General Information
The Ralph Bunche Summer Institute Program (RBSI) is an annual, intensive five-week program held at Duke University. It is designed to introduce to the world of doctoral study in political science to undergraduate students from traditionally underrepresented racial and ethnic groups or, those interested in broadening participation in political science and pursuing scholarship on issues affecting underrepresented groups or issues of tribal sovereignty and governance. Participants in the RBSI are drawn from a competitive national applicant pool.
Named in honor of the 1950 Nobel Peace Prize winner, former APSA President, and the first African American to receive a PhD in political science, Dr. Ralph J. Bunche, the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute (RBSI) encourages students to pursue academic careers in political science. The RBSI does this by:
- Enhancing writing, research, and analytical skills to increase competitiveness in the application and financial aid process for graduate school;
- Developing statistical skills for data analysis used in political science;
- Exposing participants to the significant questions in the discipline and profession of political science;
- Introducing participants to leading political scientists; and
- Educating participants about political science career opportunities and encouraging their application to doctoral programs in political science.
Eligibility Guidelines
- Applicants must be interested in pursuing scholarship on issues affecting underrepresented groups such as race, ethnicity, systemic racism, gender, LGBTQ politics, disability politics, Indigenous politics, or issues of tribal sovereignty and governance.
- Applicants must be interested in broadening participation in political science.
- Applicants must be college/university juniors (applying in the summer of their junior year).
- Applicants must demonstrate an interest in teaching and potential for research in political science.
- Applicants must be a US citizen, US national, US permanent resident (holder of a permanent resident card), or an individual granted deferred action status under the deferred action for childhood arrivals program (DACA) at time of application.
First generation students/scholars and individuals from the following historically under-represented racial/ethnic groups such as African Americans, Asian and Asian Pacific Americans, Latinos/as, American Indians or Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians and scholars of MENA descent are strongly encouraged to apply.
Application Details
To apply, create an APSA profile and submit an online application. All application materials (transcripts and letters of recommendation) must be submitted through the online application portal to be reviewed by the selection committee. You may submit unofficial transcripts or degree audits in lieu of official transcripts for the purposes of application.
To be notified when the next RBSI application cycle opens, please email diversityprograms@apsanet.org.
Details:
Research Offering Type
Internship
Location
USA
Undergraduate School
College, Engineering, LPS, Nursing, Wharton
Source
External
Contact Information
APSA Diversity & Inclusion Programs Team atdiversityprograms@apsanet.org