10 Political Science Summer Programs for Middle School Students
- Stephen Turban
- 53 minutes ago
- 6 min read
Middle schoolers curious about the functioning of governments, international relations, and legislation can consider partaking in political science programs. Many organizations offer such programs in the summer to prepare today’s students to be tomorrow’s leaders. Through these programs, you can interact with professionals in the field and gain hands-on experience.
You can take this opportunity to weigh your future academic and professional options. Moreover, because these programs are held in the summer, they do not interrupt your regular academics. So, to increase your knowledge of political science, we have compiled a list of 10 summer programs.
10 Political Science Summer Programs for Middle School Students
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies, financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 8 weeks, varies by cohort
Application Deadline: Varies by cohort
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
If you are interested in research, Lumiere’s Junior Explorer Program may meet your requirements. In this mentored program, you will be paired with PhD mentors from prestigious universities, such as Harvard, Oxford, MIT, and Princeton, who are specialists in political science. As a result of this program, you will learn to read and interpret academic literature, build research questions, and create outputs such as a high school-level research paper or case study. Feedback and writing coaching sessions enable you to refine your critical thinking and scientific communication skills. Lumiere also offers a Junior Research and Publication Program for students who wish to publish their research in academic journals in 16 weeks.
Location: Online
Cost/Stipend: Fully funded
Dates: July 6 to July 24 for summer. August 26 to December 9 for fall
Application Deadline: March 25
Eligibility: Low-income students in grades 6 or 7 who live and attend school in the U.S. with family income under $90,000
SMSSP is a prestigious program for gifted middle schoolers. Held in the summer and fall, you will attend online sessions. The summer programming involves interactive classes, and the weekly fall sessions involve discussions and debates on your chosen topic. Students interested in political science can opt for the Democracy and Dissent track. The course examines how dissenters pursued justice and the role of justice and democracy. You will discover the nature and duties of citizenry. In addition, you receive college and career counselling.
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies, financial aid available
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: 25 hours over 10 weeks on weekends during the spring cohort. 25 hours over 2 weeks on weekdays during the summer cohort
Application Deadline: Rolling deadlines
Eligibility: Students in grades 6 to 8
Veritas AI’s AI Trailblazers is an interdisciplinary program that teaches you the basics of AI and machine learning. You will encounter diverse topics such as Python, data analysis, regression, image classification, neural networks, and AI ethics. To explore your interest in political science, you can apply your learnings to provide a technological solution for a real-world political challenge. Based on their interests, past students have built a machine-learning model to classify music genres and a machine-learning algorithm to provide a custom list of educational resources based on selected specifications.
Location: Arizona State University Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law
Cost/Stipend: None
Dates: To be announced
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 and 8
This is a free program for ambitious middle schoolers. The camp teaches you about American democracy, branches of government, and the duties and responsibilities of citizenship. The week is characterized by different themed days that deal with different aspects of political science, such as legislative branch, executive branch, judicial branch, mock convention, and so on. You will engage with a mix of civics and leadership development to prepare to participate in democracy. The skills you acquire here will help you take up leadership opportunities in your school and community. You also interact with like-minded peers and future leaders from diverse backgrounds.
Location: New York University, New York, NY
Cost: $1,798
Dates: June 22 to June 26 for session 1. June 29 to July 3 for session 2. July 6 to July 10 for session 3. July 13 to July 17 for session 4. July 20 to July 24 for session 5
Application Deadline: May 15
Eligibility: Students who completed 6th grade by the program start date and have a 3.0 GPA
Students interested in international relations, diplomacy, and the global political landscape may benefit from this program. Through simulations, debates, and role-playing exercises, you will discuss solutions for international issues, especially the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. You also present a proposal for a new SDG. You learn to collaborate in teams to develop action plans for real-world challenges. You can expect to build skills in research, negotiation, critical thinking, and public speaking.
Location: To be announced
Cost: To be announced
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 16 to 18 students
Dates: To be announced
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 to 11 who meet advanced CTY-level verbal scores
This program on international politics touches upon the reasons why nations fight or cooperate. The course covers topics such as the impacts of globalization, the relevance of sovereignty and the state, and the power of global norms in promoting international development and human rights. You participate in debates, discussions, simulations, and research to understand this vast subject. With your classmates, you will learn to apply scientific techniques and analyze case studies to devise impactful solutions for global challenges. This is an interdisciplinary program that encourages you to think from different perspectives.
Location: Georgetown University, Washington, D.C.
Cost: Starting at $2,750 for overnight or $1,400 for day camp
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 21 to June 27 or June 28 to July 3 for overnight. June 22 to June 26 or June 29 to July 3 for day camp
Application Deadline: First come, first serve
Eligibility: Middle school students aged 11 to 13
The United Nations deals with matters of global relevance that affect all countries. It navigates complex political challenges. So, this Model UN program is an opportunity for you to learn international politics while stepping into the shoes of a diplomat. You learn to negotiate, plan, and execute policies for various global issues. Through workshops and lessons, you build confidence in public speaking and conflict resolution.
Location: American University, Washington, DCCost: $3,095 (residential) or $2,695 (commuter)Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specifiedDates: June 16 – 21, June 26 – July 21, or July 5 – 10Application Deadline: On a rolling basisEligibility: Students who are at least 11 years old and enrolled in grades 6 – 8
This week-long program introduces you to how policies and laws influence politics and the world. You will play the role of lawmakers and attorneys to deliberate on issues, present solutions, and collaborate as leaders. You will learn how a bill is passed in Congress as well as the division between the national and state governments. You build your own government to understand voter populations and build a community using the resources provided. Outside the classroom, you tour the college campus, visit museums, and see historic landmarks.
9. EXPLO 360°
Location: Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Cost: $6,295 for overnight or $4,045 for day. Financial aid available
Dates: Session 1 runs June 28 to July 11 for overnight or June 29 to July 10 for day. Session 2 runs July 12 to July 25 for overnight or July 13 to July 24 for day
Application Deadline: To be announced
Eligibility: Rising 7th to 9th graders
This is a flexible program that can be personalized based on your interests. You opt for 2 workshops and 2 electives. Workshops are collaborative and project-based experiences, whereas electives emphasize skill development. To learn about political science, you can select Government Simulation, International Law + Diplomacy, Leadership Development, or Parliamentary Debate tracks. Each workshop or elective covers different aspects of citizenship and politics. Thus, you can get a start on exploring a career in political science.
Location: Online
Cost: $700
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Not specified
Dates: June 10 to July 1
Application Deadline: One week before the start date
Eligibility: Students in grades 7 to 11 who meet Emerald tier eligibility criteria
Northwestern’s Center for Talent Development offers a range of courses for academically advanced students. In the United Nations: Negotiating Justice in a Diverse World, you encounter international relations and politics. You understand the role of negotiation in everyday life and especially in international fora. The course teaches you how decisions are made by balancing competing priorities and complex international relations. You gain hands-on experience in negotiating a global issue, thereby developing interpersonal, group, and public communication skills.
Stephen is one of the founders of Lumiere and a Harvard College graduate. He founded Lumiere as a Ph.D. student at Harvard Business School. Lumiere is a selective research program where students work 1-1 with a research mentor to develop an independent research paper.
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