Honors Program
The Vanderbilt History Department’s Honors Program provides the department’s best students with an opportunity to write an original, independently researched history thesis. The program is open to eligible students in all three of the department’s majors: History, Economics and History, and Law, History, and Society.
Students apply to the program in the fall of their junior year. Those who are selected to participate continue to develop their topic independently through the following spring and summer with one-on-one guidance from a faculty advisor.
The main feature of the program is a two-semester Honors Seminar taken in the fall and spring semesters of the senior year. The seminar, convened by the Honors Program Director, is a workshop that provides strong support and feedback for the writing process. By early April of the senior year, students will have created a 50-80 page original work comprised of an introduction, two to three narrative chapters, and a conclusion.
Upon successful completion of the seminar, the thesis, and the thesis defense, students will receive 9 credit hours and will graduate with either “honors” or “highest honors” designations. Each year, the department recognizes exceptional work with the Dewey Grantham Prize for the best thesis.
While the honors program demands significant time and energy, students find it to be one of the most rewarding experiences of their entire college career. Some students secure funding for travel to archives in the US and abroad. All students who complete the program demonstrate the ability to work independently, plan and execute long-term projects, and form cohesive working relationships with peers. The skills gained through the honors program are directly relevant to post-baccalaureate goals, including law school, graduate school, or work in research-oriented fields ranging from policymaking to finance.
Authors and titles of past honors theses
Important Information for Current Applicants
Students with a departmental GPA of 3.5 or higher will be invited to apply early in the fall of their junior year. For the 2027-2028 academic year, completed applications are due Monday, November 2nd. Students will receive notification of admission to the program before the end of the enrollment period for the spring term (Nov. 13th).
Application form for the 2027-2028 program
Applications must include:
- A 2-3 page proposal including research topic, questions, potential sources, awareness of existing scholarship, and experience conducting research
- 2 letters of recommendation, including one from future advisor specifically confirming their agreement to advise student and their plans to be on campus
- 1-2 papers from previous History courses, preferably ones based on primary sources, such as a 3000w History Workshop paper.
Please contact the History Department Honors Program Director, Prof. Ruth Rogaski, with any questions.