Skip navigation.
Bulletin

Political Science

Undergraduate Requirements

Regulations for all Political Science Majors, Concentrators, and Interdepartmental Concentrators

Major Planning Forms

Major Planning forms are available on-line as follows:

Political Science Major: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/Form_CCPOLS_2008.pdf

Poltical Science Concentration:http://www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/Form_CNPOLS_2008.pdf

Economics—Political Science: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/Form_CXECPO_GXECPO_2008.pdf

Political Science—Statistics: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/pdf-files/Form_POLS_STAT_2008.pdf

Courses

Courses in Barnard College or other divisions of the university not listed on the department Web site course listing cannot be used to meet the requirement of a major or concentration in political science without the approval of an undergraduate adviser, and this should be secured in advance of registration.

Transfer credits

Courses in political science taken at other institutions cannot be credited toward the major without the written approval of an undergraduate adviser or the director of undergraduate studies. Students planning to transfer credits should meet with an undergraduate adviser during advising hours, or the DUS during office hours, as soon as they start taking courses toward the major, since the number of credits transferred (if any) will be critical for subsequent planning. Students will need the syllabi and transcript for courses submitted for transfer credit, and no more than 12 transfer credits may normally be credited toward the major.

Grading

A grade of Pass is acceptable only for the first course taken toward the majors or concentration. Courses with a grade of D may not be applied toward the majors or concentration.

Transfer credits

Courses in political science taken at other institutions cannot be credited toward the major without the written approval of an undergraduate adviser or the director of undergraduate studies. Students planning to transfer credits should meet with an undergraduate adviser during advising hours, or the director of undergraduate studies during office hours, to discuss this issue. Students will need the syllabi and transcript for courses submitted for transfer credit, and no more than 12 transfer credits may normally be credited toward the major.

For a Major in Political Science

The major in Political Science requires a total of 29 points in political science, distributed as follows:

A total of 21 points of political science courses including should be distributed as follows and must include at least two of the three introductory courses (POLS W1201, POLS V1501, POLS V1601):

  1. 9 points in courses in one of the four subfields:
    • American politics
    • Comparative politics
    • Political theory
    • International relations
  2. 6 points in another subfield
  3. 6 additional points in political science courses

There is no introductory political theory course because the Core Contemporary Civilization requirement is equivalent to an introductory course in political theory.

Seminars

Students are expected to take two 4-point seminars: one in their junior year and another in their senior year (with exceptions made for students on leave or studying abroad). They may choose from among the seminars offered, though at least one of the seminars taken must be in the student’s major subfield (that in which at least 9 other points have been completed.) Entry into seminars requires instructor permission. Please see http://www.columbia.edu/cu/polisci/undergrad/main/SeminarGuidelines/index.html for detailed seminar registration guidelines. Seminars cannot be taken for R credit or Pass/D/Fail. Barnard colloquia are open to students with the permission of the instructor. However, Barnard colloquia can only count for seminar credit at the discretion of the director of undergraduate studies. Note that admission to Barnard colloquia is by application to the Barnard political science department only. Please see consult with the Barnard Political Science Department for more information.

Recommended Courses

In addition to courses in political science, students are strongly advised, but not required, to take 12 credits in a related social science field.

For A Major in Political Science

Major Planning Form for General Studies Students

The requirements listed below are special to this department and must be read in conjunction with the general requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Program of study
To be planned with the department as soon as the student starts to register for courses toward the major. Students should not wait until they formally declare the major before meeting with an undergraduate adviser during the registration period to plan their programs for the major.

Major requirements
At least 31 credits in political science, to be distributed as follows:

  1. 13 credits including a 4-credit seminar in one subfield (the 9 credits in course work to be taken prior to and in preparation for the seminar)
  • 6 credits in another subfield
  1. 12 credits selected from any of the subfields.

The 31 credits must include three introductory courses:

  1. an introductory course in political theory, to be chosen from the following:
    — COCI F1101 & F1102 Contemporary Civilization (or C1101 & C1102); note that both semesters must be taken to satisfy the introductory course requirement. Though this sequence equals 8 points, only 3 points may be applied toward the concentration.
    — POLS G4133 Political Thought: Classical & Medieval
    — POLS W4134 Modern Political Thought
  2. any two of the other three introductory courses:
    — American politics (POLS W1201)
    — comparative politics (POLS V1501)
    — international politics (POLS V1601)

The Barnard colloquia listed in this bulletin are open to students only with the permission of the instructor, and these courses cannot be used to meet the seminar requirement for the major in political science, unless approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Courses in Barnard College or other divisions of the university not listed on the department Web site course listing cannot be used to meet the requirements of a major or concentration in political science without the approval of an undergraduate adviser, and this must be secured in advance of registration for the course.

A grade of Pass is acceptable only for the first course taken toward the major. Courses with a grade of D may not be applied toward the major.

Transfer credits
Courses in political science taken at other institutions cannot be credited toward the major without the written approval of an undergraduate adviser or the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students planning to transfer credits should meet with an undergraduate adviser during advising hours, or the DUS during office hours, as soon as they start taking courses toward the major, since the number of credits transferred (if any) will be critical for subsequent planning. Students will need the syllabi and transcript for courses submitted for transfer credit, and no more than 12 transfer credits may normally be credited toward the major.

Recommended courses
In addition to courses in political science, students are strongly advised, but not required, to take 6 credits in a related social science field.

