To master thoroughly a significant historical problem and add to scholarly knowledge about it—this is the challenging and, hopefully, exhilarating goal of the History DMP. The centerpiece of the program is the thesis, a substantial work of original research based on primary sources. Researching and writing the thesis will inevitably dominate your fourth year at the University. The thesis is the culmination of a four-semester program that begins in the fall of the third year.

The Program

Students begin the DMP with HIST 405 (Distinguished Major Colloquium) in the fall of their third year. This intensive reading, writing, and discussion class is intended to familiarize you with the conceptual tools that historians commonly use and to develop your analytical skills. There are weekly and papers. The reading usually amounts to somewhat more than a book a week.

In the spring of the third year, students take one of the History Seminars (401 or 402). The goal of this class, which is required of all majors, is to produce a research paper. Ideally, DMP students will get started on the research problem that will become their theses. (For study abroad in the spring of the third year, see below.)

Though there are no formal requirements over the summer between the third and fourth years, it is highly recommended that students make progress on their theses. This would be the time for background reading, refining a topic, and bibliographical exploration. You must be prepared to do serious research by the return to classes.

The fourth-year program consists of the year long HIST 406 (DMP Seminar), which provides three credits each semester for researching and writing the thesis. The class meets irregularly in the fall and more regularly in the spring.

These are due on or around April 15, so you do not have the entire spring semester to complete them.

Who Should Apply?

Admission to the History DMP is competitive. There are just 16 openings, and we usually receive at least 30 applications.

Excellent analytical skills, the ability to write well, self-motivation, and commitment to serious research are the qualities that a successful DMP student needs. The DMP is intended to be a good deal more rigorous, challenging, and independent than the regular major. Since the College of Arts and Sciences insists on a 3.4 overall GPA for a degree with Distinction, applicants should at least have this. The majority of admitted students have above a 3.6 GPA and mostly As in their history classes. We also look for meaningful research experience when admitting students.

The ability to evaluate evidence and understand complex arguments is not enough. DMP students must also be persistent and self-motivated. They must be the kind of people who will work steadily and methodically toward a long-term goal. They have to be able to learn from the inevitable missteps and find their own way to solutions. Nearly all DMP students find that they have to sacrifice their winter and spring breaks to work on their thesis. Persistent procrastinators will not thrive in the program.

Although applicants do not need a specific research interest when they apply, they must be the kind of students who will develop a passion for one, eventually. After all, work on the thesis will take over their lives for a few months, and DMP students must be willing to sacrifice their other commitments to the goal of producing a learned thesis.

Relationship to the History Major

DMP students should expect to fulfill all the requirements for the regular history major (hours, area requirements, course-level requirements). The DMP provides four of the 11 courses required for the major.

The Thesis

The DMP thesis consists of original research based on primary sources. It is “original” in that it aims at making a contribution to scholarly knowledge on the subject. The evidence for your argument should be based on primary sources (either published ones or manuscript ones). The program looks favorably upon students who can use languages other than English in their research.

The expected length of the thesis is between 60 and 90 pages. There should be a complete bibliography and full documentation in the form of footnotes or endnotes.

Thesis Advisors

Every DMP student will arrange to have a history faculty adviser. Patterns of interaction with advisers tend to vary. Some advisers will offer step-by-step guidance; many others will simply provide feedback on the work that students have done on their own. In any case, the students are responsible for using their advisers optimally; and, of course, the students alone are responsible for the quality of their theses.

The Application Process

Students apply in the spring of their second year. Applications with instructions and due date will be available on the DMP web site. You are advised to prepare the personal statement carefully since it provides a sense of your writing, your thinking, and relation to the work in the program.

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2008 History DMP Application (MS Word format)
2008 History DMP Application (PDF format)

Opportunities for Study Abroad

Students in the DMP may still study abroad. The optimal time is the spring of the third year. You will enroll in HIXX 404, Independent Study, in lieu of the History Seminar. You are strongly urged to use 404 to do work related to your thesis topic.

Another moment when study abroad is possible is the fall of the fourth year. At this point, a student must be working on the thesis abroad and will be evaluated in HIST 406 in terms of their progress on the thesis. (Students will take HIST 406A and B).

Grading in the DMP

The theses are evaluated jointly by the director of the program and the director of Undergraduate Studies. The grade on the theses (usually B to A+) becomes the grade for the year-long HIST 406.

In addition to assigning grades, the director of the DMP along with the director of Undergraduate Studies assigns levels of distinction—Distinction, High Distinction, and Highest Distinction. The levels are determined, above all, by the quality of the thesis but also by performance in all aspects of the program. Applicants should realize there is the option of denying Distinction if the quality of the thesis is below our standards. In this (fortunately, rare) case, the student will graduate as a regular history major.

If you have further questions, contact the program director, Professor Lenard Berlanstein lrbvirginia.edu