Undergraduate Research

There are a lot of opportunities for undergraduates to do original research projects while at UMBC.

Within the History Department itself, students can work with an instructor to produce original scholarship via independent study courses, in the History capstone course, or for an Honors Thesis. Talk to your advisor, the Director of Undergraduate Studies, or the Chair of the department to learn more.

The University also provides a forum for producing and displaying original research. Each year the University hosts Undergraduate Research and Creative Achievement Day (UCRAD), a conference featuring oral presentations, posters, artistic exhibits, performances, and films by students. The History Department typically boasts a strong presence at the event. For more information and deadlines, go to the UCRAD webpage.

The University also offers funding for undergraduate research through its Ungraduated Research Award (URA) scholarships. URAs provide up to $1,500 to undergraduate students to support their research or creative work with a UMBC faculty mentor on an original project. For more information about these scholarships, eligibility and deadlines, go to the University’s URA webpage.

For some examples of the research projects history majors have undertaken in the past see the History section of the University’s Undergraduate Research page.

Resources

History Style Guide

When working on any history project, inside or outside of class, students must follow specific rules for documenting their sources. While your instructors will undoubtedly familiarize you with this style in your classes, the Albin O. Kuhn Library has helpfully created a History Style Guide as an online reference.