Students seeking to challenge themselves should take advantage of the Political Science Department’s honors program and its advanced educational opportunities. Motivated students seeking valuable experience toward private sector and government employment or toward advanced study at the graduate level will find the honors program to be helpful in their pursuits. Each student in the program is provided special opportunities to enroll in advanced seminars designed for honors candidates, write an honors thesis with a Political Science faculty member of their choosing, and participate in independent readings modeled on the tutorial system of Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
The Honors Program runs two seminars, one in the Fall and one in the Spring. Students should seek faculty sponsorship for their Honors Thesis only.
All students with a “B” average (3.0) overall and in Political Science are encouraged to contact a Political Science professor about admission to the honors program.
Awards and Scholarships
- The Robert Packard Service Award is presented to the graduating political science student who, in the estimation of the faculty, has contributed the most to Rutgers-Camden and the outside community.
- The Jack Marvin Weiner Memorial Prizes and Scholarship. The Department of Political Science presents annual Weiner Awards to outstanding students. Two go to juniors who participate in the Honors Program. They receive scholarships for their senior year on the basis of excellence, which is not determined solely by GPA’s. One award goes to the graduating major who has written the best honors thesis. It must be completed during the previous calendar year or by February 1st of the year in which the award is given. One award goes to the graduating major with the highest GPA. If this is the same person who writes the best thesis, the award is given to the graduating major with the second highest GPA. One award goes to the graduating major who has combined exceptional accomplishments in public service (defined as contributions to the department, the campus, or the wider community) with solid academic achievement.
