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Go to: Program Requirements
Undergraduate Secretary: Mimi Walsh, P 401, 702-3040
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Course Distribution. The Department of Political Science believes that an
undergraduate education in politics should include some familiarity with
theoretical approaches to politics, with the politics of one's own country,
with the politics of other countries, and with politics among nations. It
therefore requires that at least one course be taken in each of three of the
following four subfields:
A. Empirical and Normative Political Theory: the history of ancient and
modern political philosophy, the history of American political thought, and
several varieties of contemporary political theory, including analytic theory,
systems theory, and Marxism
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
The six remaining required political science courses may be distributed among
any subfield or subfields.
Summary of Requirements
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Concentration 3 political science courses: one each in three of four
subfields
4 additional political science courses
(may include up to three independent
study or reading courses, two of which
may be for the B.A. paper)
2 political science or approved extra-departmental courses
2 social sciences courses outside political science
11 (total)
Introductory Cluster. The department offers concentrators an introductory
cluster of courses designed to provide partial overviews of the subfields and
to lay the basis for further choices. Students are encouraged to take one of
these courses in each of three of the four subfields early in their
concentration, but they are not prerequisites for taking other political
science courses. The cluster is not a sequence; courses in it may be taken
simultaneously or in any order. The department undertakes to offer at least one
of the courses in each subfield each year. The list of cluster courses may be
revised from year to year.
Empirical and Normative Political Theory (A):
219. Thucydides
223. Introduction to Rational Choice Theory
American Politics and Public Policy (B):
222. Feminism and U.S. Politics
233. Interest Group Politics
Comparative Politics (C):
250. Comparative Politics of Latin America
279. Introduction to Comparative Politics
International Relations (D):
266. The Origins of Modern War
290. Introduction to International Relations
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Papers. Concentrators are required to write both a third-year and a
fourth-year paper. Third-year concentrators write a fifteen- to
twenty-five-page paper in a political science course of their choice, whether
or not such a paper is a normal requirement for that course. Fourth-year
concentrators write a thirty- to fifty-page paper under the supervision of a
faculty member. (The upper page limits are firm; papers that are too long will
be returned for revision.) While writing their fourth-year papers, students
normally register for two units of the relevant workshop and/or paper
supervision (Political Science 298). Students should register a preliminary
topic and reader by May 10 of their third year. Students are required to submit
proposals for their fourth-year papers, approved by their supervisors, by the
end of the first quarter of their fourth year. Papers not submitted for honors
are due at the end of the eighth week of the quarter in which students expect
to graduate. NOTE: Merely writing the third- and fourth-year papers is not
enough; concentrators must be sure to file with the departmental office
approval forms signed by their supervisors.
Independent Study/Reading Courses. Permission of a supervising faculty
member and of the concentration chairman is required to take Political Science
297, Independent Study. Students may use Political Science 297 for a variety of
purposes, such as intensive work on a special topic, field research in or out
of residence, or participation in some specially arranged overseas study
program. Research projects done under these arrangements must be carefully
designed, must be approved by a supervising faculty member, and must result in
a substantial, high-quality, academic paper.
With prior consent of the concentration chairman, reading courses in political
science (Political Science 299) can be arranged on an individual basis with
members of the faculty.
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NOTE: Concentrators are permitted to count toward the concentration a total of
no more than three quarters of Political Science 297, Independent Study;
Political Science 298, Fourth-Year Paper; and Political Science 299, Reading
Course.
Grading. Two of the nine required courses in political science may, with
the consent of the instructor, be graded P/N.
Honors. Students who graduate with a 3.25 grade point average in the
concentration may graduate with special honors; there is no required overall
grade point average. To be eligible, they must have been recommended for honors
by both the supervisor of their fourth-year paper and one other faculty member
appointed by the concentration chairman to evaluate the paper. They must
therefore submit two copies of their fourth-year paper by the end of the fifth
week of the quarter in which they expect to graduate.
Advising. After political science concentrators fill out an information
form for the concentration chairman, they are assigned faculty advisers with
whom to consult concerning their concentration program. Students should
continue to consult their College advisers about their total College program.
MICHAEL DAWSON, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and the
College
JON ELSTER, Edward L. Ryerson Distinguished Service Professor, Departments of
Political Science and Philosophy and the College; Director, Chicago Center on
Democracy
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JAMES FEARON, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and the
College
J. MARK HANSEN, Professor, Department of Political Science and the College
GARY HERRIGEL, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and the
College
STEPHEN T. HOLMES, Professor, Department of Political Science, the Law School,
and the College; Director, Center for the Study of Constitutionalism in Eastern
Europe and Chicago Center on Democracy
SIMON JACKMAN, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and the
College
DAVID LAITIN, William R. Kenan, Jr., Professor, Department of Political Science
and the College; Director, Center for the Study of Politics, History, &
Culture
CHARLES LIPSON, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and the
College; Director, Program on International Politics, Economics, &
Security
BERNARD MANIN, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and the
College; Director, Chicago Center on Democracy
JOHN J. MEARSHEIMER, Professor, Department of Political Science and the
College
NORMAN NIE, Professor, Department of Political Science and the College
JOHN PADGETT, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and the
College
ADAM PRZEWORSKI, Martin A. Ryerson Distinguished Service Professor, Department
of Political Science and the College; Director, Chicago Center on Democracy
GERALD N. ROSENBERG, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science and
the College
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LLOYD I. RUDOLPH, Professor, Department of Political Science and the College
SUSANNE HOEBER RUDOLPH, William Benton Distinguished Service Professor,
Department of Political Science and the College; Director, South Asian Language
& Area Center
LYNN SANDERS, Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science and the
College
WILLIAM SEWELL, Professor, Departments of Political Science and History and the
College
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Go to: Summary of Requirements
Go to: Faculty
Political Science
Concentration Chairman: To be announced
Program of Study
The academic discipline of political science contributes to a liberal education
by introducing College students to concepts, methods, and knowledge that help
them understand and judge politics within and among nations. A Bachelor of Arts
degree in political science can lead to professional or graduate school in
various disciplines or contribute to careers in such fields as government,
journalism, politics, education, and law.
Program Requirements
Courses. A concentration in political science requires eleven courses: nine
Political Science courses and two additional social sciences courses outside of
political science. Up to two of the nine political science courses may be
selected from the Department of Political Science list of approved
extradepartmental courses, available in P 401. Courses on this list may not be
used to fulfill the department's distribution requirement. Students are
strongly advised to use this opportunity to take two quarters of the Western or
non-Western civilization sequence courses on this list.
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Faculty
JOSEPH CROPSEY, Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus, Department of
Political Science and the College
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