Graduating with Honors in Political Science

Eligibility

Political Science majors with senior standing, a minimum 3.5 GPA in political science and a minimum 3.25 overall GPA, are eligible to pursue departmental honors. These GPA levels must be achieved at the end of the candidate's final semester, for both in-residence and combined work.

Note: for students under the catalogue year starting fall 2026, the requirements will change to a minimum of 3.75 GPA in political science and a 3.5 overall GPA.

Procedures

Majors interested in departmental honors should first visit with the Undergraduate Director to discuss the guidelines and process. Email the Undergraduate Director for an appointment.

Students must file an intent to graduate with departmental honors with the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences prior to the specified deadline (intent form).

For departmental honors, students must complete and successfully defend an honors thesis. The typical process is for students is to complete POLS 499 Capstone Research for Political Science (3 hours) followed by POLS 498 Honors Thesis (3 hours). POLS 498 is completed under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Students must complete an oral defense of their thesis. 

In some situations, students complete 6 hours of POLS 498 instead of first taking POLS 499. This is typically done across two semesters, and it requires the approval of the faculty advisor. Although this remains an option, it is strongly recommended that students take POLS 499 followed by POLS 498.
 

Requirements for graduation with honors

The written thesis must be defended orally and approved by a committee of at least three members of the College faculty (of whom at least two must be political science faculty). The committee will then certify successful completion of the honors thesis enrollment. Work considered by the faculty advisor to be less than "A" quality will not be considered for honors and will not be presented to the committee for approval. 

Additional Information

The honors thesis is an original research project. It is more than a literature review and synthesis of prior work. It requires substantial effort and independent work. For most students, the thesis resembles the structure of an empirical peer-reviewed research article in political science. That is, a thesis typically has:

  • Introduction
  • Literature Review
  • Theory and Hypotheses
  • Detailed Research Design
  • Data
  • Analysis
  • Conclusion

Some theses which are focused on political theory or engage in theory-building may follow an alternative structure. A faculty advisor should be consulted about what is appropriate and acceptable.

POLS 499 helps students develop a research question and navigate the research process. It should result in a draft of the introduction, literature, theory/hypothesis, and research design. It lays the groundwork for a thesis. POLS 498 is then used to edit the material completed in POLS 499, collect data, perform analysis, and finalize a thesis.

The Undergraduate Director and faculty advisor may provide examples of prior theses as exemplars.

Unless otherwise instructed, students are expected to have a copy of their written thesis submitted to the defense committee two weeks prior to the defense.
 

Finding a Thesis Advisor


It is the student’s responsibility to find a faculty advisor. The advisor must be a faculty member in the Department of Political Science.

Typically, the advisor is an individual that the student has previously had as an instructor. Ideally, it is a faculty member with expertise that aligns with the student’s research interests.

It is strongly recommended that students identify a faculty advisor and get their agreement while taking POLS 499. It is best if this is done relatively early in POLS 499. If they choose to do so, this can allow the faculty member to weigh in on the research question, literature, and design.

If a student has difficulty finding a faculty advisor, they should contact the Undergraduate Director.

The Defense

Students should consult their advisor about the specific expectations for the oral defense of the thesis. For many students, the defense involves a brief presentation of the research project (~10-15 minutes) with accompanying slides. This is followed by a question-and-answer period. The faculty will then deliberate (without the student). The student will then be notified of the outcome. It is possible that the student must make revisions for the committee to approve the thesis.