Several scholarships and awards are presented annually to diplomacy and global politics, political science, and public administration majors in recognition of their academic achievement and professional promise. Four monetary awards are given to juniors based upon their outstanding grade point averages and the completion of substantial course work in their major. They are:

• Gary L. Best Memorial Award
• Irma Karmol Memorial Scholarship
• Atlee Pomerene Prize
• Sara Glosik Memorial Scholarship

A faculty committee determines the eligibility of candidates for these awards and makes a recommendation to the political science faculty

The Maher Undergraduate Research Awards are given each year to a student majoring in political science and/or zoology. In some cases, only one award will be given alternating between political science and zoology. Students may apply through the Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship.

The Engel Prize is awarded annually to one junior and one senior who show "outstanding promise in the field of law and public affairs." The nomination and selection of awardees is made by faculty teaching courses in this area.

The Howard White Award carries no monetary stipend, but is intended to recognize graduating seniors who have excelled in their scholarship and leadership while at Miami. Seniors are nominated by either the award’' committee or individual faculty members and then approved by the department.

Departmental Honors Program

Students with an overall grade point average of 3.5 and above, and a 3.7 GPA in the POL, DFA/DGP, or PA major, are invited to apply at the start of the third year (or after 64 credit hours earned) to enter the Departmental Honors Program. Students must have at least 12 POL hours in political science coursework before enrolling. After enrolling for departmental honors, students must complete the following:
1) Complete the POL, DFA/DGP, or PA major with at least a 3.7 GPA in the major;
2) Complete at least one of the following:

• write a paper and present it at a professional conference (either off- or on-campus) with the assistance of a POL faculty member;
• satisfactorily complete a Dean's Scholar or Undergraduate Summer Scholar program;
• a senior thesis for the University Honors Program under the direction of a POL faculty member; or for students not in the University Honors Program, complete a Senior Honors Paper under the direction of a POL faculty member, written in conjunction with completion of POL 480: Departmental Honors (2 credit hours);
• either a 1-3 credit hour internship (POL 340), or a recognized, sponsored internship program that does not carry MU course credit, under the direction of a POL faculty member culminating in a significant written work synthesizing the internship experience with an academic interest. The internship must be approved ahead of time with your faculty sponsor.

3) And participate in the spring semester departmental honors colloquium to be organized by the department to showcase the work of our best students.

Questions? See Professor Bryan Marshall Director of Undergraduate Studies, in 214 Harrison Hall.