Answered by Professor X
It is a mistake to look for specific majors in Civil War Studies. What you really want is 19th century American history, and you can major in history in almost any college in the nation. The history department is the place to do it, but also take courses in fields like African-American studies, Women's studies, etc. Look for opportunities in American archaeology (often in Urban Studies departments or in Anthropology departments) as well. And here's some important information. Since you want to go go on to graduate school, your major should definitely be in history, and you should simply choose the college with the best academic reputation among those that offer you admission. If you can get into an Ivy League school, go. If not, choose the school with the best (nationwide) academic reputation. Here's a helpful hint for choosing colleges and universities to apply to: You seem to have a passion about the Civil War already. Look in the bibliographies of the best books you have already read for the scholars that are constantly cited. Find out where they teach, and then go to the websites of those colleges and universities. Find out how often they offer courses in your field of interest. And in your application, be specific about your desire to study with these particular scholars. I hope this helps! Best wishes to you.