TEN-COURSE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

A total of ten courses are necessary to complete the Political Science major:

• three introductory lecture courses,
• two colloquia,
• two semesters of senior research seminar, and
• three elective courses.

Departmental requirements introduce you to at least three subfields of political science. You then can specialize in a subfield, continue a broader mix of courses, or work out interdisciplinary programs enabling you to double-major, or major and concentrate, in additional fields.

You develop disciplinary and research skills in the introductory lecture courses, and then you are eligible to take the two required colloquium courses. The colloquia, which are limited to sixteen students, introduce you to methods of research and provide opportunities to develop skill in discussion and analysis. The two-semester senior research seminar, run either as a tutorial or in small group sessions, requires that you complete a major research paper and further develop your skills in framing a research question, using formal analytical methods, and developing primary research sources. The two required colloquia as well as both semesters of the senior seminar must be Barnard political science courses.

The Department believes that introductory lecture courses, colloquia, and the two-semester senior research seminar define the experience of the major. You take all of these required courses at Barnard College with instructors in the department (unless you are a transfer student receiving credit for introductory courses). To help fulfill the elective courses, you may take courses offered by the Columbia department that are listed in the Barnard catalogue if they fit your more specialized interests. Various study-abroad options and summer courses may also meet your specialized interests, but please note that these require prior consultation with your major advisor, as well as prior approval by Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair, (the Dean's Study Leave Course Approval form is required) and subsequent approval by Professor Marten once you apply to transfer the credit to Barnard (Political Science Course Approval Request).

Important: Please use the progress report to plan your program and to track your courses for the major.

• Introductory Course Requirement
  
• Colloquium Requirement
  
• Senior Research Seminar Requirement
  
• Overall Ten-Course Requirement for the Major
• Requirements for the Minor

1. Introductory Course Requirement

   Three introductory courses are required of all majors and concentrators from among the four subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory. Most students will fulfill these requirements with introductory courses taken at Barnard, but under exceptional circumstances (see below) other courses may be substituted for this requirement with the approval of Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair. (Note: In this section, an "advanced course" is understood to be 3000-level or higher.)

   What fulfills the American Politics intro requirement:

   1. POLS BC 1001x or y, Dynamics of American Politics

   2. Substitution of an equivalent course from another undergraduate college. This requires approval of Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair. (If the course you took elsewhere is not equivalent, you must take an advanced course in American politics listed in the Barnard College catalogue. Upon completion of the advanced course you will satisfy the introductory course requirement.)

   3. A score of 5 on Advanced Placement (AP) Examination in American Politics, followed by successful completion of an additional advanced course in American National Government listed in the Barnard College catalogue. This provides you with an exemption from one requirement, but the AP course itself does not count as one of the ten courses for the major or the five courses for the minor. Where BC1001 Dynamics is listed as a course prerequisite, an AP score of 5 counts as an equivalent.

   4. POLS W 1201, Introduction to American National Government and Politics, offered at Columbia College.

   What does not fulfill the American Politics requirement:

   A summer session course offered at Columbia or elsewhere may not be used to satisfy this requirement.

   If you took a summer session introductory course prior to declaring a major in Political Science at Barnard, you may apply to Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair, for permission to substitute an advanced course in American national government offered by the Barnard department in lieu of the introductory requirement. Upon completion of the advanced Barnard course, you will fulfill the BC 1001 requirement, and will receive credit for both courses for the major and for college credit.

   What fulfills the Comparative Politics intro requirement:

   1. POLS V 1501x or y, Comparative Politics. You may take V 1501 either at Barnard or at Columbia.

   2. Substitution of an equivalent course from another undergraduate college. This requires approval of Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair. (If the course you took elsewhere is not equivalent, you must take an advanced course in Comparative Politics, which is listed in the Barnard catalogue. Upon completion of the advanced course you will satisfy the introductory course requirement and will receive credit for both of these courses.)

   3. A score of 5 on Advanced Placement (AP) Examination in Comparative Politics, followed by successful completion of an additional advanced course in Comparative Politics listed in the Barnard College catalogue. This provides you with an exemption from one requirement, but the AP course itself does not count as one of the ten courses for the major or the five courses for the minor. Where BC1015 Comparative Politics is listed as a course prerequisite, an AP score of 5 counts as an equivalent.

