Karen K. Petersen, Ph.D.
Letters of Recommendation
I will write letters of recommendation for students who have met the following requirements:
1. I need your request as early as possible and at least two weeks prior to the deadline. A rushed letter will not be the best letter.
2. You must have completed at least two courses of mine, and one of them must have been at the 3000 or 4000 level.* I cannot write good letters for students with whom my interactions are not academic. For example, I hesitate to write letters for students from Model UN who have not had any other courses with me.
3. You must provide me with an up-to-date resume/vita.
4. You must provide the full contact information for the person/organization receiving the letter.
I will be honest in my letters. So, do not ask me to write a letter for me if you have not done well in my classes.
*I will make exceptions to this rule for the Study Abroad recommendations and for exceptional students. Feel free to discuss this with me.
A note on the Summer Session: Generally speaking, I do not teach summer classes. University faculty are expected to be actively engaged in research, and I spend my summers working on my research projects. Therefore, my availability during the summer months can be limited. If you need a letter of recommendation during the summer, you should anticipate a longer turn-around time. On occasion, I am out of town and without access to email for a few weeks during the summer. Have a back-up plan.
Karen Petersen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Political Science
Middle Tennessee State University
1301 East Main Street
Box 29
Murfreesboro, Tennessee 37132
Office: Peck Hall 244