Undergraduate Prizes and Awards
Students in the Political Science department鈥檚 majors and honours programs are eligible for some or all of the following scholarships, awards, and prizes. There are two awards that students need to apply for, and a number of awards and prizes for which students will be automatically considered when they are eligible.
Awards which require an application or self-nomination:
The Department of Political Science Bursary for Black/African Canadian or Indigenous Students
This fund was created through the generosity of the faculty and staff in the Department of Political Science. The bursary is intended to alleviate financial difficulties for Black/African Canadian and Indigenous students who have declared themselves as Political Science majors or honours students. The bursary is also intended to help retention and encourage student success in the program, and to support the Department鈥檚 commitment to expand the diversity of the program, in line with the Senate report on Indigenous and Black/African Canadian Student Access and Retention. The bursary will allow faculty to address the need for greater diversity concretely, alongside their efforts to address these issues in curriculum and research.
The fund will provide an in-course bursary to one or more Black/African Canadian and/or Indigenous student enrolled as a Political Science major at AV俱乐部. The student(s) will have demonstrated financial need.
Students apply for this bursary by completing the AV俱乐部 Undergraduate In-Course Bursary application through their DalOnline access. The application is made through the student awards and financial aid tab. There are two windows for applications each year: the window for fall term awards opens in mid-August each year and closes October 15; the window for winter term awards opens in mid-December and closes on February 15. Award decisions are made and announced by the Registrar鈥檚 Awards Office.
Women in Politics Scholarship
The Women in Politics Scholarship is meant to encourage and inspire female Political Science students as they aspire towards their career in the field. Two scholarships will be given annually for $1,000 per award while sufficient funds are available in the fund. Applicants must apply in writing to this scholarship by May 1, with an email to psadmin@dal.ca. Applicants must demonstrate academic excellence, identify as female, and have declared a major in Political Science. Preference will be given to applicants who have voluntarily self-identified as belonging to a designated group as defined by the university.
The following awards and prizes are given automatically (i.e., no application or nomination required), as decided by the relevant departmental committee:
The James H. Aitchison Award
In 1979 colleagues of Dr. J.H. Aitchison established a fund from which an annual prize would be awarded in recognition of the best undergraduate honours essay. The fund was established to honour Professor Aitchison who was instrumental in founding the Department.听
Commonwealth Political Philosophy Prize
Established by John W. Beveridge (BA, Honours 1971) for students who demonstrate interest and achievement in the field of political philosophy.听 The prize name derives from Commonweal, understood as society and government that endeavours to serve and represent community, without tending towards a totalitarian system.听 This prize is awarded annually to the student who has achieved the highest grade in a course on political philosophy or the Foundations of Political Thought (currently POLI 2410.03 or 2420.03).
Rear-Admiral F.W. Crickard Award
This award valued at $500 will be offered once a year to the undergraduate student who has been nominated by a faculty member for the best International Relations paper in a Political Science course.
The Eric Dennis Gold Medal
Founded by Senator William Dennis and Mrs. Dennis, this medal will be awarded on graduation to the student who stands first among those taking Honours in Political Science.
The H.B. McCulloch Memorial Prize in Political Science
This prize will be awarded annually to the student who, among all the first and second year students registered in introductory classes in Political Science, is judged to have written the best essay in the winter term.听
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