Independent Study: 1-3 credits

Prereq: At least one course in the field of research and permission of a Faculty Supervisor. Students may take independent study only with full-time members of the department. As a general rule, the students should have taken a prior course with this instructor. Departmental permission will not be granted without explicit approval by the instructor.

POLSC 290.01 - One credit research paper
POLSC 290.02 - Two credit research paper
POLSC 290.03 - Three credit research paper

Honors Work:

Students applying for Honors in Political Science (seeking to enroll in Honors independent study or any course designated for departmental honors), should have:

1. Declared a major in Political Science.
2. A GPA in Political Science of at least 3.5
3. Taken at least 2 courses (or 6 credits) in Political Science at Hunter College.

To complete the requirements for departmental honors in Political Science at graduation, students must have:

1. Completed at least 21 credits (or in exceptional cases, 18) in the Political Science Department at Hunter College. In the case of transfer students, the student’s faculty supervisor must recommend an exception to this policy; however, in no case should a student who has taken fewer than 15 credits in academic coursework (excluding internships or other experiential courses) in political science at Hunter College be recommended for departmental honors.
2. A GPA in the major of not less than 3.5
3. Completed at least 2 credits (but not more than 6) in coursework specifically designated for honors.
4. Supervision: Students writing honors theses will do so with a supervisor who must be a full-time Political Science faculty member.
5. The thesis should be a major paper of approximately 25 pages in length that reflects serious scholarship in an honors course. Students should enroll in POLSC 49202 or POLSC 49203 under the supervision of a faculty member with whom the student has done prior coursework and who has agreed to supervise the student’s honors project. Students seeking to graduate with departmental honors should begin to plan the sequence of honors work at least two semesters in advance of their expected graduation date.
6. Approval: Approval for Honors will come from the supervisor.
   
   1. Once students have received the approval of their supervisor, the paper can be submitted for departmental honors.
   2. Successful completion of departmental honors includes a formal presentation of the thesis to the Honors Committee.
7. Final Submission: Final papers and Honors Approval Form must be deposited in the department office, 1724W.

Honors Independent Study: 2-3 credits

POLSC 492.02 - Two credit honors research paper
POLSC 492.03 - Three credit honors research paper

Students may take an independent study, an honors course, and/or an internship more than once. No more than 6 credits of honors, independent study, internship or other experiential courses may be applied to the major in political science.