ABSTRACT

Undergraduate programs in history have long required their majors to complete a significant research project. History faculty and administrators use the collection of student work to evaluate their progress toward meeting the established learning outcomes for the course and the history program writ large. The origins of the undergraduate research movement can be traced back at least to the mid-20th century, with the formation of undergraduate research programs at a number of colleges and universities in the United States. In many places, governments play a key role in shaping higher education by setting policies and providing funding. In Scotland and Australia, government entities promote the sharing of best practices and audit institutions’ engagement with undergraduate research, while in Ireland and England, governments target funds for undergraduate research initiatives.