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Undergraduate Program

Program Requirements


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Courses

The department requires 12 political science courses for all majors. Students writing a BA thesis must take ten regular political science courses, plus two special required courses: PLSC 29800 (B.A. Colloquium) and PLSC 29900 (B.A. Thesis Supervision). Students not writing a thesis must take twelve regular courses.

In fulfilling these course requirements, students may petition to count up to three courses from outside the department. To simplify the process, the department maintains a list of pre-approved outside courses. Students may also petition individually for other courses. Each petition is reviewed by the program chair on a case-by-case basis. (See the section below on how to petition.)

Grading

Courses that meet requirements for the major are typically taken for quality grades. However, students may take up to two courses on a P/F basis as long as the instructor agrees to grade your participation on a pass/fail basis. 

Subfield Distribution

To gain a broad understanding of political science, students need to take a wide range of courses. To ensure that breadth, students must take at least one course in three subfields. Each course within the department is designated by its subfield: Political Theory, American Politics, Comparative Politics, or International Relations. A course on Aristotle, for instance, would be classified as Political Theory (which we call subfield “A�?). These subfields are identified with a boldface letter at the end of each course description.

A. Political Theory: the history of ancient and modern political philosophy, the history of American political thought, and several varieties of contemporary political theory.

B. American Politics and Public Policy: American political institutions, behavior, opinions, development, and public policy.

C. Comparative Politics: the politics of particular foreign countries and regions and the comparative study of particular political phenomena such as leadership or state formation.

D. International Relations: theoretical approaches to the study of politics among nations, the international relations of particular regions, the foreign policies of particular countries, and such topics as international political economy and military security.

Courses outside the department, which students petition for political science credit, may also count toward the subfield distribution. For example, a petition might ask for a course from the philosophy department to be counted as meeting our subfield requirement in Political Theory.

An Independent Study (PLSC 29700) may also count toward the subfield distribution. The faculty member who supervises the course designates its subfield. (See section below on Independent Study.)

PLSC 29800 (B.A. Colloquium) and PLSC 29900 (B.A. Thesis Supervision) do not count toward the subfield distribution.

Summary of Requirements

Besides fulfilling the course requirements, all majors are required to write one longer paper. There are two paths to meeting this requirement:

1.B.A. Thesis path

a.12 political science courses. (PLSC 29800, B.A. Colloquium and PLSC 29900, B.A. Thesis Supervision count toward these 12 courses.)

b.One or more courses in each of three subfields. Students may choose among four subfields: Political Theory, American Politics, Comparative Politics, or International Relations.

c.One quarter of PLSC 29800 (B.A. Colloquium). Does not count toward the subfield distribution.

d.One quarter of PLSC 29900 (B.A. Thesis Supervision). Does not count toward the subfield distribution.

e.B.A. thesis, either for honors or non-honors, that receives a grade of B or better. The B.A. thesis is normally 35-50 pages in length. The writing and research process is supervised by a faculty member.

2.Long Paper path

a.12 political science courses.

b.One or more courses in each of three subfields. Students may choose among four subfields: Political Theory, American Politics, Comparative Politics, or International Relations.

c.No B.A. Colloquium or B.A. Thesis Supervision. These courses do not count toward the 12 required courses for the Long Paper path.

d.One paper, 20 pages or longer (double-spaced), graded B or better by the course instructor (a grade of B- or below does not meet the requirement). If the course requires a shorter paper, students may ask the instructor for permission to write an extended version to meet the departmental requirement. The instructor might permit this, either for the course itself or as an extra assignment. Either is fine. Students may also write the paper after the course is completed and graded, as long as the instructor agrees to read it and signs off on its quality. Any course the department accepts for political science credit is suitable for this assignment. (For example, a history or sociology course that is petitioned for political science credit is fine. So is a political science course taught by an advanced graduate student.) A form certifying the successful completion of this requirement is available in the department office. Please have the relevant instructor sign the form and return the form and the paper itself to the department office.

Note: Students may switch from the B.A. Thesis path to the Long Paper path during the 4th year. In that case, the department reminds students that they are required to complete 12 courses (excluding PLSC 29800 and PLSC 29900).

