Departmental Honors

Interested students should consult with a department faculty advisor no later than the fall semester of the junior year.

Required Forms:
Departmental Honors Course Request (need 2 for department honors credit) | Departmental HIST 498-499 Form

Departmental Honors Requirements

The Department of History at UMBC offers a program leading to the award of departmental honors at graduation. (Note: This program is different from the University Honors Program administered by a separate office at UMBC). For departmental honors the following stipulations will apply:

1. To participate, a student must have a junior status and a 3.5 grade point average in history courses. Students with lower grade point averages can petition the Undergraduate Committee. There are no requirements concerning overall GPA.
    

2. Students seeking departmental honors will follow the rules for a regular history major, but make the following additions and substitutions:

    A.  Students are required to take two 300 or 400 level History courses that are either already offered as Honors College courses ("H") or take two 300 or 400-level courses within the department that are adapted by the instructor to satisfy the departmental honors requirement. Taking courses for department honors involves obtaining permission from the instructor teaching the course and negotiating a plan with that instructor for additional work earning the honors designation. For departmental honors courses students should complete and submit the Departmental Honors Course Request before adding the course for honors credit. Students must earn at least a “B” in the two designated departmental honors courses.

    B.  In addition, departmental honors students will take the two-term History 498-499 sequence (Honors Thesis in History) in place of History 496 or 497. There will be a second reader for the Honors Thesis, and the advisor and second reader will determine the format of the summary review session. Prior to beginning work and registering, students should complete the Departmental HIST 498-499 Form which requires permission from the advisor and the departmental honors coordinator. Note: because of this requirement, departmental honors students will complete their major with a total of 42 credits in history rather than 39. Students must earn at least a “B” in the 498-499 sequence to qualify for departmental honors.
    

3. Departmental honors students must complete a minimum of 21 credits in UMBC History courses and graduate with at least a 3.5 GPA in history courses.