WWU Political Science Departmental Honors
Entrance Requirements
Students must satisfy the following eligibility requirements prior to registration for PLSC 496 Honors Tutorial. The student must:
- Be a declared Political Science major with senior standing
- Have a 3.5 GPA in all upper division Political Science courses
- Have completed both of the following:
- PLSC 250, PLSC 261, and either PLSC 271 or 291
- Credit requirements in the area most closely related to the thesis topic
- Have completed one of the following:
- Two years of foreign language with a B, 3.0, or better GPA, or demonstrate a satisfactory reading knowledge of the language
- PLSC 366 Research in Politics, or an equivalent class in social statistics under advisement, and earn a grade of B, 3.0, or better
- Submit the completed Honors Contract from page three of the Honors Handbook, to the Political Science Department office with proper faculty signatures.
Completion Requirements
To graduate with honors in Political Science the student must:
- Maintain a 3.5 GPA in all upper division Political Science courses
- Complete 4-10 credits of PLSC 496 Honors Tutorial over two quarters under the supervision of a Faculty Thesis Advisor
- Give an oral presentation of the thesis in arrangement with the Faculty Thesis Advisor
- Submit a copy of the honors thesis to the Political Science Department Office.
Procedures
Students should contact the Departmental Honors Advisor at the end of junior year or beginning of senior year if they intend to participate in the program. The Honors Advisor will provide information and assist in selecting a Faculty Thesis Advisor.
Students register for PLSC 496 with the Faculty Thesis Advisor. The Honors Contract must be completed as part of the registration process during the first quarter of enrollment. Honors Contracts will be kept on file in the Department Office.
At the end of the first quarter the Faculty Thesis Advisor will assign a K grade for PLSC 496. The K grade is changed to the earned letter grade upon completion of the thesis at the end of the second quarter.
The Faculty Thesis Advisor will select one other faculty member who will serve as thesis reader. The reader will confer with the advisor on the grade.
The student must submit a copy of the completed honors thesis to the Political Science Department before the final grade is assigned. Thesis formatting is established under advisement of the Faculty Thesis Advisor. The department's copy of the thesis should be submitted in a durable cover, such as a plastic presentation cover.
Upon receipt of the completed honors thesis, the department will notify the registrar's office that the student has completed all requirements for graduating with Departmental Honors. The registrar's office then notes it on the transcript.
How does the University Honors Program relate to Political Science Departmental Honors?
Earning Departmental Honors is not the same as earning University Honors (and vice versa). Students must apply and be accepted to the University Honors Program. See the University Honors Program website for information, or call the program office at 360-650-3034.
The University Honors Program is entirely separate from Political Science Departmental Honors, except that the senior project required for UHP, with approval from the UHP Director, can be the same as the senior thesis required for Departmental Honors. Otherwise, a student wishing to graduate with both distinctions must complete the requirements for each program.
Registration
For students in the University Honors Program, but not the Political Science Departmental Honors program, wanting to complete the UHP senior project within Political Science, registration options are:
- PLSC 496 Honors Tutorial
- HNRS 490 Senior Project.
For students in both the University Honors Program and the Political Science Departmental Honors program, registration should be for PLSC 496 Honors Tutorial.