Honors Program

The History Honors Program is designed for majors 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.

To download the honors application for Fall 2012, click here.
Application deadline for the Winter 2013 cohort is Wednesday, October 17, 2012 (the day after fall break). Late applications are not accepted.

Admission
The program spans three terms, beginning in the winter term of the junior year. 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.

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. Students are expected to achieve at least a B+ in this course in order to go on to the Senior Honors Colloquium.

Since History 398 is the foundation for subsequent research on the thesis, it is strongly recommended that study-abroad be completed before the winter term of junior year if possible. Exceptional students who will be studying overseas may be conditionally admitted as part of the application process. They must discuss their thesis project with a professor in the field before going abroad in preparation for completing and submitting a satisfactory prospectus before September of senior year.

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.

For information on LS&A Honors Research Grants, go to http://www.lsa.umich.edu/honors/currentstudents/scholarshipinformation

Honors Symposium
The program culminates with the annual Honors Symposium. 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.

Honors Courses that Satisfy Major Requirements

  • Completing either History 398 or History 399 will satisfy the LSA Upper-Level Writing Requirement (ULWR).
  • Completing both History 398 and 399 will satisfy the colloquium requirement for the history concentration. Students who miss History 398 must take another colloquium (History 396 or 397) in its place.
  • The two honors courses, History 398 (4 credits) and 399 (1-6 credits), count as two of the upper-level history courses required for concentration.

Calendar for 2012-2013

Junior Honors Calendar

September-October 2012 Application period. Applications are available in 1029 Tisch Hall and on web site.
Monday, September 24, 2012,
5:00-6:15 in 1014 Tisch Hall		 Informational meeting with the Honors Committee.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
(the day after fall break)		 Application DEADLINE for program beginning Winter 2013. No late applications will be accepted.
Second week of November Students are notified of decisions.
Winter Term 2013 Students elect History 398, the Junior Honors Colloquium.

Senior Honors Calendar

Monday, December 17, 2012 Chapter 1 draft due.
Monday, January 28, 2013 Chapter 2 draft due.
Monday, March 4, 2013 Chapter 3 draft due.
Thursday, March 21, 2013 Final draft to advisor.
Monday, April 1, 2013 Completed thesis due in 1029 Tisch Hall.
Friday, May 3, 2013, 9 a.m. to noon,
William L. Clements Library, 909 S. University		 Twenty-Eighth Annual History Honors Symposium