honors in political science
Qualified political science majors may graduate with honors in political science. This program honors students who achieve academic excellence in their studies and who successfully complete additional training in a special topics research seminar (PLSC 395). This course is offered each spring and students may enroll in it in their junior or senior year. Students may apply for admission to the honors program in the first semester of their junior year. Admission requires a 3.5 GPA overall and in political science. Admitted students may register for PLSC 395 in the spring semester of their junior year provided they have successfully completed seven political science classes (21 credit hours). The Honors Seminar will not count toward the 33 credit hours required for a political science major or as one of the required subfield courses.
APPLICATION FORM
For more information about the Political Science Honors Program, please contact Professor Susan Mezey at smezey@luc.edu. Students should apply for admission to the program as soon as possible and no later than November 1, 2011.
PLSC 395: Political Science Honors Seminar
The Courts and Public Policy: The Death Penalty and Gay Rights
Professor Susan Mezey
This seminar examines selected legal and political issues involved in modern death penalty and gay rights law and policy. Although it primarily focuses on policymaking by the U.S. courts, it will also analyze decisions made by courts of other nations. The course requires close attention to text, with classroom discussion largely devoted to cases and public policy issues in these two controversial areas.
Grades will be based on exams, a major research paper, including presentation of the research to the class, and class participation. Students will prepare abstracts of their research papers and distribute them to the class in the week before their presentations so that all students can participate in the discussion of the topic following the presentation.
The Courts and Public Policy: The Death Penalty and Gay Rights
Professor Susan Mezey
This seminar examines selected legal and political issues involved in modern death penalty and gay rights law and policy. Although it primarily focuses on policymaking by the U.S. courts, it will also analyze decisions made by courts of other nations. The course requires close attention to text, with classroom discussion largely devoted to cases and public policy issues in these two controversial areas.
Grades will be based on exams, a major research paper, including presentation of the research to the class, and class participation. Students will prepare abstracts of their research papers and distribute them to the class in the week before their presentations so that all students can participate in the discussion of the topic following the presentation.
Registration for this class is by permission only and the class is restricted to students who have been admitted to the Political Science Honor’s Program and political science majors in the University Interdisciplinary Honor’s Program.
