Major in Political Science
- Requirements for the Political Science Major
- How To Declare a Major
- New Overlap Policy for Class of 2010 and Beyond
- Course Recommendations for Freshman Through Senior Years
- Honors Program
- Robert Sachs Washington Studies Research Fund
- Undergraduate Prizes
- Requirements for the Political Science Major
The major in political science requires that students successfully complete at least twelve courses, achieving a minimum overall
grade point average of 2.0 in these courses. None of the twelve courses may be taken on a satisfactory/fail basis.
The twelve courses are: PSC 202, FOUR political science field requirements, and SEVEN other courses--
PSC 202
PSC 202 (Argument in Political Science) is the only course specifically required for a major in political science.
4 Field Requirements
Our courses in political science fall into different fields. Students must choose courses that sample from at least four
different fields in political science, as specified here. Introductory courses are classified by
field and will satisfy relevant field requirements.
Techniques of Analysis. Choose PSC
200, PSC 201, PSC 203 or PSC 204. (Students may also satisfy this requirement with ECO 230 or ECO
231. However, ECO 230 or ECO 231 counts as a course in an allied field rather than as a
course in political science.)
American Politics. Choose at least one course.
Comparative Politics or International
Relations. Choose at least one course in either field.
Positive Theory or Political Philosophy. Choose
at least one course in either field.
7 Additional Courses
Students may choose any seven additional courses in political science. These may include any courses from the
various fields, but may also include individualized
research courses, internships, and associated courses.
No more than three of these, however, may be chosen from the list of associated
courses. As many as three of these seven courses may come from another department, provided they follow the guidelines in the
next paragraph for courses in an allied field. Also, no more than four courses counted toward the major may be at the
introductory level (generally, 100-level courses); of these four introductory courses, no more than one may come from another
department.
Courses in the allied field (up to three) may consist of any courses from
either Economics, History,
or Philosophy, provided that
the courses come from the same department and that no more than one of these
courses is at the introductory level. (Students satisfying their Techniques of
Analysis requirement with ECO 230 or
ECO 231 may take up to two additional courses in the allied field, for a total
of up to three courses in Economics or up to two courses in another allied field.)
For courses from other departments or for interdepartmental allied fields, advisors
will expect students to provide a coherent
justification for the courses chosen. A general guideline used to determine acceptability
of a proposed allied field is that the courses enhance your understanding of
politics. Proposals that cut across departments or that include more than one
introductory-level course require special justification. Changes to allied
field courses other than those in the three listed departments must be approved
in writing by an advisor.
The Writing Requirement
Political science majors fulfill the Department's writing requirement by taking PSC 202 and one or more 200- or 300-level
courses in political science that are designated as writing intensive. These courses carry a "W" designation. "W" courses
require students to write a term paper of 10-15 pages (about 3500 words), with the term paper involving research that goes
beyond the regular class material. Faculty are encouraged to have students submit a draft of a portion of the term paper
before they turn in the final product.
Additional Guidelines on Courses in the Major
AP Credit. Students who received a 4 or 5 on the AP exam in either American or Comparative Government will be
granted 4 credits in political science. Students who received a 4 or 5 on both AP exams are not eligible for additional
credit. This AP credit is considered a transfer course.
Transfer Courses. Except in extraordinary circumstances, no more than three courses in the major may be
transferred from other schools. No transfer courses may be used to satisfy field requirements.
Transfer courses applied toward the major in political science must be approved by
an undergraduate advisor in the department. Advisors are best able to assess the suitability of a
transfer course through examination of a course description or syllabus. In addition to the basic substance of the course and
the institution offering it, advisors consider its equivalence to courses taught here in terms of frequency of class meetings,
total class meeting time, and methods of evaluation. Approval is granted for specific courses, with no presumptions that other
courses are acceptable substitutions. Generally, internships transferred from other institutions may not be applied toward the
major in political science. (For exceptions regarding internships, see
Professor L. Powell.)
Internships. The department sponsors three internships and supports
some individualized internships.
Summer Courses at the University of Rochester. Courses taught in the summer session by graduate students in our
department are considered as associated courses, not as courses satisfying field requirements for the major--regardless of the
course number or name.
Two-Credit Courses. The department occasionally offers two-credit courses in political science. These courses may
not be applied toward the major.
