Pi Sigma Alpha

Pi Sigma Alpha is the national honorary society for political science majors based in Washington , DC . Membership signifies academic achievement within the field, and all members receive a certificate of membership as well as permanent enrollment in the society's membership rolls maintained by the National Office. The purpose of Pi Sigma Alpha is to stimulate scholarship and interest in the subject of government by providing tangible recognition to students who have excelled in the field.

At the beginning of each academic year, the department's faculty adviser issues an open invitation for qualified majors to join UConn's chapter. An informational meeting is held, and applications are accepted for several weeks thereafter. Membership dues cover the certificate, an informal luncheon with the political science faculty (hosted by the chapter) during the Fall semester, and an induction dinner during the Spring semester. Other activities depend on the enthusiasm and interest of the chapter's members.

Information regarding membership requirements, chapter activities, frequently asked questions, and an application form are all provided below. The present faculty adviser is Professor Jeffrey Ladewig .

Membership is open to all students who meet the following requirements:

-A declared political science major
-A grade point average of 3.3 or higher in the major (Not Internships)
-The completion of at least 3 200-level political science course

If you meet these requirements and want to join:
-Submit an application form*
-Attach a degree progress report (unofficial but must have grades for 3 200-level political science courses)
-A check for $50.00 made out to "Pi Sigma Alpha"

*Application forms are available outside the Poli Sci Department Office ( Monteith 137).  Please DO NOT make the check out to the faculty adviser or the department, they must be made out to the organization itself ("Pi Sigma Alpha").

Applications should be submitted to Monteith 137 along with the following attachments:
1.   A copy of your degree progress report. The copy does not need to be official ( ie : stamped by the registrar's office), but it does need to list the final grades for the 3 (or more) 200-level poli sci courses you have taken. If you are only just taking these courses and do not have final grades yet, you may not join until next semester.

2.  A application fee of $50, checks made out to "Pi Sigma Alpha"

Click HERE to download the application.

Frequent questions regarding membership:

Can I join if I am taking my 3 rd 200-level course this semester?
No, you need to have grades for those 3 courses factored into your major GPA before you can join. You may join during the semester following completion of the 3 rd course.

My G.P.A. in my major is listed on my transcript, right?
No, actually its not. What's listed on your transcript are your GPAs for the semester (SGPA), division (DGPA), and total average (TGPA).  In other words, you need to do the math yourself to make sure you have a 3.3 GPA in the major.  Find the grade and grade point chart  in the general catalog (listed under academic regulations), assign the correct grade point to all the poli sci classes you have taken (A=4.0, A-=3.7, etc), and then divide the total by the number of poli sci classes you've taken.  Thats is your GPA in the major.

Your write-up says membership is solicited at the beginning of the school year. Can I still join even though its the Spring semester?
Yes, applications are accepted in the Spring semester until February 1 st . This is due to the fact that certificates from the national chapter are sent for in February and between April and August the chapter is inactive.

I fit all the requirements, but no one asked me to join. How come?
Membership is open to all who qualify and is solicited through general announcements at the beginning of the school year. Announcements are made in 200-level classes and posted on the bulletin board outside the departmental office ( Monteith 137). The department does not actively recruit particular students into the chapter since it is open to all who qualify. Some political science majors who qualify choose not to join because they don't want to pay $50. in dues. Membership is a nice thing to list on your resume, but it really is just restating what your transcript already reveals -- that you are a good student. J

What does the $50.00 cover?
All dues are deposited in the chapter's account at Student Union. The certificates from the national society are $30. a piece. The remaining $20. goes to an informal luncheon the chapter hosts for political science faculty during the Fall semester.  It also covers the cost of your induction dinner usually held at the nearby restaurant during the Spring semester.

Does the chapter meet frequently, what kinds of activities does it plan, and what is its organizational structure?
The answers to each of these questions varies tremendously from year to year. Precisely how active the chapter is depends on the enthusiasm and interest of its members. One dynamic that seems constant is that most students join when they are seniors, which means not only that they are already very busy, but also that membership roll-over is very high. It is not uncommon for the chapter to have 90% new members each year. In order to handle paperwork and financial issues, volunteers within the group are usually solicited. Volunteers are also solicited to shop and set up for the faculty luncheon in the Fall . Monthly meetings have sometimes proven to be useful venues for the exchange of information on graduate and law school applications and preparations. The level of activity and the nature of organizational responsibilities are really up to each year's members.