Political Science

Honors Program

Students with an outstanding academic record in Political Science may apply for the Honors program. Honors involves writing a year-long thesis in close conjunction with a faculty member. Students apply in spring of their junior year. Students complete the methods requirement prior to applying to the Honors program. In their senior year students complete an honors research project and take POLS1910 and POLS1920.

Application Deadline: April 1st by 5:00pm

Completion of the methods requirement is required prior to applying to the Honors program, i.e. by the end of the sixth semester. This can be filled by POLS0500 or POLS1600. Outside department courses that will also fill the requirement are: APMA0650, APMA1650, ANTH1940, CLPS0900, ECON1620, EDUC1100, EDUC1110, GEOL1320, PHP1501, SOC1020, SOC1100 or SOC1120

  1. All applications are to be submitted electronically to suzanne_brough@brown.edu.
  2. Submit the application by the deadline. Completed applications include:
    1.  The application form.
    2. A copy of your most recent internal transcript and, if applicable, a copy of your abroad transcript.
    3. What methods course you took and what semester it was completed.
    4. One writing sample from a political science course taken at Brown: the writing sample should demonstrate your ability to undertake independent research.
    5. The project proposal. This should be a 1-2 page typed (and polished) description of the honors thesis project you wish to pursue. In preparing the proposal, you must answer the following questions:
      1. What is the basic question or research area?
      2. Why is this an important topic?
      3. What relationship does this project have to your course background in political science at Brown?
    6. Email agreements from both your advisor and reader to Suzanne_Brough@brown.edu. It is your responsibility to arrange for a thesis advisor, who is a faculty member in the political science department, as well as a second reader who is knowledgeable about your topic.

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