History

About this opportunity

Students pursuing the BA in history study the growth and development of human society from political, social, economic and cultural perspectives. Students learn to craft stories from materials other people have left behind --- constitutions, land deeds, diaries, guns and bones. They learn to make decisions about what to investigate, whom to believe, what happened first, and why things fell apart or came together.

History is a discipline that constantly adopts new techniques of analysis and new ways of gathering and presenting information. Students of history learn to use and create digital media, work on public history projects, conduct oral history interviews, perform qualitative analysis and present their findings in compelling ways to all kinds of audiences.

Thesis

A thesis in history is almost always a semester or yearlong research project, ending with a well-supported and well-argued paper. Applicable themes, topics, length, and other requirements should be decided between the student and their thesis director, as these may shift on a case-by-case basis.

Academic Preparation

Students in history should take one of the historian's craft courses (HST130 or 330) as well as advanced, topical historical methods courses (HST495) before embarking on a directed thesis project (HST492). Some faculty may allow 495 and 492 to be taken concurrently.

Recommended Timeline

A thesis will generally be completed during the senior year with preparation of topic development and thesis committee selection done by the end of junior year. 

Other Honors Opportunities

Honors Enrichment contracts are created on a case-by-case basis in history. They usually require a historical research project of some sort involving student analysis of primary and secondary sources. Honors projects in history vary widely. Additional papers and directed readings of additional scholarship are common, but not the only options. As a unit, we are open to your suggestions and want to accommodate you, so reach out to your faculty member with any ideas.