Page 201 of Boston College 2006-2007 University Catalog by Boston College University

Undergraduate Research Fellowships Program The Undergraduate Research Fellowships program enables students to gain firsthand experience in scholarly work by participating with a faculty member on a research project. Faculty members select students, and students receive a monetary award based upon the scope and duration of the project. Students do not receive academic credit for these fellowships. Their value lies in the close mentoring relationship students can form while working with a faculty member. All full-time undergraduates are eligible. Fellowships are available for the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. For more information on the program and application deadlines, consult the website for the University Fellowships Committee, or inquire with faculty directly to express your interest in being involved in their research. Graduate Program Description The department offers advanced study in American politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political philosophy. It displays a distinctive blend of philosophical and practical concerns within a tradition of friendly debate and scholarly exchange. Seminars and courses are supplemented by individual readings and informal gatherings. Both the Masters and Doctoral programs are flexible as to fields and courses, and they allow students to study in other departments and at other universities around Boston. Master of Arts Degree The Masters program requires ten courses with at least one course taken in three of the departments four fields (American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Politics, and Political Theory). The passing of a comprehensive examination completes the requirements of the program. A student is allowed to take two or, with permission, three courses in other departments, and may also receive credit for two courses by writing a thesis. If a student chooses to write a thesis, the written part of the comprehensive examination is waived. Doctor of Philosophy Degree Sixteen courses (48 credits) are required for students entering the program with no previous graduate work. Courses must be taken in three of the departments four fields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Politics, and Political Theory. Students generally take three courses a semester. Of the 16 courses, three may be in independent study and two (not more than one a semester) in non-graduate courses. This latter option is usually appropriate only when needed to offset a deficiency in a students undergraduate background in a field. Generally, graduate students taking non-graduate courses are required to do additional work beyond the requirements set for undergraduates in those courses. Admissions An undergraduate major in political science is preferred, but not required. Applicants must demonstrate both past performance of exceptional quality in their academic work and promise of sustained excellence in the future. Three letters of recommendation must be submitted to the Department at the time of application, in addition to the transcripts and results of the Graduate Record Examination. The Department requires the general GRE test, a Statement of Purpose, and a sample of scholarly work, such as a term paper. Completed applications should be submitted to the department by January 15. Financial Aid The Department is usually able to provide financial support to our doctoral candidates for a period of four to five years, although the Departments initial commitment typically is only for two years, with additional years of funding contingent on the students performance. Regular grants carry a stipend and full tuition remission. They involve twelve to fifteen hours per week of research assistance to members of the faculty or teaching assistance in undergraduate courses. Each year the Department also awards Thomas P. ONeill Fellowships to two incoming students in American politics in honor of the late Speaker of the House. Undergraduate Course Offerings Note: Future course offerings and courses offered on a periodic basis are listed on the World Wide Web at http://www.bc.edu/courses/. PO 020 Internships (Fall/Spring: 1) Dennis Hale PO 041-042 Fundamental Concepts of Politics I and II (Fall/Spring: 3) Satisfies Social Sciences Core Requirement For Majors only This is an introduction to governments, political ideas and theories, and the study of politics. Each of the course instructors uses a different set of reading materials in his or her own section. Some draw from political philosophy texts, some from the arena of international politics, some from an examination of politics and government in other countries, but none draws primarily on American politics, which is the sphere of PO 042. All sections focus on important questions and truths about the nature of politics. Kathleen Bailey Nasser Behnegar Erik Dempsey Dennis Hale Kenji Hayao Candace Hetzner Christopher Kelly Marc Landy Jennie Purnell PO 081 Introduction to International Politics (Fall: 3) Satisfies Social Sciences Core Requirement Not open to students who have taken PO 500, PO 501 or PO 507. This course examines the principle sources of the behavior of countries in international politics, including the nature of the international system and the decision-making process within states. It examines such issues as the sources of power, the causes and implications of the security dilemma, the dynamics of alliances, the causes of war, international political economy, and the dilemmas of world order. This course is strongly recommended for students who plan to take upper level international politics courses. Robert S. Ross PO 200 Internship Seminar: Policy and Administration in State and Local Government (Fall/Spring: 3) Prerequisite: Admission to this course is by application only. A program of study based upon work experience in legislative, executive, and administrative offices in Greater Boston. The formulation of policy, the nature of responsibility, and the role of bureaucracy in state ARTS AND SCIENCES The Boston College Catalog 2006-2007 201

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