Political Science
The Political Science Department:
Department website: http://www.polisci.columbia.edu
Office location: 710 International Affairs Building
Office contact: 212-854-3707
Director of Undergraduate Studies: Prof. Shigeo Hirano, 740 International Affairs Building; 212-854-3955; sh145@columbia.edu
Academic Affairs Coordinator: Owen Mefford, 710 International Affairs Building; 212-854-3707; obm2106@columbia.edu
The Study of Political Science
The discipline of political science focuses on issues of power and governance and, in particular, on political institutions, both formal and informal. It also focuses on political behavior, political processes, political economy, and state-society relations.
The field consists of four substantive subfields: American politics, which covers such topics as national and local politics, elections, and constitutional law; comparative politics, which aims at understanding the political systems of other countries, both by studying individual states and by engaging in cross-national comparisons; international relations, which deals with the ways that states and other political actors behave in the international arena, including such topics as security, foreign policies, international organizations, and international economic relations; and political theory, which analyzes the history of normative political thought as well as of analytic concepts such as the nature of justice or liberty.
Other broad topics, such as “political economy,” or the study of the relationships between economic and political processes, overlap with the subfields, but also constitute a separate program (see below). Methodology, including statistical analysis and formal modeling, also occupies an important place in the discipline.
Student Advising
Consulting Advisers
Economics-Political Science Advisers:
Economics: Prof. Susan Elmes, Director of Undergraduate Studies, 1006 International Affairs Building; se5@columbia.edu
Political Science: Prof. Carlo Prato, 718 International Affairs Building; 212-854-3977; cp2928@columbia.edu
Political Science-Statistics Advisers:
Political Science: Prof. Andrew Gelman, 1255 Amsterdam Ave., Room 1016; 212-851-2164; gelman@stat.columbia.edu
Statistics: Prof. Ronald Neath, 612 West 115th Street, Room 612; 212-853-1398; rcn2112@columbia.edu
Statistics: Prof. Gabriel Young, 612 West 115th Street, Room 614; 212-853-1395; gjy2107@columbia.edu
The Department of Political Science offers a variety of advising resources to provide undergraduate majors and minors with the information and support needed to successfully navigate through the program. These resources are described below.
Undergraduate Advising
The department trains and employs political science Ph.D. candidates who advise undergraduate students regarding program requirements, course selection, and transfer and study-abroad credits. The advisers are also available to discuss research interests, internships, and post-college plans.
Students can reach the advisers by email at polisciadvising@columbia.edu.
Requesting a Faculty Adviser
Students may request a faculty adviser by completing the Faculty Adviser Request Form and submitting it during the first two weeks of the semester. The link to the current adviser request form may be found in the undergraduate forms library on the department website.
Students may consult with their faculty adviser for any substantive issue, but the graduate-student advisers must approve planning forms and confirm that requirements have been fulfilled.
Director of Undergraduate Studies
The director of undergraduate studies oversees the department's undergraduate programs and is available during office hours. While a student's first stop for advising should be the graduate-student advisers, the director of undergraduate studies is available as an additional resource.
Economics–Political Science Adviser
Economics–political science majors may consult with the economics-political science adviser during office hours. However, students should also see a graduate-student adviser to discuss major requirements and confirm that requirements have been fulfilled.
Political Science–Statistics Adviser
Political science–statistics majors may consult with the political science-statistics adviser during office hours. However, students should also see a graduate-student adviser to discuss major requirements and confirm that requirements have been fulfilled.
Enrolling in Classes
Most undergraduate level courses in political science can be registered for by students at any level. However, seminars, which are smaller, more intensive discussion-based courses centered around a unifying theme or topic, require students to join a waitlist and then receive instructor approval to enroll. This is done to ensure that students in the major most in need of these seminars to fulfill their graduation requirements have priority to access them. Further information on seminars can be found on their page on the department website.
Additionally, undergraduate students may not register directly in SSOL for courses offered in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, which are designated by the prefix "GR." However, qualified students may cross-register for GSAS courses, with instructor permission, following steps outlined on the relevant page on the department website.
Preparing for Graduate Study
Students interested in graduate study offered by the Department of Political Science should consult the department website’s resources on graduate programs, which include M.A., B.A./M.A., and Ph.D. programs. Additionally, the graduate-student advisers can offer advice about and help with graduate school applications.
Coursework Taken Outside of Columbia
Advanced Placement
The department grants credit toward the major for work completed under the College Entrance Examination Board (CEEB) Advanced Placement Program. Students receive 3 academic credits and exemption from POLS UN1201 INTRO TO AMERICAN POLITICS or POLS UN1501 INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS for scores of 5 in the United States and Comparative Government and Politics AP Exams.
Barnard College Courses
Barnard College courses may fulfill Columbia major requirements; however, Barnard courses do not follow the Columbia numbering system and cannot be used to determine the subfield within which a course falls. Barnard colloquia are open to students with the permission of the instructor; however, Barnard colloquia may not be used to fulfill the seminar requirement, though they may be used to fulfill subfield or elective requirements. Note that admission to Barnard colloquia is by application to the Barnard Political Science Department only. Please consult with the Barnard Political Science Department for more information.
Transfer Courses
For the political science major, a maximum of three courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions, including study abroad and AP credit. For the economics-political science and political science-statistics interdisciplinary majors, a maximum of two courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions. For the political science minor, a maximum of one course in political science may be transferred from other institutions. All transfer credits must be approved in writing by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the graduate-student advisers. Students wishing to count transfer credits toward the major or minor should send the graduate-student advisers their transfer credit report, the syllabi of the courses they want to count toward departmental requirements, and a statement of how they want to apply the transfer credits to the requirements.
Study Abroad Courses
Study abroad programs are one way students can enrich their Columbia education by spending time immersed in other places and cultures. However, for counting study abroad courses for credit toward a political science major or minor, students should consult the above guidance on transfer courses.
Summer Courses
Political Science (POLS) summer courses taken through the School of Professional Studies are eligible to count towards the major or minor.
Undergraduate Research and Senior Thesis
Undergraduate Research in Courses
All majors write a research paper in two seminars or in the Honors Seminar. Seminars are small, discussion-based courses focused on a research topic in political science. Each semester the department offers a wide range of seminars in each subfield. Students are expected to attend and participate in these courses, as well as to write an original research paper. Some students will write a senior thesis in the Honors Seminar. Details about writing a senior thesis are below.
Senior Thesis Coursework and Requirements
Students may elect to write a thesis for consideration for departmental honors as described below.
Department Honors and Prizes
Department Honors
The department offers an honors program for a limited number of seniors who want to undertake substantial research projects and write honors theses. The honors thesis is expected to be about 75 pages in length and of exceptional quality.
Honors students perform research as part of a full-year honors seminar (POLS UN3998-POLS UN3999, 8 points total) during their senior year, in place of the seminar requirement for majors. Honors students may, however, take additional seminars to fulfill other course requirements for the major. Theses are due in late March or early April. To be awarded departmental honors, the student must satisfy all the requirements for the major, maintain a 3.6 GPA in the major, and complete a thesis of sufficiently high quality to merit honors.
The honors seminar director provides general direction for the seminar and supervises all students. Each student also works with a faculty member in his or her major subfield (American politics, comparative politics, international relations, or political theory) and a teaching assistant. The honors seminar meets weekly for part of the year and addresses general issues involved in research and thesis writing, such as how to develop research questions and projects, methodology, sources of evidence, and outlining and drafting long papers. The sessions are also used for group discussions of students’ research and thesis presentations. Students are also expected to meet periodically with the supervising professor and preceptor.
Students who wish to apply to the Honors Seminar must notify the department in writing by the end of the spring semester of the junior year. Please check the department website for the official deadline. Normally no more than 10% of graduating majors receive departmental honors in a given academic year. Applicants are required to have already completed the methods requirement for the major.
In addition, students are encouraged to find a faculty sponsor for their thesis proposal. Research areas for the political science department faculty are listed on the department's website.
Students who are not accepted into the honors seminar or who decide after the application deadline that they would like to write an honors thesis may take one or two semesters POLS UN3901 Independent Research I and POLS UN3902 Independent Research II in order to write a thesis to submit for honors consideration. Any member of the department's full-time faculty may sponsor independent study courses. Part-time faculty are not obligated to sponsor these courses.
Students who choose this path must also complete all the requirements for the major and maintain a minimum major GPA of 3.6. Theses are due in late March or early April, and decisions about departmental honors are announced in May.
Academic Prizes
The Department of Political Science administers the following prizes and awards. Unless otherwise noted, students do not play an active part in the nomination process. Rather, faculty members nominate students at their own discretion. Departmental prizes are reserved for political science majors.
Charles A. Beard Prize
A cash prize awarded every other year to the student who writes the best paper in political science during the academic year.
Caroline Phelps Stokes Prize
A cash prize established at the bequest of Caroline Phelps Stokes is awarded to a student who has been a degree candidate at Columbia College or Barnard College for at least one academic year, and who has written the best essay in course or seminar work on the general subject of human rights.
Allan J. Willen Memorial Prize
A cash prize awarded to the Columbia College student who writes the best seminar paper on a contemporary American political problem.
