Students writing senior theses in the History department enroll in History 498-01 during the fall semester. This course is a senior thesis research seminar taught by Prof. Dario A. Euraque, chair of the department. In the spring, students work independently to complete the researching and writing of an historical paper of up to 150 pages. A public presentation of the theses takes place in Seabury 215 on Wednesday, May 4, 2016
Senior Thesis Application Procedure
All juniors who expect to write a full-year senior thesis during the senior year must submit a thesis proposal. They must have a minimum History GPA of 3.0. Applicants will be notified in writing by the chair of acceptance by the end of the spring semester. Students should follow the following procedure in developing a thesis proposal:
February 11, 2016 Interest in writing 2017 thesis submitted to Chairman, with topic and name of thesis advisor. By the end of February we would expect you to have met with a possible thesis advisor to discuss the subject of your thesis, either in person or by email if you are abroad.
February 26, 2016: Submit annotated bibliography to thesis advisor for approval.
March 25, 2016: Submit bibliography of probable primary sources.
April 1, 2016: Submit 2016-17 thesis proposal to History Office. See form below.
Sample proposals are available from the Department administrative assistant, Gigi St. Peter, email@example.com.
History Department Thesis and Prize Deadlines, Spring 2016
Below we list in chronological order deadlines particular to the History Department. For College-wide deadlines, consult the 2015-2016 version of the Catalogue. For further information, contact the Department Administrative Assistant, Gigi St. Peter.
Wednesday, April 1, 2016 : 2016-2017 Thesis proposals due
Wednesday, April 11, 2016 : Papers and Senior Theses due for 2016 History Prize consideration.
Wednesday, April 25, 2016 : Final deadline for submitting 2016 senior thesis to History Department.
History Thesis Proposal Cover Sheet
(Please type or print)
Name:__________ Date Submitted______
I. Provisional Title
This is a working title for your thesis which you are free to change later
II. Thesis Topic
What will be the focus of your thesis? What are your research questions?
(Be sure to note the scope of your investigation)
Please append the following information to your proposal:
III. Thesis Rational
What major questions do you intend to explore? Why are these questions important? Why is this an original, interesting and/or timely topic to pursue?
What work has already been done on your topic? What are some of the important books or articles written by other scholars in this area? How will your work complement, advance and/or challenge existing scholarship on this topic?
V. Methodological Approach
How will you go about answering your research questions?
VI. Annotated Bibliography (preliminary)
This should be a list of the primary and secondary sources you plan to consult with brief narrative descriptions of each. Annotations are brief summaries that also address the significance of the work to your own project. Formatting for the bibliography should consistent with guidelinesestablished by the Chicago manual of style and the Department Style Sheet.
VII. The Colin Leroy '10 Research Fund
This fund was established in honor of Colin A. Leroy, who graduated as a history major in 2010. Sadly, he died one year later on July 4, 2011. His parents, Craig Leroy and Bethany Alvord, decided to honor his memory by establishing a fund in the History Department. The purpose of the Leroy Fund is to assist history majors in research projects, including research outside of the U.S. Does your thesis proposal envision applying to the Leroy Research Fund? In which specific ways, archives, where? Consult with your thesis advisor or other History Department faculty on this.
Your Signature ______________
Thesis Advisor’s Signature __________________
Thesis Advisors Name (please print)_______________
Name of your Second Reader_____________
Name of your Major Advisor____________