Highly motivated, but disoriented? This basic volume conveys what students can expect when studying history, the qualifications they can achieve, and the professions available to them after graduation. It serves as an insightful, well-founded companion from the start of studies to the exam. Topics covered include: history as a science—subject matter, development, and principles; professional fields for historians; the material and order of history—sources, times, spaces, and dimensions; historical thinking and research—theories, methods, and controversies; and key competencies for study and profession—researching and reading on history, writing, and presenting history.