Edwin Robbins Academic Research/Public Service Fellowship
The Robbins Fellowship provides a stipend each summer for at least two political science students in Columbia College who will be engaged in research in important matters of politics or policymaking or who will be working, without other compensation, as interns in a governmental office, agency, or other public service organization. Each spring, the department invites students to submit fellowship proposals. Awards are announced in late April or early May.
Arthur Ross Foundation Award for Excellence in Political Science
A cash prize awarded to the GS senior with an outstanding record of accomplishment in the study of political science at Columbia.
Phyllis Stevens Sharp Fellowship in American Politics
The Phyllis Stevens Sharp Endowment Fund provides stipends each year during the summer for one or more Columbia College or School of General Studies students majoring in political science to support research in American politics or policy making, or otherwise uncompensated internships in a government office, agency, or other public service organization. Each spring, the department invites students to submit fellowship proposals. Awards are announced in late April or early May.
Other Information
Early Admission to the Master's Degree Program in Political Science for Columbia and Barnard Political Science Undergraduates
While the Department of Political Science does not offer a joint bachelor of arts/master’s degree, it does allow Columbia and Barnard undergraduates to apply for early admission to its master’s degree program.
Students should apply during the fall semester of their senior year for admission to the M.A. program in the following fall semester, after completion of the B.A. degree. The department and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences may award up to one-half residence unit of advanced standing and/or up to three courses (nine to twelve credits) of transfer credit for graduate courses (4000-level and above) taken at Columbia in excess of the requirements for the Columbia bachelor's degree, as certified by the dean of the undergraduate school awarding the bachelor's degree.
For further information about the application process and minimum qualifications for early admission, please contact the director of undergraduate studies.
For further information about requirements for the M.A. degree, see https://gsas.columbia.edu/degree-programs/ma-programs/political-science.
Professors
- Jagdish Bhagwati (also Economics)
- Allison Carnegie
- Alessandra Casella (also Economics)
- Jean L. Cohen
- Michael Doyle (University Professor)
- Robert Erikson
- Virginia Page Fortna
- Timothy Frye
- Ester Fuchs (School of International and Public Affairs)
- Andrew Gelman (also Statistics)
- Donald P. Green
- Bernard Harcourt (Law)
- Fredrick Harris
- Shigeo Hirano
- John Huber
- David C. Johnston
- Ira Katznelson (also History)
- Sudipta Kaviraj (Middle Eastern, South Asian, and African Studies)
- Jeffrey Lax
- Mahmood Mamdani (Anthropology)
- Karuna Mantena
- M. Victoria Murillo (also School of International and Public Affairs)
- Andrew J. Nathan
- Sharyn O'Halloran (also School of International and Public Affairs)
- Justin Phillips (Chair)
- Robert Y. Shapiro
- Jack Snyder
- Michael Ting (also School of International and Public Affairs)
- Nadia Urbinati
- Gregory Wawro
- Andreas Wimmer (also Sociology)
- Keren Yarhi-Milo (also School of International and Public Affairs)
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Associate Professors
- Sarah Daly
- Alexander W. Hertel-Fernandez (also School of International and Public Affairs)
- Turkuler Isiksel
- Kimuli Kasara
- John Marshall
- Carlo Prato
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Assistant Professors
- Jonathan E. Collins (also Teachers College)
- Naoki Egami
- Nikhar Gaikwad
- Junyan Jiang
- Eunji Kim
- Daniel Luban
- Andrew McCall
- Tamar Mitts (also School of International and Public Affairs)
- Calvin Thrall
- Yamil Velez
Visiting Professor
Kenneth M. McElwain
Lecturers
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Yujin Choi Tenzin Dorjee Jacqueline C. Dugard Nathan Feldman Kevin Funk Elise Giuliano Tsveta Petrova Chiara Superti
On Leave
- Prof. O'Halloran (2024-25)
- Profs. Egami, Huber, Shapiro, Urbinati, and Dr. Funk (Fall 2024)
- Profs. Frye, Luban, and Dr. Giuliano (Spring 2025)
Guidance for Undergraduate Students in the Department
Program Planning for all Students (policies)
Major Planning forms are available on the department website.
Policy on Double-Counting Courses
- Policies about double-counting courses to fulfill requirements in more than one major may be found here:
- Courses in the Core Curriculum do not fulfill requirements for the Political Science major.
Policy on Counting Credits outside the Department of Political Science
- Courses taken at other institutions or other Columbia departments may not be used to meet the requirement of a major or minor in political science without the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the department’s undergraduate adviser. Students should secure such approval in advance of registration.
Pass/D/Fail and Grading Policy
- Students may use the Pass/D/Fail grading option for only the first course taken in the Department of Political Science.
- The course used to fulfill the research methods requirement cannot be taken Pass/D/Fail.
- Students must receive a grade of at least C- in order for a course to count towards the major or concentration.
AP Credit Policy
- Students who receive transfer credit for one or more AP exams in political science may count a maximum of one AP course toward the major or minor, contingent upon completing an upper-level (3000 or higher) course with a grade of C or higher in the subfield in which the AP exam was taken. All transfer credits must be approved by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the undergraduate adviser.
Transfer Credit Policy
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For the political science major, a maximum of three courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions, including study abroad and AP credit. For the economics-political science and political science-statistics interdisciplinary majors, a maximum of two courses in political science may be transferred from other institutions. For the political science minor, a maximum of one course in political science may be transferred from other institutions. All transfer credits must be approved in writing by the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the graduate-student advisers.
-
Students wishing to count transfer credits toward the major or minor should send the graduate-student advisers their transfer credit report, the syllabi of the courses they want to count toward departmental requirements, and a statement of how they want to apply the transfer credits to the requirements.
Independent Study Policy
- Independent Study (POLS UN3901 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH I in the fall or POLS UN3902 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH II in the spring) taken in fulfillment of course requirements for the major/minor must be taken for at least 3 points of credit.
Program Planning for all Students
To be planned with the department as soon as the student starts to register for courses toward the major. Students should not wait until they formally declare the major before meeting with an undergraduate adviser during the registration period to plan their programs for the major.
Course Numbering Structure
The department's course number scheme helps students identify at a glance the level, type, and subfield of a particular course.
Prefixes and Course Levels
The prefix and first digit of the course number indicates the level of the course.
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UN: courses numbered 1000-3999 are for undergraduates only
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GU: mixed level courses numbered 4000-4999 are open to both undergraduates and graduate students
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GR: courses numbered 5000-9999 are for graduate students
Undergraduates may register for courses designated with a GR prefix by following the instructions for cross-registration.
Course Numbers and Subfields
Course distribution requirements for both undergraduate and graduate political science programs include depth and breadth with regard to subfields in the discipline. With the exception of undergraduate seminars, the second digit of course numbers indicates the subfield of the course content. Undergraduate seminars are numbered in the UN39xx series, with the third digit indicating subfield.
Number Scheme for UN Lecture Courses
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X1XX: political theory
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X2XX: American politics
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X5XX: comparative politics
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X6XX: international relations
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X7XX: methodology
Number Scheme for Undergraduate Seminars
Undergraduate seminars are numbered "UN 39xx." The third digit of the course number indicates subfield.
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All sections of 3911 are seminars in political theory.
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All sections of 3921 are seminars in American politics.
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All sections of 3951 3952 are seminars in comparative politics.
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All sections of 3961 3962 are seminars in international relations.
Number Scheme for GU and GR Courses
For courses numbered GU4000-4999 and GR5000-9999, the second digit indicates subfield as follows:
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X1XX: political theory
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X2XX: American politics
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X4XX: comparative politics
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X7XX: methodology (see further detail about the scheme for methods courses below)
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X8XX: international relations
Number Scheme for Graduate Field Survey Courses
All graduate field surveys are numbered at the 6000 level, and are the only 6000-level courses the department offers.
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GR 6101: Issues in Political Theory
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GR 6210-6211: Issues and Debates in American Politics
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GR 6411-6412: Comparative Politics Survey I and II
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GR 6801: Theories of International Relations
Number Scheme for Methodology Courses
Methods courses may be offered as UN, GU, or GR courses at any level. Their second digit is 7. The third digit in the course number indicates the type of methodology covered in the course.
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X70X: basic tools (math and methods of inquiry)
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X71X: introductory statistics
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X73X: game theory
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X76X: applied empirical methods
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X78X: qualitative methods
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X79X: advanced statistics
Guidance for First-Year Students
Our Considering a Political Science Major page has answers to common questions new students may have about the program. The department website also contains plenty of helpful information about advising, placement, course planning, opportunities in the department, and more. If you are interested in studying political science, then it is strongly recommended that you read through the information available there, as well as considering the different available fields of study.
Guidance for Transfer Students
Our Considering a Political Science Major page has answers to common questions transfer students may have about the program. The department website also contains plenty of helpful information about advising, placement, course planning, opportunities in the department, and more. If you are interested in studying political science, then it is strongly recommended that you read through the information available there, as well as considering the different available fields of study.
After familiarizing themselves with the political science program, transfer students should consider submitting a transfer credit request for political science courses taken at their previous institution. Further information about counting transfer credits can be found in the requirements sections in this bulletin or on the department website.