Substituting Courses after Declaring a Major. The course plan approved by an undergraduate advisor in political
science must meet the requirements for the major. Students who substitute courses after declaring a major are responsible for
ensuring that substitutions satisfy requirements. If in doubt about substitutions, students should check with one of the
department's undergraduate advisors. Students are reminded, in particular, that, apart from courses in Economics, History, and
Philosophy, changes in specific allied field courses must be approved in writing by an advisor.
- How To Declare a Major
// Pick up a blue Approval Form for Concentrations and Minors, available in the Center for Academic Support at Lattimore
Hall 312 or in the Department of Political Science office at Harkness Hall 333.
// Collect information at this website regarding requirements for the major.
// Complete Part A of the Approval Form, following the information about requirements. List the relevant courses you
have already taken, are currently taking, or plan to take before you graduate. You are not committed to following this course
plan exactly, but you must fulfill the relevant requirements if you wish to graduate with a major in political science. If you
ultimately substitute courses for those listed on your Approval Form, you may wish to check with an undergraduate advisor in
political science to confirm that the substitutions are acceptable. Students in the classes of 2005 and beyond are reminded of
the need for approval of some changes to allied field courses.
In deciding which courses to take, you may wish to examine the
course descriptions. You may also wish to consult with an undergraduate
advisor in political science for advice about courses best suited to your particular intellectual interests and career
goals. If you would like advice, list only those courses you have taken, are taking, or know for certain you wish to take.
// Once you have completed Part A of the Approval Form as best you can, take it to an undergraduate advisor in political
science during his or her office hours. Your advisor will check the form, answer any questions you
may have, and sign it. If you plan to double major, request that "permission to double major" be written and initialed by the
advisor on the Approval Form.
// Submit the completed and signed Approval Form to the Center for Academic Support at Lattimore Hall 312. The Center
will send one copy to the Department of Political Science.
- New Overlap Policy for Class of 2010 and Beyond
Students in the Class of 2010 and beyond are reminded that they are subject to a new "overlap policy" with respect to
double majors and a major and minor. The new policy applies to all students in the College. For more information, see
here.
Here is the new policy, along with two examples for students wishing to major in both Political Science and Economics:
Major: No more than three courses overlapping between any two majors.
Minor: No more than two courses overlapping between a minor and either a major or another minor.
Example 1: A student who majors in Political Science and uses three Economics course as allied field courses (toward
their Political Science major) may not count any Political Science courses toward the Economics major.
Example 2: A student who majors in Economics and uses two Political Science courses for the allied field
requirement (in the Economics major) may count just one Economics course as an allied field course in the Political
Science major.
Note: If a cross-listed course (such as PSC/ECO 288) is listed under two majors, it counts toward the overlap limit
even if it is listed under the Political Science number in one case and a cross-listed number in the other case.
- Course Recommendations for Freshman Through Senior Years
Freshman Year
We strongly recommend that students interested in political science take one or two courses in the department in their first
year-choosing from introductory courses, including Quest
courses, or 200-level courses open to freshmen. Although it does not count for the major, freshmen might also choose a
version of CAS 105 that emphasizes politics and government.
The department offers a number of courses that introduce foundations of political science through an exploration of
American politics (PSC 103 and 105), politics in countries other than the United States (PSC 101), international relations
(PSC 106), positive political theory (PSC 107), political philosophy (PSC 104), and political economy (PSC 108).
Sophomore Year
We strongly recommend that students take PSC 202 (Argument in Political Science) in the sophomore year. This course is required
for the major. In Fall 2007 Professor Gamm will offer one version of this course (without any cap), and in Spring 2008 Professor
Jordan will offer a slightly different version of the course (with a limited enrollment).
Sophomores are also advised to take PSC 200 (Applied Data Analysis), PSC 203 (Survey Research Methods) or PSC 201 (Political Inquiry). It is anticipated
that one (or both) of these courses will be offered every semester. Not only will completion of this course fulfill a
requirement for the major, but it will help prepare you for material that you will encounter in other political science courses.
Most students formally declare a major in the sophomore year, and this is an excellent opportunity to map out, with the
advice of an undergraduate advisor in the department, the course plan that meets particular intellectual interests and career
goals. In the sophomore year, students should sample from courses in different fields to discover their interests. As well,
students may begin to consider whether or not plans for the junior and senior years will affect their political science course
plan at the College. For example, students interested in European Political Internships may wish to choose, for the sophomore
year, only courses that satisfy field requirements, in the expectation that some courses taken while in Europe will be counted
among "additional" courses in political science used toward the major.
Junior Year
We recommend that students complete four courses satisfying field requirements before the end of the junior year.