   What does not fulfill the Comparative Politics requirement:

   A summer session course offered at Columbia or elsewhere may not be used to satisfy this requirement. An introductory level course offered by Columbia not listed in the Barnard Catalogue under departmental major requirements may not be used to satisfy this requirement.

   What fulfills the International Relations intro requirement:

   1. POLS V 1601x or y, International Politics. You may take V 1601 either at Barnard or at Columbia.

   2. Substitution of an equivalent course from another undergraduate college. This requires approval of Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair. (If the course you took elsewhere is not equivalent, you must take an advanced course in International Relations listed in the Barnard catalogue. Upon completion of the advanced course you will satisfy the introductory course requirement and will receive credit for both of these courses.)

   What does not fulfill the International Politics requirement:

   A summer session course offered at Columbia or elsewhere may not be used to satisfy this requirement. An introductory level course offered by Columbia not listed in the Barnard catalogue under departmental major requirements may not be used to satisfy this requirement.

   What fulfills the Political Theory intro requirement:

   1. POLS BC 1013x Political Theory I

   2. Substitution of an equivalent course from another undergraduate college. This requires approval of Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair. (If the course you took elsewhere is not equivalent, you must take an advanced course in Political Theory listed in the Barnard catalogue. Upon completion of the advanced course you will satisfy the introductory course requirement and will receive credit for both of these courses.)

   What does not fulfill the Political Theory requirement:

   POLS BC 1014y Political Theory II

   A summer session course offered at Columbia or elsewhere may not be used to satisfy this requirement. An introductory level course offered by Columbia, which is not listed in the Barnard catalogue under departmental major requirements, may not be used to satisfy this requirement.

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2. Colloquium Requirement (two one-semester courses)

Colloquium format involves discussion of readings and development of research skills through completion of a 25- to 35-page research paper, constituting the major piece of written work for the course. Admission is limited to sixteen students who are assigned by the department, not by individual instructors. Two colloquia must be completed to fulfill the major requirement. To ensure a broad colloquium experience, a student may not take both colloquia from the same faculty member. However, a third colloquium may be used as one of the major electives (students who need this course to fulfill the colloquium requirement will have privilege in class enrollment).

What fulfills the Colloquium requirement:

1. Both colloquia are to be taken at Barnard from asterisked offerings listed in the Barnard Catalogue under the colloquium subheading.

What does not fulfill the Colloquium requirement:

No summer school course offered at Columbia or elsewhere may be used to satisfy this requirement. No Columbia College course listed as a colloquium or seminar may be used to satisfy this requirement unless listed and asterisked in the Barnard catalogue under the "Colloquia" subheading. No transfer course or a course taken in a study-abroad program may be used.

If you plan on spending part or all of junior year abroad:

Plan to take a colloquium during the second semester of your sophomore year. This means applying for the colloquium near the end of first semester of your sophomore year. Note on your colloquium application that you plan to be abroad one or both semesters during junior year.

If you plan to be away for the entire junior year, plan on taking one colloquium in your sophomore year and one the first semester of senior year. You should e-mail or write both your academic major advisor and the department administrator by the middle of March of your year abroad, in order to apply for a colloquium in your senior year.

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3. Senior Research Seminar Requirement (a two-semester sequence)

A two-semester course involving group or individual tutorials. Students complete the Senior Essay, a paper (50-page minimum) involving research using primary sources. You are required to have taken at least one course in the subfield of your proposed topic.

What fulfills the Senior Research Seminar requirement:

1. Both semesters of senior seminar are to be taken at Barnard from offerings listed in the Barnard catalogue under the subheading "Research Seminars."

2. The semesters may not be taken concurrently, but must be taken sequentially. (Fall-Spring or Spring-Fall).

3. The senior research seminar counts for two of the ten courses required for the major.

4. If you double-major, you complete the senior essays in both departments. You may also double-major with a single integrating essay option, or develop a combined major with a single essay, in which case you will have an essay advisor from each department.

What does not fulfill the Senior Research Seminar requirement:

Independent Study Options may involve registration in a Senior Seminar section, but such registration does not count as a semester of senior research seminar.

No summer school course offered at Columbia or elsewhere, no course receiving transfer credit toward the degree, and no Columbia College course listed as a colloquium or seminar may be used to satisfy this requirement.

If you plan on spending junior year abroad:

You should e-mail or write both your academic major advisor and the departmental administrator by the middle of March of your year abroad, in order to apply for a section of senior research seminar (application).