Deadlines for Graduation

Theses and 20 page papers are due in the quarter the student intends to graduate. Papers are due in P 401, at 4 pm, Friday, of the appropriate week. Here are the exact dates:

Due:

Time and location:

No. of copies

Thesis for honors

4th week of graduating quarter

P 401, Friday, 4 pm

2 copies

Thesis, not for honors

6th week of graduating quarter

P 401, Friday, 4 pm

2 copies

20 page paper

2nd week of graduating quarter

P 401, Friday, 4 pm

1 copy plus approval form signed by faculty reader



Thesis students should complete substantial drafts well before the deadline so they can discuss them with their advisers and make final revisions.

Students writing 20 page papers will usually complete them before their final quarter. That’s fine. Second week of the graduating quarter is simply the last permissible date to finish them. After the paper has been approved by the course professor (with a grade of B or above), please turn in one copy plus the signed approval form at P 401. Students can turn in the paper and signed form in whatever quarter they complete the writing requirement.

Independent Study

A few students with extensive coursework in political science may wish to pursue more specialized topics, not covered by regular courses. They may register for an Independent Study (PLSC 29700), to be taken individually with a member of the political science faculty. An Independent Study like this requires advance approval from the course instructor and the undergraduate program chair in political science. Only one such course may count toward the major’s requirements. The Independent Study counts toward the 12 course requirement and may be used to meet the subfield distribution requirement. The faculty member offering the course will designate its subfield in writing on the College Course Reading and Research Form. Each student taking an Independent Study is required to submit that form, which is available from the College advisers.  

The substance of the Independent Study may not be related to the B.A. thesis or B.A. research. Such thesis research is covered by a different course, PLSC 29900 (B.A. Thesis Supervision).

Third Year

Third-year students who are considering a political science major must attend a meeting with the program chair, who will discuss the major, provide information about requirements, and answer questions. Students will be notified by e-mail about the meeting, which is held in the Autumn or Winter. To ensure you receive this e-mail and all other departmental announcements, please sign up for the department’s undergraduate e-mail list. You can do that electronically at https://listhost.uchicago.edu/mailman/listinfo/ugpolsall.

Students who plan to write a B.A. thesis must attend a second meeting with the program chair in Spring Quarter of their third year. This second meeting will focus on methods for doing research, appropriate thesis topics, finding an adviser, and other questions about writing a thesis.

By the end of eighth week of Spring Quarter, students who intend to write a B.A. thesis must have completed a brief (1 or 2 page) proposal describing their topic, chosen a faculty adviser, and gotten the adviser’s written approval to supervise the project. Students are required to file their signed, approved proposal with the department. Students who are not in residence during Spring Quarter should still write their proposal and, if possible, locate a thesis adviser by phone or e-mail. Out-of-residence students must contact the program chair before the end of the Spring Quarter and explain their B.A. plans.

The B.A. Colloquium (PLSC 29800)

All students writing a B.A. thesis, whether for honors or not, are required to participate in the B.A. Colloquium in Autumn and Winter Quarters of their fourth year. The colloquium is designed to help students carry out their B.A. thesis research and offer feedback on their progress. It meets weekly in Autumn Quarter and every other week in Winter. Although the course meets over two quarters, it counts as a single course and has a single grade. The grade is based on the student’s contribution during both quarters. NOTE: Attendance is required during both quarters, but registration for PLSC 29800 is limited to either Autumn or Winter Quarter of the fourth year.

Students who expect to be out of the country during Autumn or Winter of their fourth year must contact the program chair in advance and make arrangements regarding the Colloquium requirement.

B.A. Thesis Supervision (PLSC 29900)

During their fourth year, students who choose to write a B.A. thesis (and all those applying for honors) must register with their B.A. thesis faculty adviser for one (and only one) quarter of PLSC 29900. NOTE: Students are required to submit the College Course Reading and Research Form, which is available from the College advisers. The final grade for the course is the grade the faculty adviser gives to the B.A. thesis.

Honors

Students who have done exceptionally well in their course work and who write an outstanding B.A. thesis are recommended for honors. Honors eligibility requires a GPA in the major of 3.6 or higher and an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher by the end of the quarter prior to graduation. Students who wish to be considered for honors are required to register for PLSC 29800 (B.A. Colloquium), PLSC 29900 (B.A. Thesis Supervision), and submit an honors thesis.

