- Eligibility & Expectations
- Purpose
- Application
- Who to Contact
- College of Arts & Sciences Deadlines & Resources
History majors who have an exceptional academic record (3.5 GPA or higher), at least 75 semester credit hours (generally half way through their junior year), and are willing to engage in a substantial research project during their senior year are eligible for the designation of departmental honors at graduation. Additional inquiries can be sent to the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Dr. Jaclyn Maxwell .
Eligibility & Expectations
The History Departmental Honors Program is only available to students who:
- Have completed 75 semester hours before applying
- Have and maintain both an overall and major GPA of at least 3.5
- Have completed HIST 3111J
- Have submitted an application form to the Director of Undergraduate studies and have the consent of a faculty adviser willing to oversee their project
Purpose & Expectations
The Departmental Honors Program allows History majors who have demonstrated their diligence and ability in the study of history to conduct an in depth writing and research project under the direction of a full-time faculty member.
History majors who are planning to do graduate work in History are strongly encouraged to apply for Departmental Honors.
The program is designed to give students an opportunity to improve their mastery of historical skills through a sustained research project. This is generally in the form of a substantial paper of 40 to 50 pages in length, but could also include other projects such as an exhibition, or a historical documentary. Students who are accepted into the Departmental Honors Program may enroll in up to 9 hours of History 4940H during their senior year. They are expected to turn in regular progress reports to the supervising faculty adviser and the departmental honors coordinator in the semester preceding their graduation and will not be permitted to continue if the reports are not timely or do not demonstrate satisfactory progress on the project.
Those students choosing to do a non-traditional thesis project will be expected to produce a 10- to 20-page paper explaining: their methodological approach to the project, its scholarly and public significance, the sources used, and any additional topics requested by the adviser. This should also include an extensive bibliography of primary and secondary sources consulted.
The final project is due at least two weeks prior to the beginning of the final exam period just prior to graduation. It must be certified as being of sufficient caliber by both the supervising faculty member and the Coordinator of Departmental Honors and students must maintain a minimum overall and major GPA of 3.5. Their judgment on the matter of quality is not subject to appeal.
Application
Interested students must apply for admission to the Departmental Honors Program. The process involves filling out the application form by the fourth week of the semester immediately prior to the semester in which the student wishes to begin the Department Honors Program. Students must also attach a recent writing sample to the application form and have the consent of a faculty member who agrees to serve as his or her adviser.
Who to Contact
Any questions concerning departmental honors should be directed to the director of undergraduate studies, Dr. Jaclyn Maxwell .