Farrell Fellowship
About the Farrell Fellowship Program
The Farrell Fellowship program was launched in 2014 to honor former Political Science professor R. Barry Farrell. In this program, Political Science majors work alongside our professors on faculty-generated research projects. As paid research assistants with the title of Farrell Fellow, students learn the process of conducting academic research from faculty mentors.
The Farrell Fellowship offers personal and professional development opportunities. Fellows play an important role in a research project that unfolds over an extended period of time and learn the multiple stages of project development, as well as how to handle setbacks and unexpected results that arise in the process.
Faculty are not only supervisors but also mentors, teaching Fellows about the intricacies of political science research. This ranges from identification of a research problem to the development of key research questions to the choice of research design and appropriate method to the collection and analysis of data. Fellows gain hands-on experience in using and applying different quantitative, qualitative, or interpretive research methods. Fellows also learn how to collaborate as past of a research team with faculty and other students.
Program Details
- Eligibility: The Fellowship is open to current Northwestern Political Science majors who are continuing their studies at Northwestern during the following academic year.
- Compensation: Farrell Fellows do not receive academic credit, but are paid an hourly wage of $15. The program may also fund other expenses that support the research, such as research materials, travel to research locations, and conference registration fees.
- Time commitment: The time commitment varies by project. On average, Fellows work 15-20 hours/week during the summer and 5-10 hours/week during the academic year. The maximum hours allowed are 30 hours/week during the summer and 15 hours/week during the academic year. Faculty mentors are often able to provide flexibility to coordinate weekly hours based on students’ schedules. In addition, the length of each position varies by project. Some positions take place during the summer, others last from the summer through the academic year, and other projects only take place during the academic year.
- How to apply: Students must complete the online application, interview, and be selected by a faculty member to participate in the program.
Application Information
The spring application cycle for the 2021-2022 Farrell Fellowship has closed. There will be a second application cycle before the fall 2021 quarter for additional projects that are hiring for the academic year.