Honors in History
History majors with exceptional academic records who want to engage in a substantial research project during their senior year leading to the designation of Departmental Honors should review the following information.

Purpose
The Departmental Honors Program allows History majors who have demonstrated their diligence and ability in the study of History to conduct an in depth writing and research project under the direction of a full-time faculty member. The Program is designed to give students an opportunity to improve their mastery of historical skills while engaging in a stimulating intellectual experience. History majors who are planning to do graduate work in History are strongly encouraged to apply for Departmental Honors.

Types of Projects
The primary requirement for the awarding of Departmental Honors is the completion of an honors project. This can take the form of either a substantial research paper of 40-50 pages or another endeavor that involves significant historical research and writing. Examples of the latter would include a fully functional web site on a historical topic, a fully mounted historical exhibition, or a historical documentary. Other types of projects may also be eligible for approval. Students who are accepted into the Departmental Honors Program are expected to enroll in History 499 during each quarter of their senior year.

Funding for Projects
Some projects such as documentaries or exhibitions may require funding in order to complete. Departmental funds available to assist individuals in pursuing Honors projects are limited. Therefore students are strongly encouraged to apply for funding through the Provost’s Undergraduate Research Fund (PURF).

Application
Interested students must apply for admission to the Departmental Honors Program. The process involves filling out an application form by the fourth week of the quarter immediately prior to the quarter in which the student wishes to begin the Honors Program. For a printable form to be filled out online using Adobe Acrobat, click here. For a version of the application form that you can print and then fill-out later, click here.

Eligibility
     •The Honors Program is only available to students on the Athens campus.
     •Students must have completed 110 credit hours before applying to the program.
     •Students must have both an overall and major g.p.a of 3.5 or higher in order to be eligible for the program and must attach a recent writing sample to their application form.
     •Prior to filling out an application form students must identity a full-time faculty member whose historical expertise is relevant to the proposed research project. A meeting must take place at which the project is discussed and the faculty member gives his or her consent to serving as an advisor. That faculty member must review and sign the application form before it is turned in.
     •History 301J must be completed before beginning Honors work.
     •Students must be in residence at the Athens campus for at least 2 quarters during their senior year.

Criteria for the Awarding of Departmental Honors
Departmental Honors will be awarded if students accepted for admission in the program meet the following criteria:
    •Continue to maintain a 3.5 g.p.a. overall and in the major.
    •Turn in progress reports on the project to the supervising faculty member and the Coordinator of Departmental Honors prior to the beginning of finals in Fall Quarter and Winter Quarter. Students will not be permitted to continue in the Honors Program if the reports do not demonstrate satisfactory progress on the project or are not turned in by the deadlines indicated.
    •Complete an Honors project that demonstrates excellence in its conception, research, and writing. The project must be certified as being of sufficient caliber by both the supervising faculty member and the Coordinator of Departmental Honors. Their judgment on the matter of quality is not subject to appeal.
    •The Honors project must be completed and submitted to the faculty member and the Coordinator of Departmental Honors two weeks prior to the beginning of final examinations in Spring Quarter.

Who to Contact
Professor Paul Milazzo serves as the Coordinator of Departmental Honors. Questions concerning Departmental Honors should be directed to her at milazzo@ohio.edu or 593-4359.