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UCLA, Howard University launch summer program on race, ethnicity and politics

The program’s namesake, the late Mark Sawyer, was a professor of political science and African American studies at UCLA and a pioneer in the field of race, ethnicity and politics.

The first-ever Mark Q. Sawyer Summer Institute will bring four undergraduate fellows from Howard University in Washington, D.C., to the UCLA campus this June for an immersive six-week academic research program that explores the crucial role of race, ethnicity and politics in society.

The multiyear program, a collaboration between faculty from  UCLA’s political science department  and Howard, is funded by the  UC–HBCU Initiative,  which seeks to boost the number of undergraduate scholars from historically Black colleges and universities who enroll in and complete advanced degree programs at University of California campuses.

Named for the late UCLA professor Mark Sawyer, a pioneer in the field of race, ethnicity and politics, the newly launched summer institute will be led by UCLA’s Lorrie Frasure, an associate professor of political science and African American studies, and Natalie Masuoka, an associate professor of political science and chair of the Asian American studies department. Their Howard counterpart is Niambi Carter, an associate professor of political science and director of graduate studies.

“Our objective is to create an inclusive and supportive environment for students to develop their skills in research methods and design and to encourage participants to see themselves as confident and qualified applicants to an advanced degree program in political science,” said Frasure, who also serves as vice chair of graduate studies in political science.

Fellows in the program will focus on race and ethnicity as a central category that informs political processes in the United States and will help produce research that spotlights the underrecognized political role played by African American and other communities of color. The scholars will familiarize themselves with empirical research methods through innovative workshops and participate in seminars that explore theories of U.S. racial and ethnic politics, specifically Black politics.

The four undergraduate scholars selected for this summer, all of them political science majors entering their senior year at Howard, are Justina Blanco, Havillyn Felder, Donroy Ferdinand and Yasmine Grier.

Carter said the partnership between UCLA’s political science department and Howard’s program in Black politics provides an ideal opportunity for some of Howard’s best and brightest students to work on cutting-edge research while carving a pathway to graduate studies and professorships.

“I am excited that our students get to experience a different campus and different approaches to political science. I am also expecting UCLA to learn a lot from our students, whose worldview has been shaped in really important ways by Howard University and our motto, ‘Truth and Service,’” Carter said. “This partnership helps both our campuses achieve our shared goals of producing bright scholars who will bring all of who they are to the classroom and in their approaches to studying some of the biggest issues in political science. We look forward to creating lasting, deep connections and looking for other places to connect our campuses.”

As part of the mission of the UC–HBCU Initiative, the University of California will waive application fees for alumni of the initiative’s programs — including the Sawyer Summer Institute — who apply to any of the more than 700 academic graduate programs at the UC’s 10 campuses. Those admitted to advanced degree programs will be eligible to receive competitive funding packages.

The field of race and ethnicity politics at UCLA today serves as a model for universities across the nation, thanks in no small part to the efforts of Mark Sawyer, Frasure said.

Sawyer, a professor of political science and African American studies  who died in 2017,  co-founded the race, ethnicity and politics program in UCLA’s political science department in 2006 and was instrumental in establishing the campus’s department of African American studies in 2015.

“Professor Sawyer is remembered as an outstanding scholar and a committed mentor and teacher,” Frasure said, “but he is most remembered as a visionary builder of lasting institutions.”

UCLA’s political science graduate program is currently one of only a handful in the U.S. to have established racial and ethnic politics as an institutionalized field of study, and its political science department boasts one of the largest concentrations of faculty engaged in the specialty.

►  See UCLA’s recent study of how attitudes toward politics and policy vary among racial groups.

The Sawyer Summer Institute will also benefit from programmatic partnerships with UCLA’s  department of African American studies,   Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies  and  Academic Advancement Program.

“We’ve assembled an incredible team of scholars and programs for this first year of the initiative,” Masuoka said. “We are eager to welcome these young researchers to UCLA but also look forward to learning from them. We have an opportunity to consider how their experiences and ideas can inform novel and innovative research questions.”

This article originally appeared in the  UCLA Newsroom .  For more news and updates from the UCLA College ,  visit  college.ucla.edu .

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Political science.

