Maybe it's different in the states, but here History is a very competetive course to even get into, and it's a good general degree to have for future career options, it doesn't tie you down like medicine or whatever. It's not seen as an easy degree like sociology or computer science or whatever (I'm not saying they are easy, it's just the common perception).

I guess people are maybe concerned because a history degree isn't very vocational? But that doesn't really matter, having a degree shows you have all the basic work and communication skills an employer would want.

I'm going into my last year of a joint degree in History and Politics myself, and I've never heard of having to learn any languages, although admittedly I have been focused on early modern stuff, only did a bit of medieval history in the first year.