RESOURCES
In an effort to better serve the students, the department provides the following items. The faculty and staff members are also available for any additional help or assistance.
- AWARDS
- ORGANIZATIONS
- SERVICES
ANNUAL SPRING AWARDS
The department has long felt it is important to recognize some of our finest students through the university awards ceremony known as Honors Day. Therefore the departmental faculty select each spring a student to receive the Robert H. Swansbrough Outstanding Graduating Political Science Student Award. The departmental faculty also select an annual recipient of the Outstanding Alumnus or Alumna Award.
2011 Robert H Swansbrough Outstanding Graduating Political Science Student Award
BETHANY MOORE
DAVID MICHAEL DURHAM
OUTSTANDING UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PAPER AWARD
This award is reserved for an undergraduate student who presents an exceptional research paper in the 400 level courses or an individual studies course. The department honors this student with a monetary award along with the recognition certificate.
2009 Winner Jennifer Cox
Pi Sigma Alpha is the national honorary society for Political Science majors. Our campus chapter was chartered in l986. Sponsorship of the group rotates among various departmental faculty members. Each spring the department sponsors a luncheon for initiating new Pi Sigma Alpha members.
Visit the National Pi Sigma Alpha Website.
Still another Political Science outreach activity is the Political Science Forum. Normally once per year, the department chooses a subject be of general interest to the UTC community and hosts a public event to explore that issue.
The Department of Political Science sponsors a Political Science Club in order to provide interested students an opportunity to gather for lectures and debates on various aspects of local, state, and national politics. The Political Science Club maintains an active program of substantial interest to all Political Science majors. Under the direction of Faculty Advisor Dr. Moughrabi, the club presents a diversified series of public events, including speeches and presentations by individuals seeking local, state, or federal office.
During the academic year 1988-89 the Department of Political Science created the UTC Pre-Law Club. Like the Political Science Club, the Pre-Law Club is open to all UTC students whether or not they are majoring in Political Science. One purpose of the club is to assist pre-law students in focusing their attention on the LSAT examination and on the process of law school applications. Hence one of the annual activities of the club has been attendance at a Law School Forum in Atlanta, Georgia attended by representatives of the Admissions Offices of numerous law schools. Another annual event has been a trip to a nearby law school in order to observe classes. In the past the club has also fielded a Mock-Trial Team. Normally this Mock-Trial Team participates in both a state competition at Middle Tennessee State University and a regional competition held annually at a different location. Contact Dr. David Carrithers for further information.
The department maintains a system of advisement for all declared Political Science majors who are beyond 30 hours of university level course work. Even prior to that 30-hour mark, all majors are able to seek a departmental advisor, but most freshmen majors choose instead to be advised either by their Freshman Seminar teacher or by the university's Advisory Council. In assigning all majors who are beyond thirty hours of course work to individual departmental faculty every effort is made to place students with Professors they have had in class. All advisee assignments within the department are regarded as long term assignments. A student has the same advisor from the beginning of the departmental advisement process until graduation. Owing to the complexity of many such cases, all transfer students are initially advised by the Department Head who also maintains his own list of regular advisees. Advisement takes place once each semester. Each faculty member posts a list of available times on his or her office door, and students select an advisement appointment that is most convenient given their class schedules.
Beginning with the fall term in 1991 the department initiated a departmental seminar series designed to afford both students and faculty an opportunity to engage in high level dialogue concerning the on-going research being conducted by various members of the department. These departmental seminars attract a wide range of faculty and students and are publicized in both the annual newsletter and on flyers posted around campus.
Annual Senior Exit Meeting The department convenes an annual Senior Exit Meeting each spring to provide graduating majors an opportunity to express their views concerning the department's programs. In the past, such meetings have provided useful commentary on subjects of general interest to both faculty and students. All graduating seniors receive a letter informing them of the time and place of this meeting.
Updated 08/16/2010