Undergraduate Programs of Study
Major in Political Science
Course Requirements
Students must choose a Primary Subfield and a Secondary Subfield to study. The subfields are as follows:
- American Politics (AP)
- Comparative Politics (CP)
- International Relations (IR)
- Political Theory (PT)
The major in political science requires a minimum of 9 courses in political science, to be distributed as follows:
Code | Title | Points |
---|---|---|
Introductory Courses | ||
Students must take two of the following introductory courses: | ||
INTRO TO AMERICAN POLITICS | ||
INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS | ||
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS | ||
POLITICAL THEORY I | ||
NOTE: Introductory courses taken that do not fit into the Primary or Secondary Subfield will be counted in the Political Science Elective category. | ||
Primary Subfield | ||
Minimum three courses. | ||
Minor Subfield | ||
Minimum two courses. | ||
Seminars | ||
Two 4-point 3000-level seminars, at least one of which is in the student’s Primary Subfield. | ||
(See "Seminars" section below for more information) | ||
Research Methods * | ||
Minimum one course in research methods. Courses that satisfy the research methods requirement are: | ||
LOGIC OF COLLECTIVE CHOICE | ||
Media and Data in American Politics | ||
RESEARCH DESIGN: DATA ANALYSIS | ||
RESEARCH DESIGN: SCOPE AND METHODS | ||
EMPIRICAL RESEARCH METHODS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE | ||
Experimental Research | ||
PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 1 | ||
PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 2 | ||
Data Science for Political Analytics | ||
QUANT METH 1 APPL REG CAUS INF | ||
QUANT METH 2 STAT THEO&CAUS INF | ||
QUANT METH 3 EXPERIMENTAL METH | ||
QUANT METH 4 TOPICS IN METHODS | ||
Politics in the Lab | ||
Design and Analysis of Sample Surveys | ||
Advanced Topics in Quantitative Research | ||
Quantitative Methods: Research Topics | ||
Political Science Electives | ||
Minimum one course (in any subfield). |
- *
Students must complete the methods requirement by the end of the junior year. A student may fulfill the research methods requirement with another course inside or outside the department only with the advance written permission of the Director of Graduate Studies or the department's undergraduate adviser. If a course outside the Department of Political Science is used to satisfy the research methods requirement, this same course cannot be used to fulfill requirements of another major, concentration or program.
Seminars
Students are expected to take two 3000-level 4-point seminars. They may choose from among the seminars offered, though at least one of the seminars taken must be in the student’s Primary Subfield (that in which at least 9 other points have been completed). Entry into seminars requires the instructor's permission.
For detailed seminar registration guidelines, see the department website. Seminars cannot be taken for R credit or Pass/D/Fail.
Barnard colloquia are open to students with the permission of the instructor. However, Barnard colloquia may not be used to fulfill the seminar requirement, though they may be used to fulfill subfield or elective requirements. Note that admission to Barnard colloquia is by application to the Barnard Political Science Department only. Please consult with the Barnard Political Science Department for more information.
Major in Economics–Political Science
The major in economics-political science is an interdisciplinary major that introduces students to the methodologies of economics and political science and stresses areas of particular concern to both. This program is particularly beneficial to students planning to do graduate work in schools of public policy and international affairs.
Two advisers are assigned for the interdepartmental major, one in the Department of Economics and one in the Department of Political Science. Please note that the economics adviser can only advise on economics requirements and the political science adviser can only advise on political science requirements.
Course Requirements
For the political science part of the major, students must choose a Primary Subfield and a Secondary Subfield to study. The corresponding introductory courses in both subfields must be taken, plus two electives in the Primary Subfield and one in the Secondary Subfield. The subfields are as follows:
- American Politics (AP)
- Comparative Politics (CP)
- International Relations (IR)
- Political Theory (PT)
The economics–political science major requires a total of 59 points: 22 points in economics, 17 points in political science, 6 points in mathematics, 6 points in statistical methods, 4 points in a political science seminar, and 4 points in the interdisciplinary seminar as follows:
Code | Title | Points |
---|---|---|
Core Requirements in Economics | ||
Students must take all of the following core economics courses: | ||
PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS | ||
INTERMEDIATE MICROECONOMICS | ||
INTERMEDIATE MACROECONOMICS | ||
INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMETRICS | ||
or POLS GU4712 | PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 2 | |
POLITICAL ECONOMY | ||
Core Requirements in Mathematics and Statistics | ||
Students must take all of the following core mathematics and statistics courses: | ||
CALCULUS I | ||
CALCULUS III | ||
CALC-BASED INTRO TO STATISTICS | ||
Economics Electives | ||
Students must take two electives at the 3000 level or higher in the Department of Economics. | ||
Political Science Courses | ||
Students must choose a Primary Subfield and a Secondary Subfield to study. The subfields are as follows: American Politics (AP), Comparative Politics (CP), International Relations (IR), and Political Theory (PT). | ||
Primary Subfield: Minimum three courses, one of which must be the subfield’s introductory course. | ||
Secondary Subfield: Minimum two courses, one of which must be the subfield’s introductory course. | ||
Seminars | ||
Students must take the following two seminars: | ||
SEMINAR IN POLITICAL ECONOMICS | ||
and a Political Science Department seminar, in the student's Primary Subfield. Please select one of the following: * | ||
SEMINAR IN POLITCAL THEORY | ||
AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR | ||
COMPARATIVE POLITICS SEMINAR | ||
POLS UN3961 |
- *
Students who wish to count toward the political science seminar requirement a course that is not in the above list of approved seminars must obtain permission from the political science Director of Undergraduate studies.
Barnard colloquia may not be used to fulfill the seminar requirement. Note that admission to Barnard colloquia is by application to the Barnard political science department only.
Major in Political Science–Statistics
The interdepartmental major of political science–statistics is designed for students who desire an understanding of political science to pursue advanced study in this field and who also wish to have at their command a broad range of sophisticated statistical tools to analyze data related to social science and public policy research.
Students should be aware of the rules regarding the use of the Pass/D/Fail option. Courses in which a grade of D has been received do not count toward the major requirements.
Political science–statistics students are eligible for all prizes reserved for political science majors.
The political science-statistics major requires a minimum of 15 courses in political science, statistics, and mathematics, to be distributed as follows:
Code | Title | Points |
---|---|---|
POLITICAL SCIENCE | ||
Primary Subfield | ||
-Students must choose a Primary Subfield to study. Within the subfield, students must take a minimum of three courses, including the subfield's introductory course. The subfields and their corresponding introductory courses are as follows: | ||
American Politics: | ||
INTRO TO AMERICAN POLITICS | ||
Comparative Politics: | ||
INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS | ||
International Relations: | ||
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS | ||
Political Theory: | ||
POLITICAL THEORY I | ||
-Additionally, students must take one 4-point 3000-level seminar in their Primary Subfield. | ||
Research Methods | ||
-Students must take the following two research methods courses: | ||
PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 1 | ||
or POLS UN3704 | RESEARCH DESIGN: DATA ANALYSIS | |
PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 2 | ||
STATISTICS | ||
-Students must take one of the following sequences: | ||
Sequence A — recommended for students preparing for graduate study in statistics 1 | ||
CALCULUS I | ||
CALCULUS II | ||
LINEAR ALGEBRA | ||
CALC-BASED INTRO TO STATISTICS | ||
PROBABILITY THEORY | ||
STATISTICAL INFERENCE | ||
LINEAR REGRESSION MODELS | ||
STAT COMP & INTRO DATA SCIENCE | ||
or | ||
Sequence B — recommended for students preparing to apply statistical methods to other fields | ||
INTRODUCTION TO STATISTICS | ||
Applied Statistical Computing | ||
APPLIED LINEAR REG ANALYSIS | ||
APPL CATEGORICAL DATA ANALYSIS | ||
APPLIED STATISTICAL METHODS | ||
APPLIED MACHINE LEARNING | ||
Statistics Elective | ||
-Students must take an approved elective in a statistics or a quantitatively oriented course in a social science. |
- 1.
Students taking Statistics Sequence A may replace the mathematics requirements with both MATH UN1207 HONORS MATHEMATICS A and MATH UN1208 HONORS MATHEMATICS B.
Minor in Political Science
Course Requirements
The minor in political science requires a minimum of 5 courses in political science, to be distributed as follows:
Code | Title | Points |
---|---|---|
Introductory Courses | ||
Students must take two of the folowing introductory courses: | ||
POLS UN1201 | INTRO TO AMERICAN POLITICS | |
POLS UN1501 | INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS | |
POLS UN1601 | INTERNATIONAL POLITICS | |
POLS UN1101 | POLITICAL THEORY I | |
Political Science Electives | ||
Minimum three courses (in any subfield) |
For students who entered Columbia in or before the 2023-24 academic year
Concentration in Political Science
Program of Study
To be planned with the department as soon as the student starts to register for courses toward the concentration. Students should not wait until they formally declare the concentration before meeting with an undergraduate adviser during the registration period to plan their programs for the concentration.
