Department Honors

Honors Program in Political Science

Majors who have completed eight courses in political science with a cumulative average of 3.5 may request candidacy for graduation with honors in political science. The process for earning these honors is as follows:

• Students should submit to the chairperson of the department, early in their sixth semester (March 15 or October 15), an Independent Research and Study (490) project signed by a faculty sponsor and approved by the department.
• Applicants enroll in Political Science 490 in their seventh semester to develop a thesis proposal.
• Upon approval, the honors candidate will enroll in Political Science 499-Senior Honors Thesis, for six credits, in his or her last semester.
• A substantive research work should be presented no later than April 1 or November 1 before a committee made up of the thesis advisor and two faculty members approved by the department.
• Honors in political science are awarded upon the successful completion and defense of the thesis.