Double Majors

Students who plan to double major may complete the political science requirements by either the B.A. thesis path or the Long Paper path. Students who write the B.A. thesis must attend the political science B.A. Colloquium even if the other major requires attendance at its colloquium.

Double majors who choose to write a B.A thesis may write either separate theses for each department or one thesis to meet both requirements. A request to use a single B.A. thesis requires the approval of both program chairs on a form available from the College adviser or at http://www.college.uchicago.edu/academics/pdf/ba-double_major-single.pdf. This form, signed by both program chairs, must be completed and returned to the College adviser two quarters before the student plans to graduate (typically by the end of Autumn Quarter of the fourth year). To receive honors in political science, the B.A. thesis must be approved by our department at the honors level (see Honors section).

A B.A. thesis submitted in another department can qualify as the 20 page paper for political science. A student doing that would need to complete 12 courses in political science as part of the Long Paper path.

Petitioning for Courses Taken on Campus in other Departments

Students may count up to three courses (four beginning Autumn 2008) outside the department to meet the requirements for the political science major. These courses may be drawn from the department’s pre-approved list or approved individually by the program chair, based on a student petition.

For courses that students routinely ask about, the department maintains a standard list of courses from other departments that it has pre-approved or denied (please see “Approved Courses from Outside Political Science" below and on the department’s website). Courses from this list do not require a special petition.

Students can also petition for courses not on the list, whether they are offered by other departments at the University or by other institutions, in the U.S. or abroad. These courses must have political science content and use methods relevant to the study of political science. Petitions should include the course name, number, and instructor, along with the syllabus, if possible. The petition should briefly explain why the course should count toward the political science requirement. The program chair will evaluate all petitions individually. Students may submit such petitions before enrolling in a course or soon after completing it, but that carries some risk since there is no guarantee the petition will be approved.

Petition to Transfer Credits from Another University

Students who transfer here from another university need two different approvals to transfer credits. First, the Dean of Students Office deals with any credits needed to meet general University requirements, such as the total number of courses needed for graduation. The political science department is involved only if a transfer student wishes to count some courses at another university to meet requirements in our major. The rules in this case are the same as those for any other petition: up to three courses outside our department may be counted toward a political science major, if the student’s petition is approved. The petition should include a complete description of the course and professor (with the syllabus, if possible) and should be submitted as soon as the transfer student decides to major in political science here.

Students who are already enrolled at the University of Chicago and wish to take courses at other universities should petition for approval before taking such courses. They can always petition after the course is completed, but that carries some risk since there is no guarantee the petition will be approved. Courses at other universities, in the U.S. or abroad, are approved only if they meet our departmental standards.

Petition for Credits for Foreign Study

Students registered at the University who take courses abroad should petition the program chair for course credit within one quarter of their return to the University. NOTE: The Office of the Dean of Students in the College must also approve the transfer of all courses from institutions that are not part of the University’s study abroad program. For more information, visit http://www.college.uchicago.edu/academics/transfer_credit.shtml. If a student spends an entire year abroad, the Department will consider credit for up to five courses.

Petitioning for Semester Courses and Year-Long Courses

According to University rules, a one semester course at another university equals one course here. A two-semester course equals three courses here (since both last a full academic year).

Switching from the B.A. Thesis Path to the Long Paper Path

A student intending to write the B.A. thesis and enrolled in PLSC 29800, B.A. Colloquium and PLSC 29900, B.A. Thesis Supervision, may still switch to the Long Paper path during the fourth year. Doing so, however, requires that the student meet all the requirements for the Long Paper path, including 12 courses in political science. PLSC 29800, B.A. Colloquium and PLSC 29900, B.A. Thesis Supervision, do not count toward this course requirement. (They count toward the course requirement only for students on the B.A. Thesis path.)

Approved Courses from Outside Political Science

Students may draw on the following courses to count toward political science courses required for the program. Some courses may not be offered every year, and other courses will be considered on a case-by-case basis. For updates, visit political-science.uchicago.edu or the departmental office.