Concentration Requirements
Students must choose a Primary Subfield and a Secondary Subfield to study. The subfields are as follows:
- American Politics (AP)
- Comparative Politics (CP)
- International Relations (IR)
- Political Theory (PT)
The concentration in political science requires a minimum of 7 courses in political science, to be distributed as follows:
Code | Title | Points |
---|---|---|
Introductory Courses | ||
Students must take two of the following introductory courses: | ||
INTRO TO AMERICAN POLITICS | ||
INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS | ||
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS | ||
POLITICAL THEORY I | ||
NOTE: Introductory courses taken that do not fit into the Primary or Secondary Subfield will be counted in the Political Science Elective category. | ||
Primary Subfield | ||
Minimum two courses. | ||
Secondary Subfield | ||
Minimum two courses. | ||
Research Methods * | ||
Minimum one course in research methods. Courses that satisfy the methods requirement are: | ||
LOGIC OF COLLECTIVE CHOICE | ||
Media and Data in American Politics | ||
RESEARCH DESIGN: DATA ANALYSIS | ||
EMPIRICAL RESEARCH METHODS IN POLITICAL SCIENCE | ||
RESEARCH DESIGN: SCOPE AND METHODS | ||
Experimental Research | ||
PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 1 | ||
PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 2 | ||
QUANT METH 1 APPL REG CAUS INF | ||
QUANT METH 2 STAT THEO&CAUS INF | ||
QUANT METH 3 EXPERIMENTAL METH | ||
QUANT METH 4 TOPICS IN METHODS | ||
Politics in the Lab | ||
Design and Analysis of Sample Surveys | ||
Advanced Topics in Quantitative Research | ||
Advanced Topics in Quantitative Research | ||
Quantitative Methods: Research Topics | ||
Political Science Electives | ||
Minimum two courses (in any subfield). |
- *
Students must complete the methods requirement by the end of the junior year. A student may fulfill the research methods requirement with another course inside or outside the department only with the advance written permission of the Director of Graduate Studies or the department's undergraduate adviser. If a course outside the Department of Political Science is used to satisfy the research methods requirement, this same course cannot be used to fulfill requirements of another major, concentration or program.
American Politics
POLS UN1201 INTRO TO AMERICAN POLITICS. 4.00 points.
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the principles of American politics and governance. Upon completing the class, students should be more informed about the American political process and better able to explain contemporary American political phenomena, as well as being more likely to engage with politics and elections
Fall 2024: POLS UN1201
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 1201 | 001/00036 | T Th 5:40pm - 6:55pm 417 International Affairs Bldg |
Michael Miller | 4.00 | 317/400 |
Spring 2025: POLS UN1201
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 1201 | 001/13392 | M W 8:40am - 9:55am Room TBA |
Michael Pomirchy | 4.00 | 0/150 |
POLS UN3213 AMERICAN URBAN POLITICS. 3.00 points.
This course examines the pattern of political development in urban America, as the countrys population has grown in urbanized locations. It explores the process by which cities and suburbs are governed, how immigrants and migrants are incorporated, and how people of different races and ethnicities interact in urbanized settings as well as the institutional relations of cities and suburbs with other jurisdictions of government. The course focuses both on the historical as well the theoretical understandings of politics in urban areas
Spring 2025: POLS UN3213
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3213 | 001/13394 | M W 6:10pm - 7:25pm Room TBA |
Carlos Vargas-Ramos | 3.00 | 0/90 |
POLS UN3220 LOGIC OF COLLECTIVE CHOICE. 3.00 points.
Much of politics is about combining individual preferences or actions into collective choices. We will make use of two theoretical approaches. Our primary approach will be social choice theory, which studies how we aggregate what individuals want into what the collective ;wants.; The second approach, game theory, covers how we aggregate what individuals want into what the group gets, given that social, economic, and political outcomes usually depend on the interaction of individual choices. The aggregation of preferences or choices is usually governed by some set of institutional rules, formal or informal. Our main themes include the rationality of individual and group preferences, the underpinnings and implications of using majority rule, tradeoffs between aggregation methods, the fairness of group choice, the effects of institutional constraints on choice (e.g. agenda control), and the implications for democratic choice. Most of the course material is highly abstract, but these abstract issues turn up in many real-world problems, from bargaining between the branches of government to campus elections to judicial decisions on multi-member courts to the allocation of relief funds among victims of natural disasters to the scoring of Olympic events. The collective choice problem is one faced by society as a whole and by the smallest group alike
Fall 2024: POLS UN3220
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3220 | 001/14907 | T Th 10:10am - 11:25am 413 Kent Hall |
Jeffrey Lax | 3.00 | 30/70 |
POLS UN3222 THE AMERICAN CONGRESS. 3.00 points.
Prerequisites: POLS UN1201 or the equivalent, or the instructor's permission.
Prerequisites: POLS W1201 or the equivalent, or the instructors permission. Inquiry into the dynamics, organization, and policy-making processes of the American Congress. Particular emphasis on the relationship of legislators to constituents, lobbyists, bureaucrats, the president, and with one another
Spring 2025: POLS UN3222
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
POLS 3222 | 001/13396 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm Room TBA |
3.00 | 0/90 |
POLS UN3225 AMERICAN CONSTITUTIONAL HISTOR. 4.00 points.
This Course is intended to look at key developments of American History through the prism of Supreme Court decisions and their aftermath. In essence, this Course will address three questions: 1. How did the Supreme Court reflect, and affect, historic patterns of U.S. development, and how did it impact the legal and economic framework of the United States? 2. How did the Supreme Court respond to, or worsen, crises in U.S. history? 3. How did the perception of individual and collective rights and liberties, and of the function and role of Governments -- both Federal and State -- evolve over time?
Spring 2025: POLS UN3225
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
POLS 3225 | 001/13395 | T Th 1:10pm - 2:25pm Room TBA |
Robert Tortoriello | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS UN3245 RACIAL AND ETHNIC POLITICS. 3.00 points.
This course examines the role of race in American politics and the political behavior of racial and ethnic minorities in the United States. Topics will include, but are not limited to, minority political participation, segregation, gentrification, group identity, implicit bias, political representation, media effects, and the role of race in political campaigns
POLS UN3255 RACE AND THE US CARCERAL SYSTEM. 3.00 points.
This course will introduce students to research on the institutions of the US carceral system, including the police, courts, prisons, and immigration control. We will focus on two questions: how race relates to experiences with the institutions of the carceral state, and how those institutions in turn influence racial politics. The main objective is not the accumulation of factual knowledge about this system, but familiarity with theoretical frameworks with which to make and critically assess arguments about the functioning of carceral institutions as they relate to racialized people and the functioning of democracy
Fall 2024: POLS UN3255
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3255 | 001/14908 | M W 4:10pm - 5:25pm 203 Mathematics Building |
Andrew McCall | 3.00 | 98/100 |
POLS UN3260 LATINO POLITICAL EXPERIENCE. 3.00 points.
This course focuses on the political incorporation of Latinos into the American polity. Among the topics to be discussed are patterns of historical exclusion, the impact of the Voting Rights Act, organizational and electoral behavior, and the effects of immigration on the Latino national political agenda
POLS UN3285 FREEDOM OF SPEECH & PRESS. 3.00 points.
Examines the constitutional right of freedom of speech and press in the United States. Examines, in depth, various areas of law, including extremist or seditious speech, obscenity, libel, fighting words, the public forum doctrine, and public access to the mass media. Follows the law school course model, with readings focused on actual judicial decisions
POLS UN3290 VOTING AND AMERICAN POLITICS. 3.00 points.
Elections and public opinion; history of U.S. electoral politics; the problem of voter participation; partisanship and voting; accounting for voting decisions; explaining and forecasting election outcomes; elections and divided government; money and elections; electoral politics and representative democracy.
Fall 2024: POLS UN3290
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3290 | 001/14909 | T Th 10:10am - 11:25am 402 Chandler |
Robert Erikson | 3.00 | 80/100 |
American Politics Seminars
POLS UN3921 AMERICAN POLITICS SEMINAR. 4.00 points.
Priority given to senior majors, followed by junior majors, then all other students.
Prerequisites: the instructor's permission. Pre-registration is not permitted.
Prerequisites: the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Seminar in American Politics Seminar. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars
Fall 2024: POLS UN3921
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
POLS 3921 | 001/14917 | T 6:10pm - 8:00pm 317 Hamilton Hall |
Robert Amdur | 4.00 | 19/20 |
POLS 3921 | 002/14918 | W 6:10pm - 8:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Carlos Vargas-Ramos | 4.00 | 15/20 |
POLS 3921 | 003/14919 | M 12:10pm - 2:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Judith Russell | 4.00 | 19/20 |
POLS 3921 | 004/14920 | Th 10:10am - 12:00pm 308a Lewisohn Hall |
Greg Bovitz | 4.00 | 4/20 |
POLS 3921 | 005/14921 | Th 4:10pm - 6:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Michael Ting | 4.00 | 9/20 |
POLS 3921 | 006/14922 | W 10:10am - 12:00pm 328 Uris Hall |
Yamil Velez | 4.00 | 19/20 |
POLS 3921 | 007/14923 | T 10:10am - 12:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Shigeo Hirano | 4.00 | 7/20 |
POLS 3921 | 008/14924 | T 12:10pm - 2:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Fredrick Harris | 4.00 | 15/20 |
Spring 2025: POLS UN3921
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 3921 | 002/13511 | T 6:10pm - 8:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Robert Amdur | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 003/13512 | M 10:10am - 12:00pm Room TBA |
Lincoln Mitchell | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 004/13513 | M 12:10pm - 2:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Judith Russell | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 005/13514 | W 6:10pm - 8:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Gerrard Bushell | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 006/13516 | M 2:10pm - 4:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Eunji Kim | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 007/13519 | T 4:10pm - 6:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Justin Phillips | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3921 | 008/13521 | Th 12:10pm - 2:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Fredrick Harris | 4.00 | 0/20 |
Comparative Politics
POLS UN1501 INTRO TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS. 4.00 points.