UCLA Political Science Major, Diego Sarmiento, awarded 2024 Truman Scholarship

The Department of Political Science at UCLA is proud to announce that one of our graduating seniors, Diego Sarmiento, was awarded a 2024 Truman Scholarship. The purpose of the Truman Scholarship is to invest in outstanding leadership potential that can include careers in government or the nonprofit sector, and in academic excellence. A Truman Scholar receives funding for various endeavors related to graduate studies, leadership training, career counseling, and special internship opportunities within the federal government.

Diego was born and raised in Santa Ana and is the proud son of Bolivian and Mexican immigrants. Over the past four years, he has mobilized thousands of his neighbors to engage and vote in local politics through community organizing. Interning at the Orange County Board of Supervisors’ office, Diego helped push forward an unprecedented homelessness prevention program. The pilot program provides $400 a month to 100 single-parent households and senior citizens on the brink of losing their homes. Diego hopes to continue developing programs that give political voice to his community through his “Santanero Voter Initiative,” a program to increase voter turnout among Latino youth. He is committed to a life of public service, believing that politics should be responsive to everybody, not just large corporations, and that every person is entitled to basic needs such as healthcare, housing, and a life of dignity. With this ambition he intends to pursue a JD/MA in economics.

Diego expressed specific gratitude to two of our department members, Dr. Tyson Roberts and PhD candidate Vanessa Pooudomsak, whom he says were crucial in helping him put together his application and prepare him for the interview process. Further to that, Diego is also grateful to Rebecca Blustein, Assistant Director of UCLA’s Scholarship Resource Center, for guiding and supporting him throughout this and other application processes.

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Investigate the past, present, and future of international politics

Develop an understanding of how the international system and foreign policy shape everyday life

The Department of Political Science at UCLA offers one of the nation’s most prestigious programs in the social sciences.

We are delighted to offer a three-week Summer Institute program on World Politics that is designed specifically for high school students. Students will receive foreign policy briefings from UCLA experts on topics like the Russian invasion of Ukraine, foreign policy in the 2024 US Presidential election, how terrorist organizations work, the politics of immigration, and the role of international law in US courts. Students will also work on group projects that entail writing and presenting reports on critical foreign policy problems and how they can best be addressed. These final presentations will be shared with a public audience in a capstone culminating event.

Students will leave the program with a strong understanding of World Politics, five units of letter grade or pass/no pass college credit to use towards their high school or Bachelor degrees, and a mentor who can attest to their readiness for college-level studies.

For questions about the program, please contact [email protected] .

World Politics Summer Institute Program

Curriculum overview.

Morning lectures will give students an overview of world politics using theoretical perspectives, applied statistical analysis, and case studies. Topics will include: the causes of war, international institutions, violence by nonstate actors, international trade, international law, human rights, and the global environment. Afternoon sessions will allow students to apply their knowledge of world politics to contemporary foreign policy issues.

In the expert-led discussion sessions, students will learn professional skills like:

• the difference between clarifying versus non-clarifying questions 
• how to manage a queue in a professional discussion
• when it is appropriate to jump a queue to consolidate a line of questioning
• professional methods and standards for attributing information to sources (e.g. “Chatham rules” and methods of citation)

While preparing final projects, students will gain professional skills through:

• a comprehensive introduction to university library resources, including academic research databases, archival news resources, off-site storage facilities, interlibrary loans, and discussions with library staff
• writing skills workshops to foster both individual writing skills and writing as a collaborative exercise
• workshops on how to organize a public presentation, how to speak effectively, and how to supplement oral communication with slides

Application Requirements

Application deadline: June 1, 2024 | Enrollment deadline: June 15, 2024

Applications are reviewed and admission to the program is granted on a rolling basis starting February 15 th . Applying at your earliest convenience, prior to June 1 st , is highly recommended.

The program has application requirements for admission. Eligible applicants who successfully submit all requirements will be reviewed and notified via email of an admission decision within 3 weeks.

