major with classes that focus on historic individuals, African history and history of the ancient world. Ball State University in Indiana will allow you to build a concentration in African, African American or ancient history by picking up a minor.
Apply to the college(s) that appeal to your interest. Each college has its own degree requirements. Most however, will require that you complete and submit an application, one to three recommendations, a personal essay, official SAT or ACT scores and school transcripts.
Complete your general education requirements. Most of the classes in the first and second year of college will not be history. Instead, you will take English, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, art, science and two to three history classes.
Select a track. If your school offers several tracks or focuses for history majors, select the one that interests you. It is important to select this track in your junior year so the classes you take will put you on course to graduating on time with a focus in that particular subject.
Take the required major classes. There are requirements that all students earning a degree in history must complete. This varies from school to school. For example, at Ball State University, you will be required to complete World History and U.S. History; these courses can often be completed as part of your general education requirements. In addition, you will complete 6 more units of American history and 3 units of European or world history.
Focus your history degree by selecting electives of interest. If you're interested in the history of the Roman Empire, take these classes as your electives.
Complete an internship. Many schools allow you to complete an internship for three to six units of credit in your junior and/or senior year. An internship will help you gain experience in your field of interest. If you are interested in becoming an archivist, visit the career center or look for internship postings in the history department at museums and historical foundations.
Earn the required number of units to complete the degree program. You must earn a specific number of units in lower and upper division courses to fulfill the requirements of the history department, and a total number of lower and upper division course units to graduate from the university. Meet with your college adviser at the beginning of every academic year, or semester, to make sure you're on track to graduate.