Department of Government

Director - Professor Eric Langenbacher

The Honors Program is a highly intensive, three-semester program in which students participate in closely mentored research and writing project that culminates in the completion of a Senior thesis. All courses in the program are taught in a seminar format.

The Government Honors Program requires the following:

• Enrollment in the Honors Political Theory Seminar and the Scope and Methods course in the Spring semester of the Junior year. Note: The Scope and Methods course will be credited as a free elective (not part of the American Government Field) to the major.

• A Senior Thesis. Students enroll in a Thesis Writing Seminar for the Fall term of their Senior year and complete their thesis as a tutorial with their mentor during the Spring term.
Students are expected to find a faculty mentor in the Fall of their Senior year. The mentor serves as an advisor throughout the thesis writing process. A first draft of the thesis is due in mid-March; the final draft is due in mid-April. The thesis defense will take place before a faculty committee during the last week of classes. The Government Department Award will be given for the best honors thesis of the year, which is then submitted to the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honors Society undergraduate thesis competition.

If a student is found in violation of the University's Honor System (the academic integrity policy), the student will be ineligible to participate in the Government Honors Program. Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in termination from the Honors Program.

Minimum eligibility requirements for participating in the program are:

• A major in Government (either declared or prospective at the time of your application).
• A 3.5 GPA in Government and a 3.5 GPA overall.
• GOVT-117, "Elements of Political Theory." Students accepted in the program who have not had this class should take it during their Junior year.
Applications to the Program should include:
• An application form (available in early September)
• A short letter of application in which the student explains why s/he wishes to participate in the Honor Program.
• A short (12-15 page) academic writing sample such as a paper written for a class.
• An unofficial undergraduate transcript.

Students should apply to the program during the first semester of their Junior year. Students studying abroad the Fall semester of their Junior year may submit application materials before they leave or while they are abroad. Sophomores considering studying abroad should be aware that they cannot study abroad in the Spring of their Junior year and participate in the Government Honors Program.
Students are chosen competitively on the basis of academic merit. Applications should be submitted to Professor Eric Langenbacher, Director of the Honors Program, Department of Government, in late October. Please look for electronic announcements in September.

The program announcement will be distributed electronically shortly after the academic year begins and applications are due in early October. Students studying abroad the Fall semester of their Junior year may submit application materials before they leave or from abroad. Sophomores considering studying abroad should be aware that they cannot study abroad in the Spring of their Junior year and participate in the Government Honors Program.

All queries and application materials should be directed to Professor Eric Langenbacher, langenbe@georgetown.edu.

The program is limited to a maximum of 15 students chosen competitively.