The History Department's phasing out its general exam does not represent the watering-down of the Harvard curriculum, the demise of Harvard College or the decline and fall of Western civilization.

The level of honors awarded to concentrators used to be based 40 percent on grades, 40 percent on thesis and 20 percent on the general exam. The department decided that the grades earned in a dozen or so classes over the course of several years were a more meaningful indicator than an exam lasting a few hours.