Courses
A student must successfully complete at least twelve four-credit courses, of which eight must be in political science. At least ten of these twelve four-credit courses and seven of the eight four-credit courses in political science must be listed in the catalogue as 1000- or 2000-level courses. Courses cross-registered with Harvard’s Divinity and Law Schools, the Fletcher School, or MIT can be used toward these requirements. Prior approval from the Director of Graduate Studies is needed for courses from the Harvard Kennedy and Business Schools. Students must complete six four-credit courses by the end of their second term in residence and nine by the end of their third. Courses numbered at the 3000-level do not count towards degree requirements.
Course Requirements for Students
Admitted for Fall 2021 and beyond
Beginning Fall 2021, the three-course requirement in Political Philosophy, Quantitative Methodology and Gov 3001: Approaches to the Study of Politics was replaced with a choice of three out of the four field seminars: American Government (Gov 2305), Comparative Politics (Gov 2105), International Relations (Gov 2710), and Political Philosophy (Gov 2093) and one course in Quantitative Methods. Students in Political Philosophy will have the option to be exempted from the methods course requirement.
Course Requirements for Students
Admitted prior to Fall 2021
Every first-year student must enroll in the government department graduate seminar, Gov 3001: Approaches to the Study of Politics. The course, offered each fall, is to be taken SAT/UNSAT for a full semester of credit. Additionally, each student must complete one course in quantitative methods and one in political philosophy.
Quantitative Methods Requirement
During their first or second year every student must successfully complete, with a grade of B or better, at least one graduate-level course in quantitative social science methods relevant to political science, from a list of appropriate government department and other Harvard/MIT courses regularly updated by the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee.
Political Philosophy Requirement
During their first or second year, every student must take a minimum of one graduate-level four-credit course (or section) in Political Philosophy, chosen from a list of courses approved by the Curriculum and Educational Policy Committee.
Additional Requirements for all Students
Incompletes
A grade of Incomplete can be converted into a letter grade if the student completes the work before the end of the term following that in which the course was taken. If an Incomplete has not been completed within the period, the student must have the instructor and DGS approve a Petition for an Extension of Time for an Incomplete. No grade of Incomplete can be used to satisfy any departmental requirement.
Good Standing
If these conditions are not met, the student will be classified “not in good standing” by the Graduate School and the department and will become ineligible for a teaching fellowship, other financial aid, or employment within the University. After completing these requirements, the student may petition the department to be reinstated.
Courses Appropriate for the Department of Government Quantitative Methods Requirement
The following list presents the courses that satisfy the quantitative methods requirement for the Department of Government. The first set of courses represents the core quantitative sequence taught within the department. These courses provide a foundation for the use of quantitative methods within political science and are therefore appropriate for all graduate students. The courses in the second set are offered outside of the department and may appeal to students with specialized interests. However, students interested in one of these courses must obtain permission to enroll from the course instructor. Students may also petition to substitute more advanced courses (or more specialized courses) on a case by case basis.
- Core Quantitative Sequence:
Gov 2001 — Quantitative Social Science Methods I
Gov 2002 — Quantitative Social Science Methods II
Gov 2003 — Causal Inference with Applications
- Courses Outside the Department:
Econ 2110 — Econometrics I
Psych 1950 — Intermediate Statistical Analysis in Psychology
Sociology 202 — Intermediate Quantitative Research Methods
API-208 (HKS) — Estimating Program Effectiveness with Empirical Analysis
MIT 17.800 — Quantitative Research Methods I: Regression
Seminar Papers
In order to ensure that students secure adequate training in research and writing, at least three seminar-style research papers must be completed. The usual means is through enrollment in seminars, but the requirement may be satisfied also by reading or lecture courses in which papers of this type are written. Only one of the three papers may be co-authored. Only one of the three papers may be written outside the Department. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain written verification from the instructor that the completed paper is of seminar quality.