This course provides a broad overview of the comparative politics subfield by focusing on important substantive questions about the world today. The course is organized around four questions. First, why can only some people depend upon the state to enforce order? Second, how can we account for the differences between autocracies and democracies? Third, what different institutional forms does democratic government take? Finally, are some institutions more likely than others to produce desirable social outcomes such as accountability, redistribution, and political stability?
Fall 2024: POLS UN1501
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 1501 | 001/14905 | T Th 8:40am - 9:55am 417 International Affairs Bldg |
Benjamin McClelland | 4.00 | 140/150 |
Spring 2025: POLS UN1501
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 1501 | 001/13344 | T Th 8:40am - 9:55am Room TBA |
Benjamin McClelland | 4.00 | 0/150 |
POLS UN3528 NEW/OLD FORMS OF POL PROTEST. 3.00 points.
This course will introduce the students to the important topic of political protest. Each week we will address different aspects of the phenomenon: from the determinant to the actors and strategies of protest. We will discuss how the forms of protest have changed and the current role of the internet in general and social media in particular. Finally, we will discuss the role of the state and state repression, in particular censorship in the dynamics of protest. Since this is a comparative politics course, we will cover a range of different countries, including the United States, as well as both democratic and authoritarian regimes
Spring 2025: POLS UN3528
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3528 | 001/13398 | T Th 8:40am - 9:55am Room TBA |
Chiara Superti | 3.00 | 0/40 |
POLS UN3534 AUTOCRACY AND DEMOCRACY. 3.00 points.
With longstanding democracies in Europe and the US faltering, autocratic regimes in Russia and China consolidating, and hybrid regimes that mix elements of democracy and autocracy on the rise, scholars, policymakers, and citizens are re-evaluating the causes and consequences of different forms of government. This course is designed to give students the tools to understand these trends in global politics. Among other topics, we will explore: How do democracies and autocracies differ in theory and in practice? Why are some countries autocratic? Why are some democratic? What are the roots of democratic erosion? How does economic inequality influence a country’s form of government? Is the current period of institutional foment different past periods of global instability? This course will help students keep up with rapidly unfolding events, but is designed primarily to help them develop tools for interpreting and understanding the current condition of democracy and autocracy in the world
POLS GU4423 POLITICAL ECONOMY ANALYSIS OF ELITES & INSTITUTIONS. 4.00 points.
This course examines political institutions and elite behavior from a political economy perspective. This course has three core goals. First, the substantive goal is to familiarize students with foundational theoretical arguments and frontier empirical evidence pertaining to central questions in political economy relating to political elite and institutions. Second, the methodological goal is to empower students to implement research designs that can effectively address the substantive questions driving their research. Third, the professionalization goal is to expose students to the academic processes of writing reviews, replicating and extending others’ studies, presenting research projects, and writing original research designs or academic papers
Spring 2025: POLS GU4423
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4423 | 001/13416 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm Room TBA |
John Marshall | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS GU4439 State and Society in Ukraine. 4.00 points.
This course deals with the functioning of the state and society in post-Soviet Ukraine, from its peaceful establishment in 1991 to its affirmation and revision in the crucible of the war with neoimperial Russia since 2014. On the one hand, it examines the formation and subsequent transformation of the state, including he branches of government, the party system, elections, foreign policy, education and social welfare. On the other hand, it discusses various facets of society such as religion, media, language use, gender relations, poverty, racism, etc. In tracing the relations between the state and society on a rocky road from totalitarianism to democracy, particular attention is paid to two upsurges of popular protest against state abuse, namely the Orange and Euromaidan revolution and subsequent attempts to empower society and strengthen its control over the state. No less prominent will be discussions of two military interventions by Russia seeking to keep Ukraine its its sphere of influence, the annexation of Crimea and the instigation of a separatist conflict in the Donbas in 2014, and the full-blown invasion in 2022, and the Ukrainian state and society’s responses to these interventions
POLS GU4453 POLITICS IN RUSSIA. 3.00 points.
This course begins by studying the late Soviet era—the 1970s through the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991--in order to understand what kind of political system and political culture Russia inherited. We spend some time analyzing why and how the Soviet Union—a superpower for 75 years—disintegrated suddenly and for the most part, peacefully. Then, the bulk of the course focuses on state-building in the Russian Federation. Russia’s effort to construct new political institutions, a functioning economy, and a healthy society represents one of the greatest political dramas of our time. Beginning with Yeltsin’s presidency in 1991 and continuing through the current eras of Putin, Medvedev, and Putin again, we consider phenomena such as economic reform, nationalism, separatism, federalism, war, legal reform, civil society, and democratization. The third part of the course addresses Russia’s foreign relations. Like its predecessor states, the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, Russia is concerned with what kind of state it is (or should be) and where it stands in the international order. We will study how Russian elites make sense of Russia’s identity, as well as Russia’s policies toward the US, Europe, its “near abroad,” the Middle East, and China
POLS GU4455 Russian Politics: How Autocracy Works. 3.00 points.
This course is designed to give students the tools to understand the politics of post-Soviet Russia through the lens of theories of modern autocracy and by putting Russian in comparative perspective. Among other topics, we will explore: Why did the Soviet Union collapse? Why was economic reform in Russian in the 1990s so difficult? How does autocracy influence economic development? How does Russia’s autocracy work? Why has Russia become increasingly repressive in the Putin era? Why did Russia invade Ukraine in 2022? What are the prospects for political change? How does economic inequality influence a country’s form of government? In addition to answering these questions, we will also examine the many difficult challenges in identifying the causes and consequences of studying autocracy. The course not only hopes to use modern theories of autocracy to understand Russia, but also to use the Russian case to build theories of modern autocracy. This course will help students keep up with rapidly unfolding events but is designed primarily to help them develop tools for interpreting and understanding the politics of autocratic Russia
POLS GU4457 Russian Propaganda Dom & Global Politics. 4.00 points.
Propaganda is a key tool of contemporary authoritarian politics. Autocrats such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin, China’s Xi Jinping, or Hungary’s Viktor Orbán use state-controlled media to manipulate citizens, and some of them extensively rely on propaganda to undermine democracy in other countries. This course encourages students to think about the specific roles that media and propaganda play in autocracies, focusing on Russia in particular. We will read and discuss cutting-edge empirical research in political science and media studies to understand how autocrats such as Putin manipulate public opinion, why their propaganda can be successful, what its limits are, and how we can spot authoritarian propaganda in practice
POLS GU4461 Latin American Politics. 4 points.
This is a lecture class that seeks to introduce students to social scientific analysis while discuss the shifting dynamics of political representation in Latin America. In analyzing political representation in the region, it focuses on demands for political inclusion by different actors and how they were resisted or accepted by established elites in a process that moved from regime change to electoral rotation in power. The course covers these political dynamics and their institutional consequences since the onset of the twentieth century, starting with the Mexican Revolution, until the contemporary period where democracy is the predominant form of government and elections a crucial tool for social and political change. While analyzing the politics of Latin America, we will cover important political science concepts associated with democratic representation, social inclusion and the rule of the law, such as social movement mobilization, political regime change, presidentialism, political party systems, political identities, state capacity, and institutional weakness.
Fall 2024: POLS GU4461
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4461 | 001/15260 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm 310 Fayerweather |
Maria Victoria Murillo | 4 | 70/90 |
POLS GU4471 CHINESE POLITICS. 3.00 points.
This course offers a historical and thematic survey of Chinese politics and of salient issues in China’s public policy and governance. The first half of the course reviews the patterns and dynamics of political development in China, focusing mainly on the last two hundred years, during which the country has been on a rugged yet fascinating path toward modernity. We will examine major political events including the collapse of the Imperial China, the rise of the Communist Party, the Cultural Revolution, and the post-Mao shift toward reform and opening. The second half of the course will look various special topics, including the structure of the party and the state, the relationship between state and society, the modes of economic development, and the governance of the media and the Internet. Throughout the course, special attention will be paid to how China’s domestic political and economic processes intersected with major world events and transnational forces, such as imperialism, world wars, and economic globalization
Fall 2024: POLS GU4471
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4471 | 001/15261 | T Th 8:40am - 9:55am 413 Kent Hall |
Junyan Jiang | 3.00 | 18/70 |
POLS GU4472 JAPANESE POLITICS. 4.00 points.
