Requirement for admission for continuing NIU students:
Any student who has completed at least 60 semester hours of course work at NIU and has completed 15 semester hours of political science courses at NIU with a grade point average of 3.70 or higher (both cumulative and in the major) is eligible for admission to the political science honors program.
Requirement for acceptance for transfer students:
Transfer students must meet the following three criteria for acceptance into the honors program:
1) Students must complete at least 15 semester hours at NIU, including two 300- or 400-level political science courses. Students must earn a cumulative GPA of at least 3.70 in those courses. 2) Students must obtain a letter of nomination from one political science tenured or tenure-track faculty member. The letter of nomination should be sent to the department’s director of undergraduate studies. 3) Students must be approved for the honors program by the department’s undergraduate committee.
Senior transfer students will not be eligible for the honors program.
The Political Science Honors Program is separate from the University Honors Program, but students admitted to both programs may, with permission, use their political science honors thesis to satisfy the University Honors Program’s requirement of a senior year independent study project. Details about the program are available in the department office (Zulauf 415).
Requirements
Requirements to Graduate with Honors:
In addition to all degree requirements, students must complete three requirements to graduate with honors in political science:
1) Complete at least 3 semester hours of POLS 491
2) Complete at least 3 semester hours of POLS 496
3) Complete 1 semester hour of POLS 497 during fall semester
4) Complete 3 semester hours of POLS 499 during spring semester. The honors thesis must be approved by the student’s thesis director and a faculty member appointed by the director of undergraduate studies.
Students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.70 both in the major and cumulative to graduate with honors. Students who fail to receive at least a B in POLS 497 and POLS 499 and a S in POLS 491 will not graduate with honors. Students are expected to present their honors thesis at the annual Undergraduate Research and Artistry Day held in April.
Withdrawal from the program:
Students may choose to withdraw from the honors program at any time. If students are taking POLS 491, POLS 497, or POLS 499 when they decide to withdraw, they must either complete that course or drop it. If students choose to drop the course, they must do so before the university deadline for course withdrawal.
For more information on the department’s honors program, please contact the department’s director of undergraduate studies.
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