Professional Involvement
Graduate students are encouraged to participate in professional associations and related activities as a way to learn more about the field and develop career options. Of special interest are regional and national conferences at which students can hear about current research in the field and possibly participate on a panel. Doctoral candidates, in particular, are encouraged to present their research at such meetings whenever possible.
The Department maintains a small fund to assist graduate student participation in or attendance at professional meetings. Funding is available to all graduate students, with priority given to doctoral students offering papers. Students seeking financial support must complete and submit an application form available in the Graduate Program Office Student Conference Funding
The Northeastern University Graduate and Professional Student Association, located in the Curry Student Center, also provides funding support and should be consulted prior to seeking departmental support.
There are a number of benefits to joining a professional association. As a member, you usually receive a variety of publications, such as:
- the official journal which includes articles as well as book reviews;
- bulletins announcing meetings (some local), panels, calls for papers, and general reports;
- newspapers containing short articles of interest particularly related to teaching political science courses.
Important services for which association member are normally eligible include:
- a personnel service with a periodic newsletter that lists positions available to political science and public administration students;
- a credential referral service, which maintains and distributes confidential credentials;
- an annual placement service meeting which is a direct clearing house for jobs.
Membership dues generally are based upon gross income. However, some associations charge nominal fees which range from $15 to $25.
A comprehensive list of Political Science associations with corresponding web site links can be found at http://www.apsanet.org/PS/organizations/.
