
The Department of Political Science is well-known, both nationally and locally, for its excellent teaching record. Political science classes at both the undergraduate and graduate level regularly receive student evaluations that are well above average.
Each year the University of Iowa recognizes outstanding teaching by giving out a small number of Collegiate Teaching Awards, and a number of faculty members from the Department have won these prestigious awards. In fact, consistent with its reputation for outstanding teaching, the Department has won a disproportionately large number of these awards. In addition to Collegiate Teaching Awards, members of the department have won several other prestigious awards, including the James N. Murray Award, given to one faculty member in the college each year for excellence in teaching, research, and service; the more recently established Pi Sigma Alpha Award for Excellence in Teaching; and an award for excellence in advising.
The Department's tradition of excellence in teaching extends beyond its faculty members to its graduate students. Like faculty members in the department, teaching assistants regularly receive student evaluations that are well above average, and in recent years these teaching assistants have compiled a terrific record of being nominated for and receiving University Awards for Excellence in Teaching.
The Department is proud of this strong and lasting tradition of excellence in teaching.
Council on Teaching: Faculty Collegiate Teaching Awards
2006 - David Redlawsk
2005 - Douglas Madsen
2004 - Peverill Squire
2001 - Cary Covington
1996 - Charles Shipan
1992 - Michael Jogerst
1991 - G.R. Boynton
1991 - James Lindsay
James N. Murray Faculty Teaching Award
1995 - Charles Shipan
1990 - James Lindsay
Council on Teaching: Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards
2009-Ben Darr
2008-Brian DiSarro & Benjamin Knoll
2007 - Karleen Jones
2006 - Dong-Hun Kim
2005 - Francisco Pedraza
2004 - Megan Shannon & Brent Steele
2002 - Tracy Slagter
2001 - Andrew Bargen
2000 - Kedron Bardwell & Jeffrey Kash
1999 - Dierdre Wendel
1998 - Dirk Deam
1997 - Douglas Modde & Mary Stegmaier
1996 - Mariano Magalhaes
1989 - Kevin Smith
University Honors Program: Outstanding Honors Teacher
2008 - Tom Rice
2007 - Kelly Kadera
The President’s Instructional Technology Innovation Award
2006 - G.R. Boynton
Hawkeye Award, Advisor of the Year
2000 - Timothy Hagle
Beta Chi Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, Teacher of the Year
2001- Douglas Madsen
2000 - Charles Shipan
International Studies Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award
2008 - John Conybeare and Brian Lai