Capstone
History Majors are required to complete a capstone project at any time after the completion of HIST 3023: Hands-on History and upon achieving second-semester Junior Status. Capstone projects typically take the form of research papers, at least 20 pages in length (longer for Honors), but occasionally, students have proposed non-paper projects. See Undergraduate Advising for all questions about the capstone.
Options
Professors select a broad topic for students to work within. They introduce the topic to students, do not assume prior knowledge, guide the students to develop their own research questions, and then support them as they develop and execute an independent research project within that topic.
Only offered in Fall semesters, students propose (in the spring) a one-semester research project, find an advisor, get approval through the department, and take a course in which all students are working on independent projects - but collectively, with the guidance of a faculty member.
Learn more about the History Honors Program, which is a two-semester project.
The Office of Undergraduate Education has information about how the Honors Thesis works for the History Major.