This course surveys key features of the Japanese political system, with a focus on political institutions and processes. Themes include party politics, bureaucratic power, the role of the Diet, voting behavior, the role of the state in the economy, and the domestic politics of foreign policy
Fall 2024: POLS GU4472
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4472 | 001/17644 | M 4:10pm - 6:00pm 317 Hamilton Hall |
Kenneth McElwain | 4.00 | 17/20 |
POLS GU4496 CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN POLITICS. 3.00 points.
This course aims to teach students what, if any, answers social scientists have to the questions that concern anyone with an interest in African politics: 1) Why have democratic governments flourished in some countries and not others? 2) What institutions may enable Africans to hold their leaders accountable? 3) How do people participate in politics? 4) In what ways do aspiring African political leaders build public support? 5) To what extent does persistent poverty on the continent have political causes? and 6) Why is violence used to resolve some political disputes and not others?
Comparative Politics Seminars
POLS UN3951 COMPARATIVE POLITICS SEMINAR. 4.00 points.
Priority given to senior majors, followed by junior majors, then all other students.
Prerequisites: POLS V1501 or the equivalent, and the instructor's permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Please see here for detailed seminar registration guidelines: http://polisci.columbia.edu/undergraduate-programs/seminar-registration-guidelines.
Prerequisites: POLS V1501 or the equivalent, and the instructors permission. Pre-registration is not permitted. Please see here for detailed seminar registration guidelines: http://polisci.columbia.edu/undergraduate-programs/seminar-registration-guidelines. Seminar in Comparative Politics. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars
Fall 2024: POLS UN3951
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3951 | 001/14925 | T 2:10pm - 4:00pm 602 Northwest Corner |
Junyan Jiang | 4.00 | 12/20 |
POLS 3951 | 002/16950 | W 2:10pm - 4:00pm 1219 International Affairs Bldg |
Timothy Frye | 4.00 | 8/20 |
POLS 3951 | 003/16951 | W 4:10pm - 6:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Zara Riaz | 4.00 | 8/20 |
Spring 2025: POLS UN3951
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 3951 | 001/13404 | T 10:10am - 12:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Chiara Superti | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3951 | 002/13405 | W 10:10am - 12:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
John Marshall | 4.00 | 0/20 |
International Relations
POLS UN1601 INTERNATIONAL POLITICS. 4.00 points.
This introductory course surveys key topics in the study of international politics, including the causes of war and peace; the efficacy of international law and human rights; the origins of international development and underdevelopment; the politics of global environmental protection; and the future of US-China relations. Throughout the course, we will focus on the interests of the many actors of world politics, including states, politicians, firms, bureaucracies, international organizations, and nongovernmental organizations; the interactions between them; and the institutions in which they operate. By the end of the semester, students will be better equipped to systematically study international relations and make informed contributions to critical policy debates
Fall 2024: POLS UN1601
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 1601 | 001/00746 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm 408 Zankel |
Gideon Rose | 4.00 | 204/213 |
Spring 2025: POLS UN1601
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 1601 | 001/13377 | T Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm Room TBA |
Jayme Schlesinger | 4.00 | 0/200 |
POLS UN3619 NAT'L & CONTEMP WORLD POLITICS. 3.00 points.
The causes and consequences of nationalism. Nationalism as a cause of conflict in contemporary world politics. Strategies for mitigating nationalist and ethnic conflict
Spring 2025: POLS UN3619
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3619 | 001/13399 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am Room TBA |
Jack Snyder | 3.00 | 0/70 |
POLS UN3623 ENDING WAR & BUILDING PEACE. 3.00 points.
This course provides an introduction to the politics of war termination and peace consolidation. The course examines the challenges posed by ending wars and the process by which parties to a conflict arrive at victory, ceasefires, and peace negotiations. It explores how peace is sustained, why peace lasts in some cases and breaks down in others and what can be done to make peace more stable, focusing on the role of international interventions, power-sharing arrangements, reconciliation between adversaries, and reconstruction
POLS UN3648 GOVERNING THE GLOBAL ECONOMY. 4.00 points.
Who governs the world economy? Why do countries succeed or fail to cooperate in setting their economic policies? When and how do international institutions help countries cooperate? When and why do countries adopt good and bad economic policies? This course examines how domestic and international politics determine how the global economy is governed. We will study the politics of trade, international investment, monetary, immigration, and environmental policies to answer these questions. The course will approach each topic by examining alternative theoretical approaches and evaluate these theories using historical and contemporary evidence. There will be an emphasis on applying concepts through the analysis of policy-relevant case studies designed specifically for this course
POLS UN3674 China's Technological Rise. 3.00 points.
This course examines the causes and consequences of China’s rise as an economic and technological great power over the past four decades. It provides a theoretically-informed introduction to the political economy of contemporary China and to major debates surrounding China’s relations with the United States and its allies and partners. Topics covered include Chinese industrial and innovation policies, China’s capabilities in core technologies like semiconductors and artificial intelligence, the prospects for U.S.-China economic decoupling, the risk of conflict over Taiwan, the future trajectory of China’s rise, and more. At the end of this course, students will have a strong understanding of the main features of modern Chinese political economy, how China’s positions in the global economy and international system have changed in recent decades, and the implications of these transformations for U.S.-China strategic competition. They will also have learned to critically evaluate prominent theories in political science and international relations as they apply to China
POLS UN3692 Business & Politics in Globalized World. 3.00 points.
Companies (or, as we’ll mostly refer to them, firms) play a number of important roles in both domestic and international politics; among other activities, they create jobs, engage in trade and in-vestment, create social responsibility programs, lobby governments, and create much of the world’s pollution. How should we think about firms as political actors? Why, when, and how do firms attempt to influence policymaking? And when do they succeed? In this course, we will study strategic collaboration, competition, and collusion between firms and governments in a range of settings and policy areas. To do so, we will draw on insights from international relations, economics, and business scholars, and we will frequently engage with current real-world examples of business-government relations. Topics will include (among others) lobbying, corporate social responsibility, taxation and tax avoidance, public-private governance, and corporate influence in foreign policy
Spring 2025: POLS UN3692
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3692 | 001/13400 | T Th 10:10am - 11:25am Room TBA |
Calvin Thrall | 3.00 | 0/40 |
POLS GU4814 GLOBAL ENERGY: SECURITY/GEOPOL. 3.00 points.
The course focuses on the nexus between energy and security as it reveals in the policies and interaction of leading energy producers and consumers. Topics include: Hydrocarbons and search for stability and security in the Persian Gulf, Caspian basin, Eurasia, Africa and Latin America; Russia as a global energy player; Analysis of the impact of Russia's invasion of Ukraine on energy markets, global security, and the future of the energy transition; Role of natural gas in the world energy balance and European energy security; Transformation of the global energy governance structure; Role and evolution of the OPEC; Introduction into energy economics; Dynamics and fundamentals of the global energy markets; IOCs vs NOCs; Resource nationalism, cartels, sanctions and embargoes; Asia's growing energy needs and its geo-economic and strategic implications; Nuclear energy and challenges to non-proliferation regime; Alternative and renewable sources of energy; Climate change as one of the central challenges of the 21st century; Analysis of the policies, technologies, financial systems and markets needed to achieve climate goals. Climate change and attempts of environmental regulation; Decarbonization trends, international carbon regimes and search for optimal models of sustainable development. Special focus on implications of the shale revolution and technological innovations on U.S. energy security
Fall 2024: POLS GU4814
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4814 | 001/16960 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am 407 Mathematics Building |
Albert Bininachvili | 3.00 | 32/30 |
POLS GU4845 NAT SECURITY STRAT OF MID EAST. 4.00 points.
At the crossroads of three continents, the Middle East is home to many diverse peoples, with ancient and proud cultures, in varying stages of political and socio-economic development, often in conflict. Following the Arab Spring and subsequent upheaval in Egypt, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, Libya and more, the region is in a state of historic flux. The Sunni-Shia rivalry, especially between Saudi Arabia and Iran, growing Iranian-Israeli conflict, population explosion, poverty and authoritarian control, Russian ascendance and US retrenchment, are the primary regional drivers today. Together, these factors have transformed the Middle Eastern landscape, with great consequence for the national security of the countries of the region and their foreign relations. The primary source of the worlds energy resources, the Middle East remains the locus of the terror-WMD-fundamentalist nexus, which continues to pose a significant threat to both regional and international security. The course surveys the national security challenges facing the regions primary players (Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Israel, the Palestinians and Turkey,) and how the convolutions of recent years have affected them. Unlike many Middle East courses, which focus on US policy in the region, the course concentrates on the regional players perceptions of the threats and opportunities they face and the strategies they have adopted to deal with them. It thus provides an essential vantage point for those interested in gaining a deeper understanding of a region, which stands at the center of many of the foreign policy issues of our era. The course is designed for those with a general interest in the Middle East, especially those interested in national security issues, students of comparative politics and future practitioners, with an interest in real world international relations and national security
Fall 2024: POLS GU4845
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4845 | 001/17463 | T 12:10pm - 2:00pm 201 80 Claremont |
Charles Freilich | 4.00 | 16/20 |
POLS GU4863 INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. 4.00 points.