Applicants are required to provide the following during the online registration process:

• If your school transcript utilizes a different grading system, please submit your transcript as is. If available, please attach a translation/equivalency guide.
• If your school has a translation/equivalency guide, please also include it with your transcript. If you do not have a translation/equivalency guide, please still submit your most up-to-date transcript as is for staff to review.
• Value statement : At the time of registration, ALL applicants will be prompted to submit a few short sentences reflecting on their pursuit of participation in a UCLA Precollege Summer Institute. Please note that students are strongly discouraged from relying on ChatGpt/AI tools for their application responses and are encouraged to submit original and authentic answers.

Commuter-Only Program

The World Politics Summer Institute is a commuter program , there is  NO on-campus housing  available for the World Politics Summer Institute through the institute program or UCLA Summer Sessions. Additionally, please note that only  students aged 17 and older as of June 24th, 2024 are eligible to sign a housing contract, and not all program dates correspond to when contracts are available. Students interested in exploring this option should review information at  UCLA Summer Housing .

Participants of the World Politics Summer Institute must commute to the UCLA campus each day of the program. Specific location information (e.g. classroom) will be provided to enrolled students closer to the start of the program.

Summer Sessions parking permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Students have the option to purchase a summer term permit or a daily permit.

Please review the  Transportation and Parking Services web page  and read the “Summer Quarter Parking (All Students)” section for more information on all permit types, including cost.

Coursework & Grading

Political Science 20; 5 units

Grading Basis

Students will receive a letter grade upon completion. However, if you would like to change your grade type to Pass/No Pass (P/NP), please contact your instructor. To receive a “Pass” notation, students must earn a letter grade of C or better. See  University Credit, Grades and Transcripts  for more information about academic credit.

In order to successfully complete the program, students must not have more than  3  excused or unexcused absences.

Scholarships

UCLA Summer Sessions Summer Scholars Support

Qualified students attending grades 9th – 11th in Spring 2024 in the state of California may be eligible for  Summer Scholars Support , a need- and merit-based scholarship offered by the UCLA Summer Sessions Office. Students must be 15 years old by the first day of Summer Sessions 2024 on June 24th in order to participate in a Precollege Summer Institute and/or apply for Summer Scholars Support. A limited number of full and partial scholarships are available to support enrollment in SCIP/eSCIP, one Summer Course, or a Precollege Summer Institute.

Summer 2024 deadline to apply: March 15.

UCLA Political Science Scholarship

POLITICAL SCIENCE SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

The UCLA Department of Political Science offers full or partial, need-based scholarships: POLITICAL SCIENCE Scholarship Application . The award is not intended to cover travel costs and may not cover textbooks or other course materials. The final award amount will reflect the fees of the WORLD POLITICS Summer Institute in which the applicant is enrolled.

IMPORTANT DATES

• February 15: POLITICAL SCIENCE Scholarship Application is available
• April 1: POLITICAL SCIENCE Scholarship Application is due by 5 p.m.
• April 26: Award announcements are emailed at 5 p.m.
• May 1: Students who have been awarded support must confirm acceptance by replying to the award announcement email.

ELIGIBILITY

To apply for the POLITICAL SCIENCE Scholarship, you must meet the following minimum eligibility criteria:

• Enrolled in grades 9 th  – 11 th during Spring 2024
• 14 years of age or older prior to June 24, 2024
• You have not received a POLITICAL SCIENCE Scholarship in the past;
• You will be a continuing high school student in Fall 2024 (seniors graduating in 2024 are not eligible);
• You have a family annual adjusted gross income of $100,00 or less

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Submit the  POLITICAL SCIENCE Scholarship Application  online. The application requires:

• Student Information
• School Information
• High School Transcript (does not need to be official)
• Parent/Guardian Information
• Essay Question 1: Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side. (2-page limit)
• Essay Question 2 (optional): Please describe any additional information that you have not had the opportunity to share, including financial hardships or obstacles that have impacted you. What steps have you taken to overcome it, and how has it affected your academic achievement? (2-page limit)

Students will need to upload the following to the  POLITICAL SCIENCE Scholarship Application  online:

• *Federal Income Tax Form (1040) of your parent/s or legal guardian/s
• *W-2 Tax Form (if eligible)
• Letter of recommendation from a teacher or school counselor commenting on your ability to successfully complete a rigorous program. Please allow your recommender at least 2 weeks to write a complete letter of support before uploading the letter to the application.

