Political Science Honors Degree
For questions specific to the Political Science Department Undergraduate Programs, contact one of the Academic Advisors: Nora Wood
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All students pursuing degrees and certificates through the Political Science Department must also fulfill any University of Utah requirements for graduation.
For complete information concerning the Undergraduate Program at the University of Utah, consult the Student Handbook.
The Honors College designed Departmental Honors tracks to serve the needs of students who desire an Honors education in the context of their major. Departmental Honors accomplishes the following:
- It helps students who are focused on graduate school engage in serious research and take classes in an accelerated curriculum.
- It creates a strong alternative to University Honors for students who come to the University with a significant number of AP credits and have completed most of their general education requirements and are ready to work on their major.
- It serves transfer students who have an Associate's Degree or have already satisfied most of their general education requirements and who are ready to enter the major.
Students can either complete an Honors College degree and submit an Honors thesis through the Political Science Department, or complete the departmental Honors courses to complete the Honors degree and submit an honors thesis through the Political Science Department. The departmental Honors courses count toward the student's major as well as toward the Honors degree.
Although the Honors College has open enrollment, and there is no deadline to apply, students should talk to an advisor in the Honors College to make sure they understand all requirements for the Honors degree. A year prior to graduation, students need to schedule a pre-thesis interview in the Honors Program. The advisor will explain the thesis process and provide information on deadlines, formatting, signatures required, etc.
Students will also need to schedule an appointment to meet with the department Honors Advisor, Dr. Mark Button, in order to be admitted to the departmental Honors program, to receive help in developing a plan for completing the course requirements of the degree and to complete an Honors thesis.
Admissions and Requirements
- Students must be apply and be admitted to the Honors College Program.
- Students must satisfactorily complete the Honors Certificate:
- Two semesters of the Honors Core in Intellectual Traditions
- One semester of Honors Writing, either Honors 2211 or Honors 3200
- Two additional Honors courses (American Institutions, Honors Calculus, Honors Core in Social and Behavioral Science, Honors Core in Physical and Life Science, Honors Core in Fine Arts, Construction of Knowledge, or any of the Honors seminars).
After completing the Honors Certificate, students may choose one of two options to complete an Honors Degree:
- Complete two additional Honors courses and submit an Honors thesis through the Political Science Department, or
- Students complete two Honors courses within the Department of Political Science and submit an Honors thesis through the Political Science Department. Honors courses are specifically approved graduate level courses offered each semester. These courses meet with regularly scheduled graduate classes. A letter from the Honors Advisor will be sent out prior to each semester notifying students of approved honors courses; a current list of approved courses will also be available within the political science department.
- Students must complete the departmental Honors courses with a minimum grade of a B, and must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or better in all course work to complete the degree.
Department Honors Advisor
The current Honors Advisor is Professor Mark Button. To request additional information, contact him at mark.button@poli-sci.utah.edu or 585-7987. The Honors advisor reads the student’s thesis after the Honors supervisor has approved it. Remember that there may be more than one honors thesis being completed during any term so take that into account when planning for deadlines.
Honors Supervisory Faculty Member
After consulting with the Honors Advisor, students need to find an eligible faculty member willing to supervise their Honors thesis; teaching assistants, graduate instructors, and most adjunct professors are not eligible to supervise a thesis. The supervisor will give the grade for the required Pol S 4999 when the thesis is formally completed.
Though it is ideal to have had a class from the professor, it is not necessary particularly if the professor has an interest and expertise in the general area of the thesis topic. Having a completed senior seminar paper to demonstrate one's research and writing experience can be very useful in getting a professor to sign on as a supervisor. In either case, it is critical to consult with the supervisor early in the process so that there is mutual agreement on the topic, specific research question, and general approach. Students should not expect that a first draft, particularly if handed in close to the deadline, will pass muster. Make sure to consult with the supervisor on preferred citation style
From the perspective of faculty, the ideal honors student has the ability to work independently and responds enthusiastically to constructive criticism of drafts. It is also ideal if the student has, or can develop, a passionate interest in his or her substantive topic.
senior seminar requirement and the honors thesis
Political science majors must complete a senior seminar paper in the POL S 5810 section of their choice. This requirement is distinct from the Honors thesis. It is possible, and often desirable, for students to take the topic and the paper from their senior seminar and develop it substantially for the honors thesis. Indeed, following this process mimics the scholarly process in which research is conducted and presented at conferences and then later revised and refined.
Even if students chose not to pursue the topic from their senior seminar, completion of the senior seminar prior to beginning the honors thesis is desirable. Senior seminars require the completion of a major research project and thus ensure that students have a substantial research and writing experience that prepares them for the Honors thesis process.
With approval of the Honors Advisor, Honors students may take their senior seminar one semester earlier than other political science majors, after completing approximately 75 hours of coursework.
Honors Thesis Deadlines:
- Fall semester: November 15
- Spring semester: March 31
- Summer session: July 15
The deadlines above are the deadlines of the honors program. As the Honors Program "Senior Honors Thesis: Guidelines and Procedures" handout explains, Honors Supervisors and Honors Advisors need a minimum of two weeks to respond to a draft. A common problem is that students do not allow sufficient time for working through drafts with their Honors Supervisor, for the Honors Advisor's final reading, or for the gathering of signatures.