This course examines how domestic and international politics influence the economic policies of developing countries. We will critically evaluate different theoretical debates related to foreign economic policymaking in emerging markets, and introduce chief methodological approaches used in contemporary analyses. We will focus attention on different types of cross-border flows: the flow of goods (trade policy), the flow of people (immigration policy), the flow and location of production (foreign investment policy), the flow of capital (financial and monetary policy), and the flow of pollution (environment policy). In the process, we will address several themes that are central to understanding the politics of economic policymaking in emerging economies, including, the legacies of colonialism, trade protectionism and liberalization, globalization and the race to the bottom, the relationship between economic policy and culture, and development and redistribution. There will be an emphasis on applying concepts through the analysis of policy-relevant case studies designed for this course
Fall 2024: POLS GU4863
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4863 | 001/15264 | Th 2:10pm - 4:00pm 1302 International Affairs Bldg |
Nikhar Gaikwad | 4.00 | 18/20 |
POLS GU4865 INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY. 4.00 points.
This course explores key frameworks and issue areas within international political economy. It examines the history and key characteristics of (economic) globalization, the theories of international cooperation, as well as the nature and role of international organizations (such as the World Trade Organization) in fostering trade and international economic cooperation. Furthermore, the course discusses the pros and cons of globalization and its implications on domestic policies of nation-states, with a particular focus on the tensions globalization creates and the lines of cleavages between winners and losers from globalization. Finally, the course reflects on the future of globalization and international trade and the challenges faced by national and supranational policy makers
Fall 2024: POLS GU4865
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4865 | 001/16958 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm 331 Uris Hall |
Davit Sahakyan | 4.00 | 38/40 |
International Relations Seminars
Political Theory
POLS UN1101 POLITICAL THEORY I. 4.00 points.
This course considers key questions at the foundation of political thought. What is justice? How do we justify the coercive power of states? Do we have an obligation to obey the government? Who should make and enforce the law? What basic rights and liberties should governments protect? How should our economic system produce and divide wealth and material resources? What are the claims of excluded or marginalized groups and how can these claims be addressed? We explore these questions through the works of several classical and contemporary political thinkers. A major goal of the course is to practice the skills needed to understand a political thinker’s arguments and to construct one’s own
Fall 2024: POLS UN1101
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 1101 | 001/14904 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am Ren Kraft Center |
Karuna Mantena | 4.00 | 80/108 |
POLS UN3100 JUSTICE. 3.00 points.
An inquiry into the nature and implications of justice in areas ranging from criminal justice to social justice to the circumstances of war and peace, considering issues such as abortion, the criminalization of behavior, the death penalty, climate change, global poverty, civil disobedience, and international conflict
Spring 2025: POLS UN3100
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3100 | 001/13367 | M W 2:40pm - 3:55pm Room TBA |
David Johnston | 3.00 | 0/120 |
POLS UN3106 Democracy: Principles, Critics and Problems. 3.00 points.
This course is about democracy: its theory, principles, critics and challenges. After centuries of vilification, democracy acquired the status of the "best" political order thanks also to the defeat of Nazism and fascism, in 1945. The end of the Cold War and the international order created by the victors of World War II caused some major changes in the perception and practice of democracy. The world has become a unified place for financial markets and a borderless space for the implementation of hegemonic projects. Openness and globalization put pressure on the ideal and practice of democracy, however. On the one hand, democracy seems to be the solution to all problems so much so that "democracy" now means everything on the right side of history. On the other hand, it seems instead to be a source of problems, and many (even democrats) criticize it for being inefficient in decision-making, subject to the prejudices of increasingly uninformed and ignorant voters, and finally a system that breeds corruption. The goal of this course is to understand this conundrum. What are the basic principles of democracy and the main objections raised against it? In what sense does democracy embody universal values? Is it desirable that democracy contains partisanship with competence? Is populism a fate of modern democracies? These questions will guide us in understanding the promises of democracy and the disappointments of democrats. We will begin our intellectual journey with the ancient vision of democracy and its early critics, then explore the modern trajectory of democratic theory and finally contemporary populist transformations
POLS UN3112 GANDHI, KING & POLS OF NONVIOLENCE. 4.00 points.
Since Gandhi’s experiments in mass satyagraha over a century ago, nonviolence has become a staple of protest politics across the globe. From the Occupy movements to the Arab Spring to Movement for Black Lives, it might even be entering a new phase of revitalization. At the same time, what exactly nonviolence is and what it can accomplish in politics is very much under debate. This course aims to understand the politics of nonviolence by examining the political ideas and political careers of its most well-known twentieth-century advocates, M.K. Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. Though still venerated as founding figures of nonviolent protest, Gandhi and King have come to be remembered in ways that can misconstrue how they understood and practiced nonviolent politics. To many, Gandhi is a saintly idealist, who wanted to imbue politics with the spirit of ahimsa, truth, and conscience. Likewise, King is taken to be a spokesman for interracial brotherhood and Christian love. While partly true, these images also downplay the political side of their nonviolence – the techniques of organizing and strategies of protest that made their movements successful. We will examine the evolution of Gandhi’s and King’s political thinking in relation to the movements they led – the Indian independence movement and the civil rights movement in the US. We will consider how the theory and practice of nonviolence evolved and changed as it moved from one context to another. We will be especially focused on understanding the dynamics of nonviolent protest
POLS UN3141 Humans, Nature and the Future: an Introduction to Environmental Political Theory. 3.00 points.
This course is about how we understand humans and their relationship to nature – and about how these understandings influence the ways we design our societies, run our democracies, and make plans for the future. We’ll focus on two central themes. First: how does introducing a concern for ‘the environment’ (or the Earth, or ecology) deepen, and often complicate, our understanding of key concepts in political theory? Second: given that ‘the environment’ is an interdisciplinary issue, how do we understand the relationship between the ideas and conversations we have in political theory, and the ideas and conversations people are having in other disciplines? (For example: climate science.) There is no single prerequisite course for this one, but we will be assuming that you are familiar with the field of political theory in general. This is important, because many of our discussions will aim to map concepts and conversations from environmental political theory onto broader political theory conversations (which requires you to be familiar with those conversations!). Ideally, you’ll have taken a political theory survey before you take this course. If you haven’t, but you still think you’ve got the background necessary to participate fully in the class, please get in touch
POLS GU4110 RECENT CONTINENTAL POL THOUGHT. 4.00 points.
This course will compare and contrast the theories of the political, the state,freedom, democracy, sovereignty and law, in the works of the following key 20th and 21st century continental theorists: Arendt, Castoriadis, Foucault, Habermas, Kelsen, Lefort, Schmitt, and Weber. It will be taught in seminar format
Fall 2024: POLS GU4110
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4110 | 001/17478 | W 2:10pm - 4:00pm 1201 International Affairs Bldg |
Jean Cohen | 4.00 | 15/20 |
POLS GU4132 POLIT THOUGHT-CLASSICL AND MEDIEVAL. 3.00 points.
Prerequisites: Contemporary Civilization or a comparable introduction to political theory course.
Prerequisites: Contemporary Civilization or a comparable introduction to political theory course. This course examines ancient political thought from its origins in the archaic Greek poleis through the development of classical Greek political philosophy and the transmission and adaptation of Greek political ideas in the Hellenistic, Roman, and early Christian traditions. Our texts will include major ancient works of political theory by Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero as well as works of poetry, drama, history, and ethical and natural philosophy that offer insight into ancient thought on politics. We will approach these texts not only as reflections on the ancient democratic, oligarchic, monarchical, and republican political systems they address, but also as foundations for modern political discourse that still prompt us to consider the questions they raise—questions about the ideal form of government in theory, and the best form in practice; about the nature of law and justice, and the relationship between law and custom, science, or religion; about the rule of law, and the rights and obligations of an individual citizen living in a participatory state; and about the reach of empire, and the implications when a self-governing people attempts to direct the affairs of non-citizens or of other states
Fall 2024: POLS GU4132
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4132 | 001/17431 | T Th 11:40am - 12:55pm 424 Kent Hall |
Diana Moser | 3.00 | 17/15 |
POLS GU4134 MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT. 4.00 points.
Interpretations of civil society and the foundations of political order according to the two main traditions of political thought--contraction and Aristotelian. Readings include works by Hobbes, Spinoza, Locke, Montesquieu, Hume, Rousseau, Kant, Hegel, Saint-Simon, Tocqueville, Marx, and Mill
Spring 2025: POLS GU4134
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4134 | 001/13414 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am Room TBA |
Nadia Urbinati | 4.00 | 0/40 |
Political Theory Seminars
POLS UN3911 SEMINAR IN POLITCAL THEORY. 4.00 points.
Seminar in Political Theory. Students who would like to register should join the electronic wait list. For list of topics and descriptions see: https://polisci.columbia.edu/content/undergraduate-seminars
Fall 2024: POLS UN3911
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3911 | 001/14915 | W 10:10am - 12:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
David Johnston | 4.00 | 8/20 |
POLS 3911 | 002/14916 | M 2:10pm - 4:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Jean Cohen | 4.00 | 9/20 |
Spring 2025: POLS UN3911
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 3911 | 001/13402 | M 4:10pm - 6:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Karuna Mantena | 4.00 | 0/20 |
POLS 3911 | 002/13403 | T 2:10pm - 4:00pm Room TBA |
Yujin Choi | 4.00 | 0/20 |
Research Methods
POLS UN3704 RESEARCH DESIGN: DATA ANALYSIS. 3.00 points.