*Before uploading your tax information, please redact social security numbers on the documents.

For questions, please contact us at  [email protected] .

Program Dates:  July 15, 2024 – August 2, 2024

Program Type: Commuter

Program Eligibility: 9th-12th grade in Spring 2024*

Application deadline:  June 1, 2024

Enrollment deadline:  June 15, 2024

*All participants must be at least 15 years of age by the first day of Summer Sessions 2024 on June 24th, no exceptions allowed.

The schedule and syllabus are subject to change. Enrolled students will be given updated materials closer to the program start date.

Fees and Payment Info

The program fee includes the unit fees for the UCLA coursework offered as part of the program and thus varies by UC student status. In addition to the program fee, students are assessed other campus and administrative fees during the summer. This is a summary of fees that commonly apply to the selected student type.

Actual tuition and fees are subject to change by the University of California. Visit the fees, payment, and financial aid section for important disclaimer, as well as more details on fees, payment instructions, and information on delinquency, refunds, and financial aid.

Meet your instructors

The World Politics Summer Institute curriculum is based on materials covered in the department’s undergraduate curriculum. Instructors for the World Politics Summer Institute are graduate students and alumni of the department’s prestigious PhD program.

Please visit  UCLA Department of Political Science  for more information about the Political Science undergraduate and graduate programs.

Leslie Johns

Leslie Johns is a professor of political science and law at UCLA. She is also Associate Director of the  Burkle Center for International Relations .

​Her research focuses on international law, organizations, and political economy.

In 2022, Cambridge University Press published her newest book,  Politics and International Law: Making, Breaking, and Upholding Global Rules .  You can access related news stories on the book’s social media accounts:  @PoliticsIntlLaw  and  @PoliticsIntlLaw.bsky.social .  You can also read the book’s Substack newsletter at: https://politicsintllaw.substack.com

​Her work appears in the  American Political Science Review, International Organization, Journal of Conflict Resolution  and the  Journal of Politics .  Her first book– Strengthening International Courts: The Hidden Costs of Legalization –was published in 2015 by the University of Michigan Press. She received the Michael Wallerstein Award for political economy in 2017.

She is a former term member of the Council on Foreign Relations, and a former research fellow at the Niehaus Center for Globalization and Governance at Princeton University (2012-2013 and 2021-2022).

World Politics Summer Institute FAQ

What prior knowledge do students need of world politics.

Students do not need to have any prior knowledge of Political Science or World Politics to succeed in this Summer Institute. Beginning students will be taught everything they need to know through the core course in World Politics.

What materials are needed for the World Politics Summer Institute?

Students will be required to bring:

• Laptop/tablet
• Textbook: World Politics: Interests, Interactions, Institutions

Still have questions? Check out the general Summer Institutes FAQ.

University of South Florida

School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies

College of Arts and Sciences

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Graduate programs, ma in political science.

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How To Apply

The university's application for admission is available online . 

Application Deadlines

Fall Semester: Domestic - Spring Semester: Domestic -  No summer admissions

Admission Requirements

Must meet University Requirements , as well as the requirements listed below: 

• Undergraduate degree from a regionally accredited institution
• GRE/ TOEFL scores
• Three (3) letters of recommendation, preferably by academics
• A 500 word personal statement
• Official transcripts
• Minimum GPA of 3.00
• Must have an undergraduate background in political science

International students:

Transcripts/documents that are issued in a language other than English must be accompanied by a literal English translation. In addition, transfer applicants who completed any postsecondary work (college or university) at an institution not in the U.S. are required to submit an evaluation of that academic work. The evaluation must include a course-by-course assessment, with grades or marks and credits or hours equated to the U.S. system. Click here for a list of evaluation services.

Curriculum Requirements

During the first semester in the program, each student must develop a plan of study in consultation with the Graduate Director. Thereafter, students consult with the Graduate Director who provides technical and procedural advising as well as substantive advice. However, students are also encouraged to discuss their research interests with individual members of the faculty. An orientation session for new and continuing students is provided at the beginning of the academic year. In addition, monthly professional workshops discuss topics of interest to graduate students.

