Undergraduate Program
FAQs
Why should I choose Government as my concentration?
What can I do with a degree in Government?
What’s the difference between Government and Social Studies?
I’m a freshman interested in concentrating in Government. Is there anyone I can talk to about the concentration?
As a freshman, am I allowed to take 1000-level Gov courses?
I want to change my concentration to Government. How can I do that?
Who is my adviser in the department?
What are the other advising resources in the department?
What is the benefit of taking a foundational course (Gov 10, 20, 30 or Gov 40) rather than a 1000-level course to fulfill the distribution requirement?
What’s the best way to approach a professor?
How can I learn about Research Assistant/internship positions?
Can I double-count Gen Ed and concentration requirements?
Does Government allow its concentrators to study abroad?
Which courses count for the Political Theory subfield?
Which cross-listed courses count for subfield and/or elective credit in Gov?
How do I cross-register for a course at the Kennedy School, and does it count for Government Credit?
Can I get Gov elective or related field credit for an Accounting class I’m taking at MIT?
Can I get credit for Government Courses taken at Harvard Summer School?
Can I get credit for the AP Exam in political science?
If I am doing Government as a Secondary Field, how many Gov courses can I double-count with other requirements?
If I take the first half of Social Studies 10, can that count for a Gov course?
Why should I choose Government as my concentration?
Government incorporates the combined knowledge and methodology of several disciplines – history, economics, philosophy, psychology, and sociology, among others – and applies them to the study of politics. The discipline has porous boundaries, and is therefore an extremely flexible concentration. It allows you to decide the direction of your studies according to your inclinations and interests: globalization, human rights, the U.S. Presidency, war and terrorism, area studies, political philosophy. Additionally, the study of Government will develop your writing and analytical abilities, and prepare you to be a cognizant and responsible citizen in our rapidly changing world. Its nearly universal applicability to different fields ensures that concentrating in Government will provide you with a base of knowledge and skills that will serve you well in whatever endeavor you choose after graduation.
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What can I do with a degree in Government?
Government graduates pursue work in graduate school (Master’s and Ph.D. programs), professional school (law, business), and the business, education, and non-profit worlds. Faculty and Staff in the Undergraduate Program Office and Concentration Advisers in the Houses are happy to talk to you about educational and professional opportunities for Government concentrators. The Office of Career Services is an excellent resource for information on careers, internships, and fellowships.
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What’s the difference between Government and Social Studies?
The main difference between Government and Social Studies is that Social Studies requires a thesis, while Government does not. Beyond that, you should think about how you want to approach your studies. Social Studies has more specific requirements: students have to take at least one course in economics, one in statistics, one in social science methodology, a year-long sophomore tutorial on social theory, and at least one junior research seminar. By contrast, the only course that all Government concentrators have to take is the one-semester Gov sophomore tutorial, and the other requirements allow students to pick from among many options. Students can do similar work in both Gov and Social Studies, but Social Studies emphasizes interdisciplinary research and social theory more. Students interested only in empirical political science, especially if they aren't interested in theory, will probably find Gov more appealing. Finally, Social Studies is not organized around a single discipline, so a Social Studies concentrator is expected to take the initiative, in consultation with Social Studies advisers, in designing his/her own coherent plan of study that is organized around a "focus field" and culminates in a relevant senior thesis. By contrast, Gov concentrators are free to count for their concentration requirements any Government courses that interest them.
I’m a freshman interested in concentrating in Government. Is there anyone I can talk to about the concentration?
The Government department has many people you can talk to about the concentration. Concentration Advisers in the Houses can offer you guidance in your choice of concentration, and can provide information about different subfields and course selection. In particular, Gabriel Katsh is the Freshman Outreach Concentration Adviser. The Peer Concentration Counselors (PCCs), who are undergraduate Government concentrators, are also happy to talk to freshmen or potential concentrators. The Coordinator of Undergraduate Studies (Karen Kaletka), the Student Services Staff Assistant (Tricia Vio), and the Director of Undergraduate Studies (Prof. Cheryl Welch) can also answer many of your questions about the concentration. Please do not hesitate to contact us, either by dropping by the office at 1737 Cambridge Street, or via email or phone 5-3249.
