The Senior Seminar is conducted as a research seminar, emphasizing research design, application of theory, generation of data and other skills that are essential to the conduct of independent research by the student. The university graduates its students cum laude, magna cum laude, or summa cum lade according to its own standards. Qualified students must signal their intention to do an honors thesis during the pre-registration period in the term prior to the seminar. National Honor Society SIR is the national honor society for students in International Relations. The Epsilon chapter at Penn requires a 3.3 GPA in the major and a 3.2 overall for applicants.
Interested majors can pick up applications at the IR office.
The Palmer Award is bestowed annually on the student submitting the best undergraduate thesis in International Relations. The award was established jointly by the IR Program and the Anspach Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs in honor of Dr. Norman D. Palmer, Professor Emeritus, a pioneer in the field of International Relations. To achieve a minor in IR, a student must do passing work in all the core courses listed above except IR 301, and at least two other approved IR electives. However, study abroad requires careful planning lest students returning from overseas find themselves unable to get Penn credit for the courses they took, or discover that they are unable to complete their major requirements prior to their expected date of graduation. Students should glean as much information as possible about the courses offered by the foreign universities they are considering, petition for Penn credit in advance, and in any case plan with an advisor how they can complete their major requirements upon their return.