For a Major in Economics–Political Science

Please read Regulations for all Economics Majors, Concentrators, and Interdepartmental Majors in the Economics section of this bulletin.

Political economy is an interdisciplinary major that introduces students to the methodologies of economics and political science and stresses areas of particular concern to both. This program is particularly beneficial to students planning to do graduate work in schools of public policy and international affairs.

Two advisers are assigned for the interdepartmental major, one in the Department of Economics and one in the Department of Political Science. Please note that the economics adviser can only advise on the economics requirements and the political science adviser can only advise on the political science requirements.

The economics-political science major requires a total of 54 points: 19 points in economics, 15 points in political science, 6 points in mathematics, 6 points in statistical methods, 4 points in a political science seminar, and 4 points in the interdisciplinary seminar as follows. The political science courses are grouped into three areas: (1) American politics, (2) comparative politics, and (3) international relations. For the political science part of the major, students are required to select one area as a major field and one as a minor field. The corresponding introductory courses in both fields must be taken, plus two electives in the major, and one in the minor field.

  1. Economics core courses (13 points)
  2. Mathematics sequence (6 points)
  3. Statistical methods (6 points)
    • One of the following:
      • ECON W3412 Introduction to econometrics and one of the statistics courses listed under Regulations for Economics Majors, Concentrators, and Interdepartmental Majors.
      • POLS W4911 Analysis of political data and one of the statistics course listed under Regulations for Economics Majors, Concentrators, and Interdepartmental Majors or POLS W4910 Principles of quantitative political research.
  4. Economics electives (6 points)
    • Two electives at the 3000 level or above
  5. Political science courses (15 points)
    • Major subfield - 9 points, including the introductory course, all in one of the three subfields of American politics, comparative politics, or international relations, coordinated with the economics electives and approved in advance by the adviser
    • Minor subfield - 6 points of courses, including the introductory course in another subfield, coordinated with the economics electives and approved by the adviser
  6. Seminars (8 points)
    • A Political Science Department seminar, to be approved in advance by the adviser, in the major subfield.
    • ECPS W4921 Seminar in political economy.

Students who fulfill their statistical methods requirement with POLS W4910 cannot take ECON W3412.

For a Major in Political Science—Statistics

The interdisciplinary major of political science—statistics is designed for students who desire an understanding of political science to pursue advanced study in this field and who also wish to have at their command a broad range of sophisticated statistical tools to analyze data related to social science and public policy research.

 

The major requires a minimum of 48 points, distributed as follows:

  1. Mathematics (9 points):
  2. Computer Science (3 points):
  3. Statistics (12 points):
  4. Political Science (21 points):
    • Introductory courses (one of which must be taken):
    • 6 points in the same subfield as the intro course
    • A 4-point political science seminar in that subfield
  5. POLS W4910
  6. POLS W4911
  7. An elective in a quantitatively oriented course, approved by an undergraduate adviser, in statistics or a social science (e.g., political science, anthropology, sociology)

For a Concentration in Political Science

A total of 21 points of political science courses, including 6 points of courses in each of two of the following subfields: American politics, comparative politics, political theory, and international relations and foreign policy. At least two of the three introductory courses must be taken (POLS W1201, POLS V1501, POLS V1601; see requirements for a major in political science).

In addition to courses in political science, students are strongly advised, but not required, to take 12 credits in a related social science field.

School of General Studies: Concentration in Political Science

Concentration Planning Form for General Studies students

The requirements listed below are special to this department and must be read in conjunction with the general requirements for the bachelor’s degree.

Program of study
To be planned with the department as soon as the student starts to register for courses toward the concentration. Students should not wait until they formally declare the concentration before meeting with an undergraduate adviser during the registration period to plan their programs for the concentration.

Concentration requirements
At least 21 credits in political science, to be distributed as follows:

  1. 6 credits in one subfield
  2. 6 credits in another subfield
  3. 9 credits selected from any of the subfields.

The 21 credits must include three introductory courses:

  1. an introductory course in political theory, to be chosen from the following:
    • COCI F1101-F1102 Contemporary Civilization (or C1101-C1102); note that both semesters must be taken to satisfy the introductory course requirement. Though this sequence equals 8 points, only 3 points may be applied toward the concentration.
    • POLS W4133 Political Thought: Classical & Medieval
    • POLS W4134 Modern Political Thought
  2. any two of the other three introductory courses:

Courses in Barnard College or other divisions of the university not listed on the department Web site course listing cannot be used to meet the requirements of a major or concentration in political science without the approval of an undergraduate adviser, and this must be secured in advance of registration for the course.

A grade of Pass is acceptable only for the first course taken toward the concentration. Courses with a grade of D may not be applied toward the concentration.

Transfer credits
Courses in political science taken at other institutions cannot be credited toward the concentration without the written approval of an undergraduate adviser or the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Students planning to transfer credits should meet with an undergraduate adviser during advising hours, or the DUS during office hours, as soon as they start taking courses toward the major, since the number of credits transferred (if any) will be critical for subsequent planning. Students will need the syllabi and transcript for courses submitted for transfer credit, and no more than 9 transfer credits may normally be credited toward the concentration.

Recommended courses
In addition to courses in political science, students are strongly advised, but not required, to take 6 credits in a related social science field.

< PhysicsupPsychology >

Copyright © 2009 The Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use