The Undergraduate Program
History Majors and the Capstone Course (HTY 498)
The senior seminar (HTY 498) is the capstone of the undergraduate
History major at the University of Maine. It is required of all History
majors and satisfies the General Education Writing Intensive as well as
the Capstone Experience requirements. Students enrolled in HTY 498 are
also required to complete a two-part “outcomes assessment” questionnaire
that plays a central role in the departmental evaluation of the major.
What is HTY 498?
The senior seminar (HTY 498) combines small-group and individual work in
a class where students produce an original piece of historical writing
based on their own analysis of evidence. Students are encouraged to
focus on a specific topic of their own choice, but it should fall within
the broad parameters of the course theme that semester and must be
approved by the instructor. Two versions of HTY 498 are offered every
semester (usually one on a North American topic and one on a European
topic). Previous experience with the course theme is not required, since
students will develop their understanding during the semester through
common readings, short writing assignments, and class discussions.
What is the “Senior Thesis”?
Students will produce a senior thesis in HTY 498 based on the use of
primary sources, wide reading in the secondary literature, and
considerable independent effort outside of class. The thesis should be
approximately twenty-five pages long in standard format (double-spaced,
twelve-point font, and one-inch margins). This will be a semester-long
rather than an end-of-semester project, so students will need to move
quickly to select a topic, assemble a bibliography, get started on the
research, and prepare to present regular progress reports. The senior
thesis, and the other written work for this seminar, will be graded
primarily on the basis of content, including factual depth and accuracy,
clarity of argument, breadth of historical understanding, and the extent
of the research. On the other hand, as a writing intensive course the
quality of writing will also be assessed; students will be expected to
revise their work in response to the instructor’s corrections and
recommendations.
I am a student in the Honors College, do I still need to take HTY
498?
Yes. The senior seminar is the single most important course in the
undergraduate curriculum for History majors. Although the senior thesis
is partly an independent project, the collective nature of the seminar
requires that all majors take this course, as does the “outcomes
assessment” evaluation process. The History Department encourages Honors
students to make their HTY 498 research and writing central to their
Honors thesis to reduce the challenge of completing two separate thesis
projects. The History Department is committed to helping Honors students
to closely align their Honors and HTY 498 projects. All Honors students
should contact their advisors about who is teaching HTY 498 each year
(two different instructors each semester) and then contact those
professors to inquire about what collective theme each has selected for
the class. If space is available, students with junior standing may
enroll in HTY 498.
