Undergraduate Program

Course Sequencing Recommendations by Subfield 

The following recommendations are general suggestions basedon common choices made by Gov concentrators. You should speak with your Concentration Adviser about what path will work best for you.

Political Theory 

What would a logical progression be for a student concentrating in Government who is interested in political theory?

There is no single best sequence of courses that students interested in political theory should take.  Gov 10: Foundations of Political Thought, considers fundamental problems in political theory and it exposes students both to canonical and contemporary readings, so some students may find it a useful starting point.  Other have found Moral Reasoning 22: Justice, helpful for the same reasons. Students interested in starting with 1000-level courses should feel free to start there, however, since there are no prerequisites for them.  If students know they have an interest in the history of political thought, they may want to consider taking Government 1060: Ancient and Medieval Political Philosophy and/or 1061: The History of Modern Political Philosophy, which provide a solid foundation in canonical texts from Plato through Nietzsche. Students interested especially in political theory as it pertains to contemporary issues and questions in political science might want to consider a course like Government 98vo:  Democratic Theory and Election Law or Moral Reasoning 68:  Legalism.  Finally, though they might not be the best place to start the study of political theory, students are encouraged to consider junior research seminars, which are excellent preparation for writing a thesis, but which many students also find worth while as electives. These courses vary from year to year, but each provides the chance to work closely with a professor on a research topic and to explore specific thinkers or topics.

Comparative Politics 

TBA

International Relations

TBA

American Politics

Just as with the other subfields, there is no single, standard plan of study for American politics. Despite the many advantages of taking a foundational course like Government 30, you may be wary of taking an foundational course on material you think you already know. In general, however, many students will begin with the foundational course before they take the Sophomore Tutorial. Sometimes Government 30 will give the student a better idea of what interests them within the American government subfield.

Beyond Gov 30, you can think of American Politics courses as examining Political Behavior (e.g. courses on public opinion, voting, interest groups); Institutions (e.g. courses on the three branches of Government); Policymaking (e.g. public health, education, and environmental policy); and Identity (e.g. courses on race, gender, ideology, and religion). Many courses will, of course, cut across these lines.

In choosing your courses, a question to ask yourself is: how focused do I want to make my coursework? If you want to maintain breadth, then take courses across the American politics spectrum. One semester you can take Constitutional law, and the next semester you can take a course on American foreign policy. If you want even more breadth, you can eschew specialization in the subfield altogether and take an equal number of courses in each subfield.

If, however, you want more focus, then consider these tracks. If you want to study the law and legal institutions, start with Constitutional Law, and then progress to more specialized courses related to law and politics (e.g. a research seminars on the courts or law). If you want to get into real-world politics, then make sure to take courses on political behavior and institutions: Congress, the Presidency, public opinion, campaigns and elections. If you are interested in public policy, then you can find courses in education policy, health policy, and environmental policy and politics. If you’re interested in race, ethnicity, gender, and religion, you’ll also see courses being taught in each of these areas. In each of these areas,you can become a mini-expert by taking a self-made sequence of 3-4 courses, combining lecture and research seminar experiences. At the end of your sequence, you’ll have several Professors with interests that align with yours,and gained significantly knowledge about this area of the American political landscape.