Honors Examination
Completion of the honors thesis does not assure the granting of Honors in History. Each candidate's Examining Committee will make a recommendation on Honors based upon an evaluation of her written work and her performance in the concluding oral examination.
The Examining Committee
The candidate's Examining Committee is composed of the thesis advisor, two additional members of the History Department (including the department chair or a designated representative), and one tenured faculty member from outside the History Department. In most cases, advisors will consult closely with students before selecting the members of the committee.
Criteria for Evaluation
If the members of the Examining Committee judge the candidate's completed thesis to be of very high quality and are satisfied with her performance in the oral examination, they will recommend that she be awarded Honors in History. It is possible, although uncommon, for a student to receive academic credit for the thesis but not be awarded the distinction of Honors.