The Department of Political Science Honors Program affords undergraduate students the opportunity to engage in independent research under the close supervision of one of the department’s faculty members.  Having won numerous teaching awards and research grants, our faculty members are well-equipped to provide guidance to students seeking mentorship.

The Department of Political Science Honors Program is intended to provide an enriched academic experience for highly motivated and qualified majors.  Our honors students have received numerous fellowships and awards, including the Truman, English Speaking Union, and Humphrey Scholarships; the University Library award; the outstanding College of Arts and Sciences Honors Thesis award; and the Woodcock Medal.

All candidates for a baccalaureate degree in Political Science with honors are required to complete “Senior Honors Thesis” (POLS499), a three-credit course in which students undertake a substantial research project on a topic of special interest to them.  Working closely with a faculty advisor, honors students have researched and written theses on a variety of topics.  These are some examples of recent theses:

•       “The Role of Women in Recent French Elections”
•       “Cuban-Americans and U.S. Foreign Policy”
•       “Daring to Dream: American Women Imagine Utopia”
•       “The Indian Independence Movement”
•       “The Politics of the European Monetary Union”
•       “The Political Philosophy of the Radical Right”
•       “The Future of Affirmative Action”
•       “Nuclear Proliferation: Theories, Policies and Applications”
•       “The Evolution of Deaf Politics”
•       “Strategic Image Formation in Twentieth Century Presidential Elections”
•       “Jury Nullification: Its Impact on the American Legal System”
•       “Welfare Reform: Redefining Success”
•       “Theories of Citizenship in an Age of Refugees”
•       “The Tobacco Settlement and Its Impact on Kentucky Farmers”
•       “The Christian Identity Movement: Faith and Fear in the Shadow of the Millennium”

For further information, contact Professor Matarese, 208 Ford Hall, 852-3315.