Honors
Why should you consider attempting honors if you are not planning to attend graduate school? Of course, the honors proposal will prepare you well for masters and Ph.D. programs, but the skills honed during the honors project have much wider applicability. Throughout the research and writing process, students will learn better how to search for, gather, and analyze sources; strengthen critical thinking and organization; and learn the value of rewriting and the power of a well-crafted and well-written argument. These skills and the focus on evidence and causal explanations are beneficial in most any career that stresses research, deep thought, and careful writing (e.g. education, law, various business positions [especially research analyst], government and NGO work, medicine, etc.)
Be certain that the commitment to undertake honors work is serious. The time commitment is substantial, and the rigor of conducting a year of research and writing a tightly-crafted and relatively short thesis is challenging. That said, the sacrifice is worth it because the honors student gains a sense of satisfaction from becoming an expert on a focused topic and from the immense amount of work completed. Students who have had consistent success in departmental courses should consider proposing an honors research project. This is an excellent venue to explore one’s potential or develop a deeper knowledge on a topic of interest. You won’t be doing this alone. In the junior year or earlier, you should seek out a member of the history faculty to begin discussing potential topics. Normally, you will have two advisors working with you the entire senior year to guide your research and writing.
Students who wish to be accepted as candidates for honors in history normally should submit a proposal for their thesis, including a preliminary bibliography, no later than April 1 of the junior year. A full prospectus will normally follow by the third week of the fall semester of the senior year if not already approved the previous semester. This allows for students who are abroad to consult with possible advisors about any preparatory work that may be needed during the summer. The department considers the strength of both the proposal/prospectus and the student in accepting a project, and may recommend a one-semester independent study instead of an honors project.
Normally, an honors project will be approved for two course credits—one each semester of the senior year. Honors is a separate designation on a transcript, so should honors not be granted at the end of the academic year, the student would still earn two credits for independent research. Upon approval of a student's candidacy for honors, the Chair will designate a primary and a second advisor from within the Department. Where appropriate, a third advisor external to the department may be arranged. In consultations with the thesis advisors, the student will agree to the major components of the year-long thesis (normally including an annotated bibliography, a methodological essay, a historiographical essay, a first draft, and a full draft). The primary advisor, in consultation with the department faculty, assigns one grade at the end of the spring term for all honors credits.
The completed thesis will be approximately fifty pages in length, either advancing a fresh approach to a topic or testing a hypothesis. While most students are familiar with a research project based on primary sources, we will also encourage students to consider comparative topics that engage the secondary literature across fields and times. The department faculty will read the final thesis in advance of the student’s oral defense.
Timeline and Major Components of the Thesis
In addition to the prospectus submitted for approval of honors, students will have several assignments throughout the year.
- Throughout the fall and early spring, in consultation with the advisor, students may submit components such as an annotated bibliography, a historiographical essay, a methodological essay, and at least one draft.
- The completed thesis will be available for members of the department to read at least two weeks before the end of classes.
- Prior to the final exam period, the department will schedule an oral examination at which it will explore with the candidate the methodology, research problems, and implications of the paper.
- By the last Monday of finals week, the student will submit three print copies and one electronic copy of the manuscript to the department for archiving and publishing online. Only after this will the main advisor submit the final grade in consultation with the department faculty.
Students considering honors might want to view previous honors proposals and theses kept in the main department office.
Each spring semester, members of the department will hold a meeting with sophomores in order to explain what a senior thesis is and why it might be a good idea to consider doing one. We will ask any seniors who were in the process of writing a thesis to help with the meeting.