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4. Overall Ten-Course Requirement for the Major

A total of ten courses are necessary to complete the major: the three introductory lecture courses, the two colloquia, the two semesters of senior seminar, and three elective courses.

What fulfills the additional Three-Course Electives requirement:

1. All courses offered at Barnard or Columbia in political science listed in the Barnard catalogue, including introductory lecture courses and colloquia, satisfy course requirements. Courses listed in Columbia catalogs which are not listed in the Barnard catalogue require approval by Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair, to count towards the major or concentration.

2. The Independent Study Option. Students who wish to do an independent study project should speak to a faculty member who would be willing to sponsor it. Credit is given for an academic research paper written in conjunction with an internship, but no academic credit is given for an internship or job experience per sé. The student then applies to the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing (CPAS) which must approve all requests. Once your request has been granted, the Registrar creates a section and assigns a call number, and the student is notified of the call number so she can enter the course on her program. (Each instructor has a separate section and call number. Each instructor is limited to sponsoring one independent study per semester.) Students will consult with the sponsoring instructor as to workload and points of credit for the independent study course. Independent study counts as a course for the purpose of the ten-course requirement, provided the project is approved for 3 or 4 points. A project taken for 1 or 2 points does not count as a course toward the major, the minor, or the concentration requirement.

3. One course outside of the department may be substituted for one political science elective, provided that such a course is closely related to political science. Students who wish to make a substitution must obtain approval, before placing the course on their program, from their major advisor and from the Department Chair (or Department Representative in years that s/he has course-approval responsibility). Please use the course approval request form.

4. Six of the ten courses for the major must be taken from courses listed in the political science section of the Barnard catalogue. Of these six, both required colloquia as well as the two semesters of the required senior research seminar must be Barnard courses. Under special circumstances Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair, may grant an exception.

What does not fulfill the additional Three-Course Electives requirements:

The Independent Study Option BC3799x-y does not satisfy the course requirement if the project is for 1 or 2 points.

College-granted AP credit for American Politics or Comparative Politics does not count as major course credit. (See items for American Politics I.C. and Comparative Politics I.C., above.)

Courses taken at other colleges, in summer sessions, or abroad, which are not equivalent in rigor and workload to Barnard courses, as determined by Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair, in consultation with other faculty of the department, will not count toward the major or minor requirements.

A total of five courses are necessary to complete a minor, including one or more of the introductory courses or approved equivalents (see above). Four of these courses must be taken from courses listed in the political science section of the Barnard catalogue. Only one course taken in a summer session, study-abroad program, Reid Hall Program, or another undergraduate college may be used to satisfy the five-course requirement for the minor, with the approval of Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair.
 

A student doing a combined major in Human Rights and Political Science must complete the full requirements for the Political Science major in addition to Human Rights courses.

A student doing a combined major in Jewish Studies and Political Science must complete the full requirements for the Political Science major in addition to Jewish Studies courses.

A student doing a combined major in Women's Studies and Political Science must complete, in addition to Women's Studies courses, a minimum of seven political science courses of at least three points each, including two introductory courses and two colloquia. These seven courses must be selected in consultation with Professor Kimberly Marten, our Department Chair, at the time of major declaration. The two-semester senior research seminar (for the senior essay) may be written in either department. The student must consult both essay sponsors on a regular basis throughout the two-semester senior research seminar. Both departments must agree on the senior essay grade and the departmental honors nomination.

Any other combined major (for example, Art History-Political Science) requires a petition to the Committee on Programs and Academic Standing and the approvals of Professor Kimberly Marten (our Department Chair) and of the Chair of the other sponsoring department. The student will be required to take a minimum of seven political science courses of at least three points each, including two introductory courses and two colloquia, to be selected in consultation with Professor Marten. Obtain forms and instructions from your Class Dean in the Dean of Studies Office. The student must consult both essay sponsors on a regular basis throughout the two-semester senior research seminar. Both departments must agree on the senior essay grade and the departmental honors nomination.
 

The student is required to complete the coursework for each major with no overlapping courses, but will write only one integrating senior essay with an essay sponsor from each of the two departments. The student must consult both essay sponsors on a regular basis throughout the two-semester senior research seminar. Both departments must agree on the senior essay grade and the departmental honors nomination.