ANTH 29715. The Politics of Ethnicity in Burma. (C)

ECON 28600. Intro to the Economic Analysis of Law. (B)

EEUR 24500. Cult of Personality: Hitler, Stalin, Mao. (C)

ENST 21800. Economics and Environmental Policy. (B)

ENST 23100. Environmental Law.  (B)

ENST 24101. U.S. Environmental Politics. (B)

ENST 24400. Is Development Sustainable? (B)

ENST 24700. Environmental Policy. (B)

ENST 24900. Global Environmental Politics. (C)

FNDL 22301. The Ethics of Albert Camus. (A)

FNDL 24401. American Originals: Franklin and Lincoln. (A)

GNDR 27700. Pragmatism, Feminism and Democracy. (A)

HIST 13801. Post Soviet Union, 1945 to 1953. (C)

HIST 18500. Politics of Film in Twentieth-Century American History. (B)

HIST 21500. John Locke in Historical Context. (A)

HIST 23401. Genocide of European Jews, 1933 to 1945. (C)

HIST 24702. Globalization and Asia. (C)

HIST 25600. Contemporary Central Asia. (C)

HIST 25902. History of Israel-Arab Conflict. (C)

HIST 26601. Postcolonial Theory. (A)

HIST 27301. War, Gender, and Sexuality in 20th Century America. (B)

HIST 27400. Race and Racism in American History. (B)

HIST 27900. Asian Wars of the 20th Century. (C)

HIST 27901. Asian-American History. (B)

HMRT 20100. Human Rights I: Philosophical Foundations of Human Rights. (A)

HMRT 20200. Human Rights II: Historical Underpinnings of Human Rights. (A)

HMRT 20300. Human Rights III: Contemporary Issues in Human Rights. (A)

HMRT 20500. Human Rights and International Relations. (D)

HMRT 21200. Armed Conflict and Politics of Humanitarian Action. (D)

HMRT 24701. Human Rights: Alien and Citizen. (D)

INST 23101. Contemporary Global Issues I. (D)

INST 23102. Contemporary Global Issues II. (D)

INST 28201. Chinese Foreign Policy. (D)

INST 29302. U.S. Intervention in Latin American. (D)

INST 29500. Transnationalism. (D)

ISHU 23800. Thought of Hannah Arendt. (A)

LLSO 22400. Rhetorical Theories of Legal Reasoning. (A)

LLSO 24300. American Laws and the Rhetoric of Race. (B)

LLSO 24711. Lincoln: Slavery, War, and the Constitution. (A)

LLSO 27401. American Originals: Franklin and Lincoln. (A)

MATH 19510. Math Methods for Social Sci 1. (A)

MATH 19610. Math Methods for Social Sci 2. (A)

Math 20300. Analysis in Rn-1. (A)

Math 20400. Analysis in Rn-2. (A)

Math 20500. Analysis in Rn-3. (A)

PBPL 22100. Politics and Policy. (B)

PBPL 22300. Problems of Public Policy Implementation. (B)

PBPL 25300. Social Welfare in the United States. (B)

PBPL 25800. Public Choice. (B)

PBPL 26200. Field Research Project in Public Policy I. (B)

PBPL 26300. Field Research Project in public Policy II. (B)

PHIL 21600. Political Philosophy. (A)

PSYC 23900. Political Psychology. (B)

SALC 20700. Critics of Colonialism: Gandhi and Fanon. (A)

SOCI 20120. Urban Policy Analysis. (B)

SOCI 20146. Culture and Politics. (B)

SOCI 21800. Social and Political Movements. (B)

SOCI 22700. Urban Structure and Process. (B)

SOCI 23100. Revolutions and Rebellions in Twentieth-Century China. (C)

SOCI 23500. Political Sociology. (B)

SOCI 25500. Survey Research Overview. (A)

SOCI 26900. Globalization: Empirical/Theoretical Elements. (C)

SOCI 27900. Global-Local Politics. (B)

SOSC 20600. Qualitative Methods in the Social Sciences. (A)

STAT 22000. Statistical Methods and Applications. (A)

STAT 23400. Statistical Models/Method. (A)

Petitions to use the following courses for political science credit will not be approved:

ECON 19800. Intro to Microeconomics.

ECON 19900. Intro to Macroeconomics.

ECON 20000. Elements of Economic Analysis 1.

ECON 20100. Elements of Economic Analysis 2.

ECON 22200. Topics in American Economic History.

ECON 26600. Economics of Urban Policies.

Any introductory civilization courses.

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