History Honors Program

The Department of History offers the opportunity for fourth-year students to be nominated for the History Honors Program. The Department Honors Program will enrich and inform a student's course of study at Holy Cross, particularly the quality and direction of a student's major in history. The program involves significant commitment and work, offers the intellectual rewards of independent research and original writing, and the recognition of outstanding achievement.

In order to be considered for the award of 'Honors in History" upon graduation, students must initially meet the following criteria:

(1) Threshold GPA: Ordinarily, students must meet or exceed a threshold grade point standard of 3.5 overall and 3.6 in history

(2) Two advanced courses (at least 1 seminar): During the junior and senior years, students must successfully complete two advanced courses (300-level or above), one of which must be a 400-level seminar.

(3) Senior Thesis and public oral presentation: Students must complete and publicly present a year-long senior thesis. The student is expected to work closely with two history faculty advisors on a major original research thesis. This thesis must be directed and evaluated by one consenting professor in the History Department. It must also be read by another consenting professor in the History Department, who shall advise the thesis director as to the evaluation of the thesis. Interested students should explore potential thesis topics with advisors or possible directors and readers during their junior year. A proposal for the thesis is due in the spring of the major's junior year.

(4) Nomination and submission by the thesis director for Honors and Evaluation by the Committee. The thesis director may elect to submit the senior thesis of any candidate who meets all of the above criteria to the History Honors Steering Committee for evaluation. The Committee will then award "Honors in History" to those candidates it deems deems worthy. Please note that thesis directors are under no obligation to submit theses, and the Committee is under no obligation to confer awards.