Department of Political Science Announcements
Posted 3/21: Resources
As you prepare to enroll in Summer and Fall courses in the upcoming weeks, you may find some of the resources below helpful:
Enrollment Preparation Resources:
- Tutorials on how to view your Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) Report
- A list of dates and deadlines from the Office of the Registrar, including information on when Summer and Fall enrollment will begin
- The Political Science Guide page, which includes links to major and degree requirements
- Advising with Major Advisors: Advising appointments with the Political Science major advisors are available on the Political Science Starfish Channel. Make sure you’re logged in to access appointment times. Advising during enrollment weeks books quickly. Courses for both Fall and Summer are currently available to view on Course Search and Enroll, so consider being proactive and coming in now if you have questions!
- Advising with Peer Mentors: You can meet with our peer mentors to get a student perspective on PS classes and future semesters, Wisconsin in Washington, their experiences in double majors and certificates, and anything else that might be on your mind. You can take a look at the bios for our peer mentors on our website. (A reminder that we are currently taking applications for next year’s peer mentors through March 21st!)
Other Resources:
- Career and Internship Resources: The department’s Internship Board is a great place to start internship exploration. SuccessWorks is a helpful advising resource for your career and internship search and for resume and cover letter help. They also have an exciting new Career Conversations series. Look for the module in your Canvas dashboard.
- Study Space in North Hall: Our study space in Room 122 is open for students looking for a quiet place to study on weekdays from 9am – 4pm. Check your email each Friday for any changes to the schedule for each upcoming week. To access the room, enter through the doors on the first floor closest to Observatory Drive – away from Bascom Hill.
Posted 2/8: Career Conversations
SuccessWorks has a new canvas module that allows students to have a career conversation with a Political Science alum!
Look for the SuccessWorks Career Conversations module on your Canvas Dashboard.
Learn how to get started networking and SuccessWorks will help connect you with UW Madison alumni who majored in Political Science. You can make valuable connections online and learn from professionals working at organizations like CBS news, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Department of State- Bureau of Diplomatic Security, US Department of State, Wisconsin State Assembly, and more!
Find more info on networking on the SuccessWorks website.
Posted 11/10: Mental Health
Our department has been working towards establishing ourselves as part of the Mental Health Ambassadors program. We are now officially part of that program and have been connected to our own Mental Health Services liaison, Alex Little.
Individual consultations may not always be availble, MHS offers a variety of groups. These are for students wanting to experience community, get support, and learn skills to manage a variety of concerns. Students must complete the brief online registration in order to receive a link to the group space. Here are the remaining drop-ins available this semester:
Mindfulness Sampler Drop-in Sessions
Drop in sessions include focuses in the following:
- Mindfulness for End of Semester Stress
- Mindfulness for Coping with Anxiety and Depression
- Mindlfulness for Compassion and Self-Compassion
- Mindfulness for Coping with Uncertainty
Drop-in Queer Survivor Support Group
Weekly Drop-in Meditation Group
For student’s in crisis, immediate and support, and to be referred to appropriate services can be found HERE
Announcements from Outside the Department
Posted 3/28: Careers
SuccessWorks, with support from the Wisconsin Alumni Student Board and the Senior Class Office, is excited to be hosting an upcoming Zoom panel event – Alumni 101: Life After Graduation. This is a great opportunity for soon-to-be-graduates (or early-year undergrads who are looking ahead) to learn from a panel of recent UW-Madison alumni about their advice for post-graduation life, including topics like managing your finances, moving to a new city, taking a gap year, work-life balance, and more. All years and majors are welcome to attend.
Alumni 101: Life After Graduation
Tuesday, April 4 / 12:00pm – 1:00pm
Posted 3/21: Internship Funding
SuccessWorks Internship Fund Applications Open
For students with unpaid internships, or internships in high-cost locations, the SuccessWorks Internship Fund provides support payments of up to $5,000.
Preference is given to undergraduate students completing unpaid internships, or those who would not be able to participate in the internship without financial support. Students who are underrepresented in their school, major, and/or industry are also prioritized.
Applications close on March 31: More information on how to apply.
Posted 3/21: Study Abroad
Looking for a study abroad experience that immerses you in local culture? Hoping to study abroad while at UW-Madison but not sure how to pay for it? Interested in becoming a lifelong member of a global alumni network?
The Brittingham Viking Organization is a Madison-based scholarship organization that offers various scholarships to study in Scandinavia. The organization is currently offering multiple scholarships for undergraduate or graduate UW-Madison students in any major or program for January–August 2024, to either Copenhagen, Stockholm, or Helsinki for spring semester, with all scholars spending the summer together in Oslo. These scholarships are fully funded, designed to cover tuition, housing, airfare, and travel and living stipends.
More information about the scholarship and applications can be found on the Brittingham Viking Organization’s website. Applications are due March 31.
Posted 3/13: Essay Contest
The Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives is an organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of the American volunteers who fought in the Spanish Civil War. We have an annual essay contest, The Watt Prize, named in honor of Lincoln Brigade volunteer George Watt, a writer, and lifelong activist central to the creation of ALBA, which is now accepting submissions. Students from anywhere in the world are invited to submit an essay or thesis chapter about any aspect of the Spanish Civil War, the global political or cultural struggles against fascism in the 1920s and 1930s, or the lifetime histories and contributions of the international volunteers who fought in support of the Spanish Republic from 1936 to 1938.
The contest offers cash prizes and accepts submissions in the Graduate and Undergraduate categories.
Essay Contest Info
Posted 3/10: Essay Competition
The Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy is pleased to announce its sixth annual undergraduate essay competition. Each year, students are invited to submit essays on a timely question related to foundational freedoms and responsibilities in liberal democracies. For 2023, we invite responses to the question: Is it time to abolish lifetime tenure for US Supreme Court justices? If so, what should replace lifetime tenure? If not, why not?
All UW-Madison full-time undergraduate students may participate.
- Essays due April 9, 2022.
- Essays should be approximately 1,000 words in length.
- Scholarship recipients will be invited to the Center’s “Disinvited Dinner” (May 3, 2023) with guest speaker Jason Riley.
Award:
- 1st place: $2,500
- 2nd place: $1,500
- 3rd place: $1,000
More Information and Submission: https://csld.wisc.edu/essay-competition/
Posted 3/6: Study Abroad
Some updates from the UW Madison Study Abroad Office:
- Several “Study Abroad 101 Sessions” are coming up. View All & Register
- A Funding Study Abroad session will take place on April 6: More Info
- Application Schedule:
• Summer, fall, and academic year 2023 programs: CLOSING SOON
• Winter 2023-24 programs: OPEN NOW
• Spring, spring break, and calendar year 2024 programs: Anticipated to open May 1 - Application deadlines will be listed on the program pages of our website. You visit the “How to Apply” section of our website for more information on the application process.
Upcoming Dates and Events
March 2023
3/1: Political Science Scholarship Application Deadline
3/11 – 3/19: Spring Recess
3/27: Enrollment appointment times for Summer term assigned to students (throughout week)
April 2023
4/3: Students begin enrolling for Summer term according to their enrollment appointment times
4/3: Enrollment appointment times for Fall term assigned to students (throughout week)
4/10: Students begin enrolling for Fall term according to their enrollment appointment times
4/21: Deadline to drop a Spring term course without Dean’s approval
4/21: Deadline to withdraw from Spring term
UW Political Science Media Pages
This bulletin board is intended to assist students looking for information and opportunities related to the Political Science major. Organizations advertising on this website do not imply endorsement by the Department of Political Science at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.