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"Which Government courses should I take?
In what order should I take them?"
Recommendations from
the Undergraduate Program:
First-years interested in government
should aim to take at least one of the introductory classes during their
first year.
Sophomore concentrators should aim to complete two
introductory classes by the end of their sophomore year.
Anyone considering the honors track would do well to
take the introductory course in the preferred sub-field, and preferably
in at least one other sub-field as well. Only the introductory classes
provide the breadth of knowledge necessary to understand the context
of whatever more specialized topics the student takes up later. (Those
honors concentrators who have to take oral exams at the end of their
senior year usually find that they perform much better if they have
taken the introductory courses.)
Sophomore tutorial is not a prerequisite to taking
any of the introductory courses. Nor are the intros a prerequisite to
taking sophomore tutorial. Intros and tutorial are designed to work
together to teach breadth and depth. Some concentrators worry that the
material taught in the intros overlaps unnecessarily with that taught
in tutorial. After studying the issue carefully, we have concluded that
there is less overlap than is often perceived, and that where overlap
does exist it works to support students' mastery of key contributors
to the field.
The introductory classes provide breadth of knowledge,
while the tutorial builds the skills necessary to add depth of understanding.
Tutorial helps develop these skills through intensive practice at writing,
reading, discussing and thinking about political topics. Together, the
intros and the tutorial provide all concentrators with a body of knowledge
and a set of skills that are worthwhile in themselves, and that set
the stage for more advanced study in the final two years of the concentration.
Upper level courses and junior tutorials/seminars build
upon the skills learned in sophomore tutorial and in the intros. While
it is certainly possible to jump into a 1000-level course early on,
concentrators will generally find that they understand these courses
better if they have taken an intro first.
Concentrators committed to political theory may find
that it makes sense to take the full year 1060-1061 sequence instead
of Government 10, the introductory course.
These guidelines are general, and in some cases students
will find that a different sequence makes more sense for them. For this
reason we encourage all concentrators to discuss their academic program
with their concentration advisor at least once a semester.
Q: How much does Government 30 ("Introduction to
American Government") overlap with Sophomore Tutorial?
A: There is a bit of overlap between
Government 30 and Sophomore Tutorial. Both of the courses assign the
Declaration of Independence, the Constitution of the United States,
selections from The Federalist Papers (#10, 47, 51, 78, 79, 81), and
two Supreme Court decisions (University of California Regents v. Bakke
and Roe v. Wade).
Q: Does that mean that Sophomore Tutorial is a substitute
for Government 30?
A: Absolutely not. The amount of overlap
is actually quite small. More importantly, the major themes of the two
courses differ significantly. The primary theme of Sophomore Tutorial
is "Constitutional Democracy in America," whereas Government 30 provides
a Government Concentrator with an introduction to the major institutions
and main actors in American politics.
Q: But I took a course like that in high school. Does
that mean that Government 30 is a remedial course? Should I skip it?
A: None of the introductory courses offered
by the Department are remedial courses. In fact, students who are most
serious about concentrating in Government, particularly those who intend
to write a thesis about American politics, are likely to take it. Many
honors candidates ultimately find these introductory courses extremely
helpful when they have to take oral exams. Government 30 offers students
more than a description of important American institutions. It also
introduces them to the study of these institutions. It gives them information
about the questions that political scientists tend to ask about how
these institutions function and what research methods scholars use to
answer these questions. No other course offered in the Department serves
a comparable function, and it is not a remedial course in any sense.
Q: Then what would a logical progression be for a student
concentrating in Government who is interested in American politics?
A: There is no single, standard plan
of study. Ultimately, that will depend on the student and his/her interests
within American politics. Despite the many advantages of taking an introductory
course like Government 30, many students will not enroll in the course.
In general, however, many students will begin with the introductory
course before they take Sophomore Tutorial the following year. Sometimes
Government 30 will give the student a better idea of what interests
them within the American government subfield. Students interested in
political behavior may want to take a course like "Representation, Equality,
and Democracy" (Social Analysis 58) or "American Public Opinion" (Government
1300) during their sophomore year and then follow that up with a junior
seminar on political participation such as "Interest Group Politics"
(Government 90eb) or "Community in America" (Government 90qa). While
this course trajectory would certainly prepare any student for a successful
senior honors thesis, one could also take these courses and then not
write a thesis. Such a trajectory would enable a student to graduate
both with general knowledge about how the American political system
works and more specific, detailed wisdom about political participation/public
opinion.
One could draw up any number of these progressions
for a student interested in American politics. Someone whose primary
interest surrounded social policy could take "American Society and Public
Policy" (Social Analysis 54) or "Making American Public Policy" (Government
1540) during their sophomore year and then follow that up with a junior
seminar such as "Education Politics and Policy" (Government 90dd) or
"Law and Politics of Affirmative Action" (Government 90we). The primary
point is that there is no "right" or "logical" course projection. Ultimately,
the student will want to think carefully about his or her primary interests
within American government and then devise a plan of study that is appropriate
to those interests.
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