Senior Year
Ideally, the senior year is not characterized by last-minute panic about completing degree requirements. Rather, the senior
year should be as much a beginning as an end--a time to engage in concrete preparations for your work or
study beyond graduation,
as you enjoy your last year of undergraduate study. Be warned, however: spring semester senior year is typically too late to
begin these preparations. For example, applications to graduate school require carefully conceived and well-written statements
of purpose. Successful applicants are not the students who submit first drafts or statements that have undergone no review by
an outside person. Graduate schools and prospective employers alike usually require letters of recommendation. Students need
to consider carefully who to approach for these letters; moreover, neither professors nor past employers can be expected to
produce really substantive letters of support on very short notice.
Senior year should be the time in which students best use the resources available to them to take a variety of practical
measures that open doors to opportunities beyond graduation. This should be done with an open mind about possibilities and a
clear understanding that, for example, some opportunities may not materialize, some that look attractive in the abstract may be
less attractive as concrete offers, and new opportunities may emerge in the process of pursuing options. Students are
encouraged to talk to their professors, attend workshops organized by the department and the Undergraduate Political
Science Council, and make good use, as early as possible, of the variety of resources provided by
the Career Center.
Thinking about Graduate Studies?
We encourage students who think they may wish to pursue graduate studies in political science to consult an undergraduate advisor or other professor in the department about their plans. The beginning of the junior year is not too early to seek advice, and the senior year is a little late. We can offer students both general advice and specific information about graduate programs across the country. We can also help students better gauge their prospects for acceptance into graduate programs, opportunities for financial aid, and career prospects beyond graduate studies.
- Honors Program
In October of each year the Honors Coordinator and Department faculty invite a select group of junior political science
majors to take part in the honors program. Selection is based on performance and promise exhibited in political science
courses. Junior political science majors who wish to enter the honors program but who have not been invited may petition
the Honors Coordinator to be considered for admission. Petitions must be received by November 1st.
Students with an interest in pursuing an honors degree in political science are urged to take PSC 200 or 201
(which satisfies the Techniques of Analysis field requirement) in the sophomore
year.
The honors program is a twelve-credit program. The Junior Honors Seminar (four credits), which counts as one course in
political science, is taken in the spring semester of the junior year. The year-long Senior Honors Project (eight credits) also
counts as one course in political science.
Junior Honors Seminar
The Juniors Honor Seminar is an independent course. Taking the Seminar does not commit a student to undertaking a
year-long research project in the senior year.
In the Seminar, students complete a research paper on a topic of their choosing and a draft prospectus for their Senior
Honors Project. Students are taught how to choose a research question, to find and evaluate relevant literature, to locate and
access appropriate data, and to bring all of this together in a research paper. The seminar does not attempt to cover all of
the background necessary for completion of a successful senior honors project. Some projects require a broad philosophical
background or a strong historical underpinning. Some require an ability to read a foreign language or a knowledge of elementary
game theory. Still others require statistical analysis and related computer-processing skills. Such material should be learned
through appropriate courses prior to the beginning of the senior year.
Toward the end of the semester the Honors Coordinator assigns each student a faculty member to supervise the Senior
Honors Project. In general, the Honors Project is supervised by a faculty member with interests closely tied to the student's
topic.
Continuation on to the Senior Honors Project is contingent upon demonstrating in the Junior Honors Seminar the ability
to identify a feasible, worthwhile project and the ambition and skills needed to complete a project successfully.
Students who have not been admitted to the Junior Honors Seminar are not eligible to write a Senior Honors
Project. Students who have been admitted but are unable to take the Seminar (because they are abroad or in the Washington
Semester Program) may apply to write a Senior Honors Project, but they must be in contact with the Honors Coordinator during
the spring semester of their junior year.
Senior Honors Project
The Honors Project is a year-long research project supervised by a faculty member in the Department and culminating in a
written work. Three copies of the completed project are due on April 15th. Typically, the Honors Project is a work of 60 to
120 pages in length. Evaluation of the project is not, however, a reflection of the quantity of pages but of the quality of the
work: a good idea and thorough and successful original research are in fact the sole requirements for an acceptable project.
EXPECTATIONS
The Honors Project should be an original contribution to knowledge in political science. This may entail research on
a question that has received little scholarly attention in political science or on a question of recognized importance in the
discipline.
