Political Science Honors Program

The Honors Program in Political Science is designed to serve the needs of students who are highly motivated toward academic excellence through a curriculum affording opportunities for intensive research and analysis. The program stresses close student contact with faculty through such features as the Honors Thesis, the Honors Option, and the Honors Seminar.

Requirements for Graduation with Honors in Political Science

  1. Satisfactory completion of a major in political Science
  2. Minimum of 45 semester hours in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Louisville before final term
  3. 3.7 GPA in political science courses taken at UofL, 3.0 GPA overall
  4. Satisfactory completion of one upper division course (courses numbered 300 or above) with an "honors option"
  5. Satisfactory completion of one graduate level class (courses numbered 500 or above) in political science
  6. Satisfactory completion of Political Science 499, Senior Honors Thesis
  7. Successful oral defense of the Honors Thesis

Honors Option

The Honors Option will consist of intensive research and analysis beyond the normal course requirements for one of the department's upper division offerings (courses numbered 300+). Students wishing to complete their Honors Option in a particular course should contact the faculty member teaching that class. Together, the faculty member and the student will determine the nature of this project which might consist of writing a research paper, participating in a simulation, or completing some type of field study or computer analysis.

Political Science 499, Senior Honors Thesis (3 credits)

All candidates for a baccalaureate degree in political science with honors will be required to complete POLS 499, Senior Honors Thesis. The Honors Thesis will be completed during the student's senior year under the direction of a member of the Department of Political Science faculty other than the faculty member who supervised the student's Honors Option.

Graduate Level Seminar (3 credits)

All students who wish to graduate with Departmental Honors will be required to complete one graduate level seminar in Political Science (courses numbered 500+) in which there is intensive examination of selected topics and a substantial research project.

Further Information

Students wishing to obtain further information about the Honors Program in Political Science should contact:

Dr. Julie Bunck
Ford Hall 302
(502) 852-1659