CPSA Prize for Teaching Excellence

Eligibility

The CPSA Prize for Teaching Excellence has been established to recognize the contributions of political scientists to excellence in teaching and student learning. The prize is awarded every year.

Eligibility:
Nominees must teach at a Canadian university, be members of the CPSA (2026), and have taught as primary instructors on a full-time basis for at least five years. Award recipients may not receive the award more than once.
Candidates can self-nominate or be nominated by any CPSA members who are familiar with the candidate’s teaching, including departmental chairs and departmental faculty colleagues. In the latter case, the nominator must fill out a nomination form and have the nomination accepted by the nominee.

Summary

Nomination packages must be typed in Times Roman 11 font, single spaced with strict adherence to the maximum page limits noted below. The nomination package will include, in the order that follows: 

1. CV outlining key accomplishments as a researcher and teacher (five pages).
2. A statement that characterizes the nominee’s teaching philosophy, connecting this to specific discussion of effective innovation in teaching practices, and/or effective teaching and learning leadership and/or contributions to the scholarship of teaching and learning (two pages).
3. A one-page table listing all courses taught by the nominee in each of the last five years.
4. A copy of the teaching evaluation tool.
5. Full evaluation data (including complete student comments) for two courses preferably of different grade levels.
6. A letter of support from the nominee’s department chair or, alternatively, from any one of the nominee’s departmental colleagues (2 pages).
7. Letters from three former students that discuss how the nominee’s teaching shaped their learning, perspective, and career trajectory (2 pages each).
8. Appendices with evidence to support the criteria listed below and which may include scholarship of teaching and learning, evidence of teaching awards, evaluation of teaching workshops, etc.
9. A statement summarizing key achievements related to teaching (optional). 

Additional information: 

• For the Terms of Reference, please click HERE.
• The deadline for submissions is December 10, 2025.
• The winner will be announced at the 2026 CPSA Conference.
• To nominate an individual, the package (digital version) must be emailed to each member of the Prize Jury, and to the CPSA Prize Team (cpsaprizes@cpsa-acsp.ca). Subject line: CPSA TEACHING EXCELLENCE PRIZE – CANDIDATE’S FIRST NAME, LAST NAME.

Members of the 2026 prize jury: 

Aaron Ettinger - Carleton
Thierry Giasson - Laval
Nancy Hills - Waterloo (Graduate Student)

Application deadlines

Program application deadline