Guidelines for the 2024-2025 History Honors Thesis Program

To apply to the History Honors Thesis Program, you must propose a thesis topic and secure the agreement of a faculty member to advise the project. Since all thesis topic ideas require discussion, development, and preliminary research to transform them into viable research topics, you should consider topics of interest to you and discuss them with potential faculty advisors as early as possible.

Students graduating in 2025 apply for admission to the history honors program using this form:

HISTORY HONORS PROGRAM APPLICATION FORM

The form asks for details of history courses you have taken, your GPA (overall and in history specifically), and your identification of a potential thesis advisor from among the history faculty. It also asks that you provide a brief description of your area of research interest (500-750 words) and an annotated bibliography (3-5 sources). You will develop a more detailed research proposal at the start of the fall term in HIST 98.

Your application will be evaluated primarily on your meeting the GPA standards (3.0 GPA overall and 3.5 in history – with at least 5 history classes completed before fall term 2023) and on the approval of your potential faculty advisor.

If you are interested in writing a thesis but do not meet the criteria for admission based upon GPA or history courses taken, then you may consider submitting a petition for special admission, explaining your interest in the program and your experience in history courses at Dartmouth, alongside the application form. If you plan to submit a petition you must contact the history honors program director, Professor Cecilia Gaposchkin (cecilia.gaposchkin@dartmouth.edu), in advance to discuss this option.

The deadline for applications to the honors program is Wednesday, May 29, 2024 at 11:59 pm (the last day of spring term classes). Students will be notified of their acceptance into the program by June 15, 2024 and will then enroll in HIST 98 during the course change period over the summer or at the beginning of fall term.

Funding for research travel to archives or to acquire copies of archival records, etc. is available through UGAR, the Rockefeller Center for Public Policy, and the Leslie Center for the Humanities. Please visit the individual websites to learn about eligibility and application deadlines and procedures. The Department of History can also provide limited funding for conducting honors research, details of which will be made available to honors students with the approval of their honors applications. 

• Apr. 24th– UGAR thesis funding for Summer Term (up to $2,500)
• Late April (check website) – Rockefeller Center Thesis Funding for Fall  (up to $2,000)
• May 10th – Leslie Center Student Research Grant for Summer  (up to $1,800)
• Late July (check UGAR website) – UGAR thesis funding for Fall Term (up to $2,500)

UGAR, the Rockefeller Center, and the Leslie Center also offer funding for research during and winter and spring term. The deadlines for this additional funding are during the fall term and can be found on the relevant websites. Be sure to consult your advisor about your funding applications; in addition to providing a letter of support, they can help you develop a budget and craft your application.

If you have any other questions about the application process or the honors program in general, please do not hesitate to contact Professor Cecilia Gaposchkin (cecilia.gaposchkin@dartmouth.edu), 2024-25 History Honors Program Director.