The Honors Project should successfully present and substantiate a thesis. In so doing, it should demonstrate an
understanding of the research question in the context of the relevant literature. It should employ sources and a methodology
well suited to the research question: where primary sources are appropriate, it should not unduly rely on secondary sources;
where quantitative analysis is appropriate, it should not unduly rely on qualitative analysis, and vice versa.
The Senior Honors Project should be well written and properly presented. It should be logically organized, and the
ideas should be clearly expressed. It should be without error in spelling, grammar, or punctuation. It should conform to
professional standards of citation.
EVALUATION
Expectations for progress vary according to the nature of the research. However, minimal requirements for the fall semester
are the completion of an updated prospectus and evidence of substantial, original research on the project. Honors candidates
must complete a form that reports to the Honors Coordinator the status of the research.
The faculty supervisor assigns a grade for each semester of work on the Honors Project. An incomplete grade is not
awarded except under extraordinary circumstances. If the faculty supervisor feels that the progress and level of effort
demonstrated during the fall semester do not merit continuation of the project, students may be withdrawn from the program. In
such cases, a grade reflecting the one semester of work is assigned.
For each Honors Project, the Honors Coordinator appoints a faculty member in addition to the project supervisor to
evaluate the completed work. Each independently evaluates the project and submits a recommendation as to the award of
honors. By the end of the first week in May, the Honors Coordinator informs honors candidates of the decision on awarding of
honors and provides a copy of written comments on which the decision is based.
Honors Projects may be awarded highest honors, high honors, or honors to acknowledge levels of
excellence. Highest honors is reserved for work of extraordinary achievement and is rarely awarded. High honors
acknowledges a consistent high level of achievement, reflecting more than great diligence and intelligence in meeting the
expectations of excellence described above. Honors acknowledges successful achievement of the expectations of excellence
described above.
Completion of a Senior Honors Project does not automatically entitle a student to the award of honors. If the project
does not measure up to the expectations of excellence associated with honors, honors is not awarded. However, in all
circumstances when satisfactory work has been completed, students are awarded course credits and a grade for each semester in
which they worked on the Honors Project.
- Robert Sachs Washington Studies Research Fund
The Robert Sachs Washington Studies Research Fund was established by Robert Sachs, who, as an undergraduate, participated in the Washington Semester Program. It is intended to assist undergraduate students who wish to study the U.S. Congress, broadly conceived. The maximum grant is currently $500, though, in exceptional cases, a second application will be considered. Application should be made in a letter to the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
- Undergraduate Prizes
The five prestigious undergraduate prizes described below are awarded annually and presented at the spring political science commencement ceremony. A committee of faculty members in political science, appointed by the department chair, selects the winners.
Everett S. Ascher Prize
The Everett S. Ascher Prize, established in 1974 by alumnus Everett S. Ascher, is awarded for the best original research paper in political science written by an undergraduate. Papers submitted for the prize may have been written for regular courses or individualized research courses, including honors courses. Students are encouraged to discuss papers they wish to submit with the faculty member teaching the course or supervising the research. Papers must be submitted to the department office by the last day of classes in the spring semester.
Mary B. Ascher Prize
The Mary B. Ascher Prize was established in 2000 by alumnus Everett S. Ascher and was awarded for the first time in 2001. It is given to the outstanding political science major in the junior class. The selection is made by the department faculty and is based on the program of courses taken by the student, grades received, and evidence of outstanding performance in classes, internships, and the honors program.
James D. McGill Memorial Prize
The James D. McGill Memorial Prize was established in 1942 by former students and friends of Professor McGill, who came to the university in 1927 and was the first professor to head our department, a position he took up in 1934. In establishing the prize, Professor McGill's students and friends noted that "he saw his students as future participants in a living and dynamic democracy, and he prepared them for this service." The prize is awarded to the undergraduate student who is deemed to have shown the greatest interest and demonstrated the highest achievement in the field of political science. The name of the winner is recorded on a plaque displayed in Harkness Hall.
Jay F. Birdsall Memorial Prize
The Jay F. Birdsall Memorial Prize was established in 1967 by friends and relatives to honor the memory of Jay F. Birdsall III, Class of 1967, who graduated with high honors in political science, earning the respect of all for both his academic excellence and the involvement in public service that he showed as an intern in state government in Albany. The prize is awarded to a graduating senior in political science who has demonstrated an interest in-and a commitment to- practical politics. The name of the winner is recorded on a plaque displayed in Harkness Hall.
Helen S. Jones Award
The Helen S. Jones Award is given annually to a student who demonstrates significant achievement in the areas of Sociology and/or Political Science.
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