History Junior Qualifying Examination
If you are now a junior and expect to begin writing your thesis this spring semester 2020, you must take the History Junior Qualifying Examination now. Sign up as soon as possible by emailing Julie Shannon at shannonj@reed.edu. (If you plan to begin thesis next fall 2020, you may take the qual now or this spring.)
If you are effectively a junior, but are registered as a sophomore, it may mean that you have never filed a Declaration of Major form. If so, file that form promptly with the Registrar’s Office.
The exam will be distributed Thursday, September 12, 2019. The format of the qual is as follows. You will be given a scholarly article of roughly 30 pages and will have one week to write an essay of roughly 1,200 words in which you do two things: explain and assess the article and its arguments and evidence, and discuss its significance as a work of historical scholarship.
There is no need and no expectation that you do any outside reading or additional research to complete the qual.
Caveat: Once the qual materials are picked up, students are expected to turn in their responses for evaluation. If they do not, they will be regarded officially as having failed, unless illness, injury, or family emergency prevented them from completing it.
For more information, contact Julie Shannon.
Posted on Sep 6, 2019