As a freshman, am I allowed to take 1000-level Gov courses?
Yes. We recommend that freshmen take Foundational (Gov 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50) and/or 1000-level courses. We generally do not recommend that freshmen take seminars, although it is possible for second-semester freshmen to enroll in a Gov 90 (Undergraduate Departmental Seminar) with the instructor’s permission.
I want to change my concentration to Government. How can I do that?
Come by the Government Undergraduate Program Office and talk to staff or the DUS about changing concentrations, or talk to one of the House Concentration Advisers. They can help you think about your reasons for changing your concentration, review your student record to see which classes can count for Government credit, and help you figure out which classes you will need to take. Once you’re sure you want to switch to Government, they can help you fill out an online Change of Concentration form and sign it for you. All Government classes you’ve taken can apply to the concentration requirements (with the exception of Gov 91r). If you want to get Gov credit for a non-Gov class (e.g. for Social Studies Tutorials), you will need to contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies, Cheryl Welch, for approval. You will also need to fill out the General Education or Core section of the form and have it signed by your Resident Dean.
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Who is my adviser in the department?
Every House has a designated Concentration Adviser (CA) who acts as the departmental adviser for Government concentrators in that House. In most cases, your CA will be the Government Resident Tutor in your House. We make an effort to ensure that your CA stays in your House as long as possible, in the hope that you will have the same CA during your entire time at Harvard. His or her office hours, held in-House, will be posted on the Undergraduate website.
Although your assigned CA is your “official” adviser, any CA will be happy to help you, and CAs are especially interested in talking with first-years about the concentration.
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What are the other advising resources in the department?
In addition to the CAs, we are always happy to talk to you in the Undergraduate Program Office in CGIS, where you can make an appointment with the Director of Undergraduate Studies, and/or speak with the Coordinator for Undergraduate Studies or the Student Services Staff Assistant. The Peer Concentration Counselors can also give you an insider’s perspective on the concentration.
What is the benefit of taking a foundational course (Gov 10, 20, 30 or Gov 40) rather than a 1000-level course to fulfill the distribution requirement?
The foundational courses are designed to provide you with a firm grounding in the fundamental concepts and themes of the subfield. If you are unfamiliar with the subfield, or intend to study it in greater depth later, you may find it useful to take the foundational course rather than a 1000-level course in order to ensure that you have a good overview of the subject matter. This breadth of study will give you a firm base for upper-level work in the subfield, and will help you if you need to take oral exams for your final honors determination.
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What’s the best way to approach a professor?
Professors hold office hours weekly, and welcome students. You may want to contact the professor beforehand to see if making an appointment is necessary (there is an online list of contact information for the faculty, including office hours). Many students are intimidated by the idea of approaching a professor. Remember that you must be proactive in establishing a relationship with a faculty member; the faculty member most likely does not have time to seek you out, and has many other students. Most faculty members tell us that they are disappointed that more students don’t visit them during office hours, so if you do make the effort, you will probably be met with enthusiasm by the faculty member.
When you do meet with him or her, make sure you are prepared for the meeting – discuss what you want to research, why you want to work with the professor, or what advice you are soliciting and for what purpose. If you need some guidance on approaching a professor, you can talk to a staff member of the Undergraduate Program Office, particularly a CA.
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How can I learn about Research Assistant/internship positions?
Research Assistantships and internships are publicized via the weekly “Events and Opportunities” email that is sent to Government concentrators, and on the bulletin board in the Undergraduate Program Office. If you are not yet a Government concentrator and would like to be added to this mailing list, please contact us and we will add you. The OCS and Student Employment Office (SEO) also publicize these opportunities.
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Can I double-count Gen Ed and concentration requirements?
