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 third year.

The Program

     Students begin the DMP in the fall semester of the third year with HIST 4890 (Distinguished Majors Colloquium). This intensive reading, writing, and discussion course is intended to familiarize students with the conceptual and methodological approaches that historians commonly employ and to develop analytical and writing skills. Class meets for 2.5 hours each week. Reading amounts to about a book a week, and there are regular writing assignments.

     In the spring semester of the third year, DMP students take one of the Major (HIXX 4501/4502) Seminars or Major (4511/4512) Colloquia. The goal of the Major Seminar/Colloquium, which is required of all majors, is to produce a ca. 25-page research paper or several shorter historiographical papers. Ideally, DMP students will use the Major Seminar/Colloquium to write a research paper that is related to the topic of their thesis.

     Although there are no formal requirements over the summer between the third and fourth years, it is highly recommended that students use this time to make progress on their thesis. This would be the time for background reading, refining a topic, bibliographical exploration, and even archival research. At any rate, you must be prepared to do serious research by the beginning of the fall semester.

     The fourth-year program consists of HIST 4990, the year-long Distinguished Majors Seminar, which provides a total of six credits for researching and writing the thesis. Since the focus in this course is your individual work, class meets irregularly. (For technical reasons, DMP students who study abroad during the fall semester of their fourth year should enroll in HIST 4991 instead of 4990.)

     Theses are due about a month before the end of spring semester – typically, on April 15.

Who Should Apply

     Admission to the DMP is competitive. There are sixteen openings, and we usually receive over thirty applications.

     The DMP is intended to be a good deal more challenging than the regular major. Excellent analytical skills, the ability to write well, and commitment to serious research are the qualities that a successful DMP student should possess.

     DMP students should also be resourceful, persistent, and motivated. They must be the kind of individuals 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. They should be prepared to sacrifice some of their other commitments – and even winter and spring break -- to the goal of producing a thesis.

     Since the College of Arts and Sciences requires a 3.4 overall GPA for a degree with Distinction, applicants should have at least this. Most admitted students have a GPA of 3.6 or above as well as top grades in their history courses. We also look for meaningful research experience when admitting students.

     Applicants need not have a specific research interest when they apply, but they should be individuals who will, over time, develop a passion for a particular historical topic. After all, work on the thesis will consume much of the DMP student’s attention during the fourth year.

Relationship to the History Major

     DMP students should fulfill all of the requirements for the history major, including credits, area requirements, electives, and course-level requirements. The DMP provides three of the eleven courses required for the major: HIST 4890 counts as one course, and HIST 4990 or 4991 counts as two courses.

The Thesis

     The DMP thesis consists of original research based on primary sources. It is “original” in that it aims to make a contribution to scholarly knowledge on the subject. The evidence for your argument should be based on primary (published and/or archival) sources. 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 Advisers

     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; 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. Application forms are available in Randall 102, in the bins outside Randall 112, and on the department’s web site. The deadline for applying will be stated on the application, and usually falls in late March. You are advised to prepare the personal statement carefully since it provides a sense of your writing, your thinking, and your relation to the work required in the program.

Opportunities for Study Abroad

     Students in the DMP may study abroad. The optimal time is spring of the third year. DMP students who choose this option do not have to take a Major Seminar or Colloquium (i.e., they are exempt from this requirement). These students are strongly encouraged, however, to do work related to their thesis while abroad.

     Another moment when study abroad is possible is fall of the fourth year. In this situation, a student must be working on the thesis while abroad. (For technical reasons, DMP students who study abroad during the fall semester of their fourth year should enroll in HIST 4991 instead of 4990.)

Grading in the DMP

     As a rule, theses are evaluated jointly by the director of the DMP and the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The grade on the thesis (usually B to A+) becomes the grade for the year-long DMP seminar (HIST 4990 or 4991).

     In addition to assigning grades, the director of the DMP along with the director of Undergraduate Studies assigns levels of distinction (e.g., Distinction, High Distinction, 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 that there is the option of denying Distinction if the quality of the thesis is below the department’s standards. In this (fortunately, rare) case, the student will graduate as a regular history major.

Prizes and Awards

     DMP students are eligible for certain prizes and awards that are typically given at the department's spring graduation ceremony. For a list of the department's undergraduate prizes and awards, see: Undergraduate Prizes and Awards in History.

Further Information

     For questions that have not been answered above, please contact the director of the DMP,Prof. Bradly Reed (bwr4kvirginia.edu).