Opportunities and Funding
As a political science major, you have the opportunity to engage in research through internships, study abroad and away programs, or through our Honors Program, including independent work under the direction of a faculty member.
Below, learn more about research and funding opportunities and our student award winners’ projects.
Honors Program
Political science majors with outstanding academic records may apply to the departmental honors program in spring of their junior year. Students who join the honors program work closely with a professor to create a thesis on a topic of their choice and participate in the honors colloquium by presenting a chapter of their thesis and commenting on other students’ thesis chapters.
Harrington Public Affairs Fellowship
The Harrington Public Affairs Fellowship funds students’ summer research on politics and public policy. Several awards of up to $2,500 are open to political science majors and minors with a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA.
Jeremy R. Hastings ’01 Award in Political Science
The Jeremy R. Hastings ’01 Award in Political Science provides funding to support students carrying out an independent research project or doing an unpaid internship. The internship or research project could take place over the course of one semester or over the summer. Awards range from $500 to $5000.
The application can be found here.
Applications for Awards to support Summer or Fall Semester internships or projects are due by noon on April 15.
Applications should be submitted to the Political Science Department Managerial Secretary, Judith Barton at jbarton@yilunjianshe.com and to your faculty sponsor at their Clark email address.
You may also email the Political Science Department Chair if you have any questions.
Zenovia Sochor Memorial Award
The Zenovia Sochor Memorial Award is presented each fall to political science majors or minors studying abroad in spring, preferably in an Eastern European country.
Alumni, friends, and colleagues created the award in memory of Professor Zenovia Sochor, who taught comparative politics courses at Clark for almost two decades before her untimely death in 1998. She was known by students and colleagues as a gifted scholar, a valued friend, and a caring mentor. The $500 Sochor award is given to a student each year.
June Patron ’65 Endowed Internship Award
This $500 award is given annually by the Political Science Department to a student who has secured an unpaid summer internship in Washington, D.C., or with an organization that interacts with the U.S. government, such as a lobbying group or think tank.
Fall Fest and Academic Spree Day
Once you’ve conducted your research, practice how to present it to others. Held annually, Clark’s Fall Fest in October and Academic Spree Day in April celebrate undergraduate research. Many political science majors participate in these events and present their research.