In general, cross-listed Gen Ed courses taught by Government faculty will count for elective concentration credit. The exception to this rule falls under the Political Theory requirement. The only Gen Ed courses that count for Theory credit are Ethical Reasoning classes taught by Government faculty. All other cross-listed courses under the Political Thought and Its History section will count for Gov elective credit only. Gen Ed Courses for Gov Credit lists Gen Ed courses accepted for concentration credit. In addition, a number of Gen Ed courses count as related field courses if they are cross-listed in that field's section of the catalogue (for instance, a United States in the World course that is cross-listed in the History Department will count for related field credit). See the Courses in Related Fields webpage for more information.
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Does Government allow its concentrators to study abroad?
Since we are so flexible with related fields, and because many of the programs Harvard offers or approves of are government related, it is extremely easy to study abroad as a Government Concentrator. See the Study Abroad webpage for more details.
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Which courses count for the Political Theory subfield?
Gov 10 and the courses under the section called Political Thought and Its History (course numbers 1030-1099 and 2030-2099) count for the Political Theory requirement. Courses under the section called Political Methodology and Formal Theory (course numbers 1000-1029 and 2000-2029) DO NOT count for Theory credit. In addition, certain Gen Ed courses taught by Government faculty (such as Ethical Reasoning 22, Justice, taught by Prof. Michael Sandel) and undergraduate and research seminars count for Theory credit. Please ask the Undergraduate office if you are in doubt about the status of a course for Gov Theory credit.
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Which cross-listed courses count for subfield and/or elective credit in Gov?
Any cross-listed course printed in the catalog under the subfields of American Politics, Comparative Politics, and International Relations count for Gov elective credit. The only cross-listed courses that may count for subfield credit are those taught by Government faculty.
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How do I cross-register for a course at the Kennedy School, and does it count for Government Credit?
All Harvard undergraduates can cross-register for courses at other Harvard schools by filling out a cross-registration form, available at the Registrar and your house office. The form must be signed by the instructor of the course, the DUS (only if you are requesting concentration credit), and your Resident Dean. While Government concentrators most frequently cross-register for courses at the Kennedy School of Government, those courses do NOT automatically count for concentration credit. If you are interested in receiving department credit for a Kennedy School course, you will need to meet with the DUS who will decide on a case-by-case basis. You must get approval for Government credit for a Kennedy School (or any other non-FAS) course BEFORE you register for it on Study Card Day. Credit will not be granted retroactively for a non-FAS course, so make sure the DUS approves it for Government credit before you register for it. It is also important to note that courses taken through cross-registration will appear on your student record, but you will not receive a grade and the grade is not factored into your College GPA unless you receive concentration credit for the course.
Please note that Law School courses are not letter-graded and cannot be petitioned for Government credit.
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Can I get Gov elective or related field credit for an Accounting class I’m taking at MIT?
No, we do not accept these classes for Gov elective or related field credit.
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Can I get credit for Government Courses taken at Harvard Summer School?
As a Harvard undergraduate, any course taken at Harvard Summer School will automatically appear on your transcript. If it is a Government course, it will count just as it would if taken during the year. For instance, if you take an American Politics course during the summer, that could count toward your American field requirement. If you took a summer school course before you came to Harvard, you must petition to have it count for Harvard credit. Please see your Resident Dean for details.
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Can I get credit for the AP Exam in political science?
No. However, Advanced Standing students who received a score of 5 on the AP examination in American or European history can receive credit for one half-course in History as a related field if they graduate in 3 years. If you choose to stay four years, your AP credit will not count and you must take an additional related field course.
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If I am doing Government as a Secondary Field, how many Gov courses can I double-count with other requirements?
You are limited to counting only one course for your Secondary Field and your primary concentration. However, you may double-count more than one Secondary Field course with other programs, such as Gen Ed or language citations. See the Secondary Fields website for more information.
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If I take the first half of Social Studies 10, can that count for a Gov course?
If you take Social Studies 10a, it may count for one Gov elective, but not for a subfield requirement.
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Have a question that’s not answered here? Contact us.
Thank you to Ivana Djak ’11 and Gabriel Katsh for their help in revising these FAQs.