History Honors Program - Department of History

The History Honors Program is designed for concentrators who want to do advanced research and write an extensive thesis on a topic of their choice under the direct supervision of a history professor.

Admission

The program spans three terms, beginning in the winter term. Students usually apply in the fall term of their junior year with an application deadline in mid-October. To be considered for admission, students should have a 3.5 grade point average in history courses and a 3.4 GPA overall, but a high grade point average alone does not guarantee admission. Decisions are based on academic performance, background in history, demonstrated ability to write, and faculty recommendations. Membership in the Freshman/Sophomore Honors Program is not necessary.

Applications for fall 2009 should be submitted to a CTOOLS site by Wednesday, October 21, 2009. To gain access to the site, please send an email by Monday, October 19 to Kathy Evaldson (evaldson@umich.edu) stating your intent to apply to the History Honors Program. Please provide your full name and UM uniqname. Complete instructions are on CTOOLS and on the application.

Program

Students admitted to the program are notified in November and elect History 398, the Junior Honors Colloquium, during the following winter term. This course provides a rigorous introduction to the methodology of historical research. During this term, students also determine the topic for their thesis and find a faculty advisor.

Since History 398 is the foundation for subsequent research on the thesis, students whose schedules prevent them from taking the course will most likely not be admitted to the program. A waiver may be granted for exceptional students who will be studying overseas. It is recommended that study-abroad be completed before the winter term
of junior year if possible.

During the senior year, students write their thesis under the supervision of a faculty thesis advisor and also participate in History 399, the Senior Honors Colloquium. This is a year-long writing workshop is led by a faculty member and attended by all seniors writing a thesis.

Completed theses, usually 60 to 100 pages, are due in late March and then evaluated by two or more faculty members, one of them being the student's advisor. The thesis grade determines whether a student will graduate with "Honors," "High Honors," or "Highest Honors" and is also the grade for History 399.

Honors graduates have expanded on their thesis topics following graduation, some as the basis for doctoral dissertations in History Ph.D. programs. Others have written articles for national publications (i.e. History Today; Yale Biographical Dictionary of American Law). Several theses have been published in the Michigan Journal of History, an on-line journal published by University of Michigan undergraduates. Students whose thesis topic relates to Michigan history or the University of Michigan often donate a copy to the University of Michigan Bentley Historical Library collection for use by other researchers.

The program culminates with the annual History Honors Symposium, held in late April. At the Symposium, the honors students present their thesis research to an audience composed of their thesis advisors, family and friends. Several awards are made for outstanding theses.