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Students who submit senior theses are eligible for recommendation to receive the A.B. degree with honors, high honors, or highest honors in History. The Department
makes this recommendation to the full Faculty of Arts and Sciences. Before the Department does so, the Board of Examiners, composed of five to eight History faculty, reviews the records of all thesis writers. While the Board has a set of departmental regulations to govern its work (and these regulations are subject to change at any time by vote of the Department), the Board exercises some discretion in the application of these guidelines.
Departmental honors are noted on the transcript. They are not noted on the diploma or in the commencement
program. The only exception is for students recommended
for highest honors and who receive the degree magna cum laude with highest honors; this is noted on the diploma and in the commencement program.
Recommendations for English honors are based on the grade point average of History courses that count as concentration credit and thesis evaluations. On occasion,
the Board of Examiners also administer oral examinations,
which they use in determining honors recommendations.
In recent years, the minimum course average to be eligible for high honors has been 3.5 and
for highest
honors, it has been 3.8. Courses taken outside of the History Department (except those cross-listed), whether for history credit or related field credit, are not counted in the History grade point average calculation. For a description
of the types of courses that count as concentration
credit, please see page 24. The Department may at any time vote to adjust these cut-offs. Please visit our Credit for Courses page.
The thesis itself is ranked by each reader with
the evaluations of honors (a plus may be used), high honors (a plus or minus may be used), or highest honors (a minus
may be used); there is no one final evaluation for the thesis. In order to qualify for highest honors, the thesis must have at least one highest level reading; in order to qualify for high honors the thesis must have at least one high-level reading; and in order to qualify for honors, the thesis must receive at least one honors-level reading. Meeting these requirements only qualifies students for consideration in the respective honors distinction – it does not guarantee an honors recommendation.
Candidates whose History GPA qualifies for highest
honors and who receive at least one highest honors-level reading on their senior thesis will be given an oral examination by the Board of Examiners. Highest honors
exams ordinarily last one hour. The oral examinations
for highest are intended to test for both depth and breadth of historical knowledge, as reflected in the thesis and the courses taken. Examining committees consist of two to four members of the History faculty. (In addition, at the discretion of the Board of Examiners, students on the margins of the high honors/honors and honors/no distinction ranges may also be given an oral examination;
these exams generally last a half hour.)
In 2007-08, oral examinations will be held at the beginning of May. The Tutorial Office will give several days’ notice to any student who may be called for an oral examination. However, the actual examination schedule will be available with very little notice.
Please go to this link for more information on how the College awards Latin honors. In addition, you should consult with your Allston Burr Resident Dean. Any degree candidate who does not receive the A.B. degree with honors in History will be considered by the FAS for the degree of cum laude. |
