Application to Upper-Division Process
Who Needs to Apply
All majors in the History & Political Science Department must be accepted to Upper-Division in order to enroll in the following capstone sequence courses:
- HST 331, Research Methods & Historiography or PSC 331, Political Science Research Methods (offered every Spring)
- HP 445, Senior Capstone Project (offered every semester; recommended for Fall of your Senior year)
- HP 446, Advanced Senior Research (optional; recommended for Spring of your Senior year)
When to Apply
Application to Upper-Division must be submitted in the Fall semester immediately preceding the Spring semester in which the capstone sequence will be started. Please note: you must be accepted into Upper-Division before you can register for the capstone sequence courses. Applications will be due October 15th. Faculty review of the applications and final decisions on acceptance to Upper-Division will be made no later than November 10th (before registration for Spring semester).
Criteria for Upper-Division
The criteria for being accepted into Upper Division are as follows:
- Overall (cumulative) GPA of 2.0
- GPA of 2.25 in the major
- A writing sample from History and/or Political Science classes totaling 5 pages (i.e., you may have 1 paper that is 5 pages in length or 2 or more shorter papers, so long as the total number of pages is 5). Graded assignments (with faculty comments) are preferred.
- An application essay (1-2 pages) detailing career plans and post-graduation plans
- Evidence of progress on the language requirement (completion of lower-level language courses or equivalent)
- Evidence of progress in the foundational courses in the major as follows:
History and History & Political Science Majors:
- HST 105, World History I
- HST 106, World History II
- HST 220, American History to 1877
- HST 221, American History 1877 to present
Political Science Majors:
- PSC 101, Comparative Politics
- PSC 113, Introduction to American Politics
- PSC 121, International Relations
- PSC 125, Introduction to Public Policy
Questions about the application to Upper-Division may be directed to your academic advisor or the History & Political Science Department Chair. Applications should be submitted in hard copy and electronically to Penny Messinger, Chair of the History & Political Science Department, at pmessing
To submit electronically, scan the required documentation (application essay, writing sample, and screenshots of your program plan to demonstrate your progress in coursework and GPA) and create a PDF. Title the file with your name (ex: "John Smith UD application") and send by email.