Total Minimum Hours: 36 credit hours Common Core – 12 credit hours Major Field or Concentration 9 credit hours Electives – 9 credit hours minimum Thesis/Non-Thesis – 6 credit hours

For instructional purposes, the graduate curriculum in Political Science has been divided into four fields: Field 1 Comparative Politics (courses with a CPO prefix) Field 2 International Relations (courses with an INR prefix) Field 3 American Government (Courses with a PUP, POS, or URP prefix) Field 4 Political Theory (courses with a POT prefix)

Common Core Courses -12 credit hours POS 6735 Foundations of Political Inquiry (3)

Disciplinary Seminar Requirements - Select two: POS 6045 Seminar in American Government (3) POT 6007 Seminar in Political Theory (3) INR 6007 Seminar in International Relations (3) CPO 6091 Seminar in Comparative Politics (3)

Required Research Methods Sequence - Select one: POS 6746 Quantitative Analysis I (3) POS 6707 Qualitative Analysis (3)

Students may either choose a Major Field of study, or the concentration in Africana Studies. Major field - 9 credit hours

In addition to the core course in major area, three additional courses in the core area are chosen from American Government, Political Theory, International Relations, or Comparative Politics.

Concentration in Africana Studies - 9 credit hours AFA 6932: Topics in Africana Studies (3) AFA 6120: Social Theory and Social Thought (3) AFA 6108: Social Construction of Race and Racism (3)

Electives - 9 credit hours minimum. Electives include, but are not limited to: AFA 6207: African American Historiography AFA 6805: African Historiography AFA 6355: African American Community Research AFA 6387: Seminar on Genocide and Human Rights AFA 6932: Special Topics AFA 6905: Independent Study AFA 6910: Directed Research CPO 5934: Selected Topics in Comparative Politics (3) POS 6933: Selected Topics in Political Science (3)

Electives have to be approved by the Graduate Director. Other graduate courses may also be taken as electives, with approval by the Graduate Director.

Thesis/Non Thesis - 6 hours minimum Thesis POS 6971 6 Thesis: Master’s AFA 6971 6 Thesis: Master’s

Students must enroll in either POS 6971 or AFA 6971 (Africana Studies Concentration students) Thesis: Master’s for a minimum of 6 credit hours. In their thesis, students must provide new insight into a relevant topic in political science or international studies. As students approach the thesis stage, they need to compose a thesis committee consisting of a major professor, who must be a member of the Department of Government and International Affairs, and two readers. One of the two readers can be from another department, but that person must first be approved by the Graduate Director. The thesis committee must approve proposals before students embark on their projects. Students must prepare a written thesis and defend their work in a formal oral presentation before their committee.

Non-Thesis: Elective 3 Structured course approved by the Graduate Director and one of the following: POS 6909 3 Independent Study (for students in a major field) AFA 6905 3 Independent Study (for students in the Africana Studies Concentration)

Students who choose a non-thesis option will be required to complete an additional 6 hours of course work at the 6000 level. The student is required to demonstrate competency by successfully completing a substantial literature review of approximately 50 pages in his or her major field, or in the Africana Studies Concentration.

Comprehensive Examination For students in the thesis option, successful completion of the Thesis serves in lieu of the Comprehensive Exam. For students in the non-thesis option, the extensive literature review determines competency and serves as the equivalent of a comprehensive examination.

Students may take a maximum of 3 credit hours of Independent Study (POS 6909) and 3 credit hours of Directed Research (POS 6919)

For the full requirements, please visit the Office of Graduate Studies Graduate Catalog. 

Forms and information

General Information Course Offerings (Please verify the requirements based on the catalog from the year you were admitted) Research Proposal Example SIGS Graduate Resources   MA in Political Science Tracking Sheet   MA in Political Science/Africana Studies Concentration Tracking Sheet Independent Study/Directed Research Contract Graduate Catalog Listing Office of Graduate Studies Forms Plagiarism Information (Office of Graduate Studies) Thesis and Literature Review Forms Thesis, Dissertation, and Proposal Guidelines and Tips MA Thesis Checklist Graduate Student Supervisory Committee Appointment Form Request to Schedule Thesis Defense Form Certificate of Approval Form for Thesis & Dissertation Doing a Literature Review General Guidelines for the Literature Review (MA Student Non-Thesis Option)