This course examines the basic methods data analysis and statistics that political scientists use in quantitative research that attempts to make causal inferences about how the political world works. The same methods apply to other kinds of problems about cause and effect relationships more generally. The course will provide students with extensive experience in analyzing data and in writing (and thus reading) research papers about testable theories and hypotheses. It will cover basic data analysis and statistical methods, from univariate and bivariate descriptive and inferential statistics through multivariate regression analysis. Computer applications will be emphasized. The course will focus largely on observational data used in cross-sectional statistical analysis, but it will consider issues of research design more broadly as well. It will assume that students have no mathematical background beyond high school algebra and no experience using computers for data analysis
Fall 2024: POLS UN3704
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3704 | 001/14914 | M W 8:40am - 9:55am 401 Chandler |
Vincent Dorie | 3.00 | 27/35 |
POLS UN3720 RESEARCH DESIGN: SCOPE AND METHODS. 4.00 points.
This class aims to introduce students to the logic of social scientific inquiry and research design. Although it is a course in political science, our emphasis will be on the science part rather than the political part — we’ll be reading about interesting substantive topics, but only insofar as they can teach us something about ways we can do systematic research. This class will introduce students to a medley of different methods to conduct social scientific research
Fall 2024: POLS UN3720
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3720 | 001/17424 | T Th 6:10pm - 7:25pm 413 Kent Hall |
Michael Pomirchy | 4.00 | 54/70 |
Spring 2025: POLS UN3720
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
POLS 3720 | 001/13401 | T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm Room TBA |
Abdullah Aydogan | 4.00 | 0/70 |
POLS UN3768 Experimental Research. 4.00 points.
Randomized experimentation is an important methodology in political science. In this course, we will discuss the logic of experimentation, its strengths and weaknesses compared to other methodologies, and the ways in which experimentation has been -- and could be -- used to investigate political phenomena. Students will learn how to interpret, design, and execute experiments
POLS GU4700 MATH & STATS FOR POLI SCI. 4.00 points.
This course presents basic mathematical and statistical concepts that are essential for formal and quantitative analysis in political science research. It prepares students for the graduate-level sequence on formal models and quantitative political methodology offered in the department. The first half of the course will cover basic mathematics, such as calculus and linear algebra. The second half of the course will focus on probability theory and statistics. We will rigorously cover the topics that are directly relevant to formal and quantitative analysis in political science such that students can build both intuitions and technical skills. There is no prerequisite since this course is ordinarily taken by Ph.D. students in their first semester. The course is aimed for both students with little exposure to mathematics and those who have taken some courses but wish to gain a more solid foundation. NOTE: This course does not satisfy the Political Science Major/Concentration research methods requirement
Fall 2024: POLS GU4700
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4700 | 001/17464 | M W 11:40am - 12:55pm 603 Hamilton Hall |
Benjamin Goodrich | 4.00 | 7/20 |
POLS GU4702 Qualitative and Mixed Methods of Research Design and Inquiry. 4.00 points.
This course covers research methods and research design in political science. We cover concrete and practical issues of conducting research that are useful for all types of empirical political science research: picking a topic, generating hypotheses, case selection, measurement issues, and the ethics of research; with a focus on qualitative and mixed-methods tools such as: interviews, fieldwork, case studies, archival research, ethnographic work, designing and conducting experiments, coding data and working with data sets, combining quantitative and qualitative methods, etc. The course is designed for several audiences in Political Science, including: PhD students MA students undertaking a major research project or intending to continue on to the PhD Advanced undergraduates writing or contemplating an honors thesis, or another major research project
POLS GU4710 PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 1. 4.00 points.
This course examines the basic methods of data analysis and statistics, through multivariate regression analysis, that political scientists use in quantitative research that attempts to make causal inferences about how the political world works. The same methods apply to other kinds of problems about cause and effect relationships more generally. The course will provide students with extensive experience in analyzing data and in writing (and thus reading) research papers about testable theories and hypotheses
Fall 2024: POLS GU4710
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4710 | 001/16962 | T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm 332 Uris Hall |
Abdullah Aydogan | 4.00 | 36/50 |
POLS GU4712 PRINC OF QUANT POL RESEARCH 2. 4.00 points.
Prerequisites: POLS W4710 or the equivalent.
Prerequisites: POLS W4710 or the equivalent. This course will intensively examine some of the data analysis methods which deal with problems occurring in the use of multiple regression analysis. It will stress computer applications and cover, as needed, data coding and data processing. Emphasis will also be placed on research design and writing research reports. The course assumes that students are familiar with basic statistics, inference, and multiple regression analysis and have analyzed data using computer software (e.g., any standard statistical programs on micro-computers or larger machines -- Stata, “R”, SPSS, SAS, etc.). Students will be instructed on the use of the microcomputers and the R and Stata statistical software program(s) available as freeware (R) or in the CUIT computer labs (Stata; several campus locations) or through SIPA. The lectures and required discussion section will emphasize the use of “R.” Students may use whatever computer programs they prefer for all data analysis for the course. There may be an additional fee for classroom instructional materials
Spring 2025: POLS GU4712
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4712 | 001/13417 | T Th 10:10am - 11:25am Room TBA |
Benjamin Goodrich | 4.00 | 0/30 |
POLS GU4716 Data Science for Political Analytics. 3.00 points.
Prerequisites: (POLS GU4714) or
The digital revolution has created previously unimaginable opportunities to learn about political behavior and institutions. It has also created new challenges for analyzing the massive amounts of data that are now easily accessible. Open source software has reduced barriers and inequities in coding, but it also requires different kinds of effort to employ optimally the latest innovations. Harnessing the power of political data is more critical than ever, given the threats that misinformation and alternative “facts” present to democratic forms of government. This course will teach students both essential tools and general strategies of data science within the domain of politics. Whether students’ goals are to analyze political behavior for academic or professional purposes, successful analysis requires skills for handling a wide array of issues that stand in the way of creating knowledge and insights from data. This course prioritizes breadth over depth in the sense that we will introduce a broad range of topics relevant for data science to develop basic skills and form a foundation that students can build on. More complete mastery of these skills will require additional engagement beyond this course
Fall 2024: POLS GU4716
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4716 | 001/15862 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm 703 Hamilton Hall |
Gregory Wawro | 3.00 | 34/40 |
POLS 4716 | AU1/20956 | T Th 2:40pm - 3:55pm Othr Other |
Gregory Wawro | 3.00 | 2/2 |
POLS GU4720 QUANT METH 1 APPL REG CAUS INF. 4.00 points.
Fitting and understanding linear regression and generalized linear models, simulation, causal inference, and the basics of design of quantitative studies. Computation in R. Textbook: Regression and Other Stories by Gelman, Hill, and Vehtari
Fall 2024: POLS GU4720
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4720 | 001/15418 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am 603 Hamilton Hall |
Andrew Gelman | 4.00 | 23/40 |
POLS GU4722 QUANT METH 2 STAT THEO&CAUS INF. 4.00 points.
This course is the second course in the graduate-level sequence on quantitative political methodology offered in the Department of Political Science. Students will learn (1) a framework and methodologies for making causal inferences from experimental and observational data, and (2) statistical theories essential for causal inference. Topics include randomized experiments, estimation under ignorability, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity, difference-indifferences, and causal inference with panel data. We also cover statistical theories, such as theories of ordinary least squares and maximum likelihood estimation, by connecting them to causal inference methods. This course builds on the materials covered in POLS 4700 and 4720 or theirequivalent (i.e., probability, statistics, linear regression, and logistic regression)
Spring 2025: POLS GU4722
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4722 | 001/13419 | T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm Room TBA |
Naoki Egami | 4.00 | 0/30 |
POLS GU4724 QUANT METH 3 EXPERIMENTAL METH. 4.00 points.
In this course, we will discuss the logic of experimentation, its strengths and weaknesses compared to other methodologies, and the ways in which experimentation has been — and could be — used to investigate social phenomena. Students will learn how to interpret, design, and execute experiments. Special attention will be devoted to field experiments, or randomized trials conducted in real-world settings. Prerequisites: Students should have taken at least one or two semesters of statistics. Some understanding of probability, hypothesis testing, and regression are assumed. Familiarity with statistical software such as R is helpful. We will be working with data in class throughout the term. The examples used in the textbook and lectures are written in R, and R tutorials will be taught in special sessions early in the term
Fall 2024: POLS GU4724
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4724 | 001/15263 | T Th 4:10pm - 5:25pm 307 Uris Hall |
Donald Green | 4.00 | 19/40 |
POLS GU4726 QUANT METH 4 TOPICS IN METHODS. 4.00 points.
This course is the fourth course in the graduate-level sequence on quantitative political methodology offered in the Department of Political Science. Students will learn a variety of advanced topics in quantitative methods for descriptive and causal inference, such as simulated-data experimentation, statistical graphics, experimental design, Bayesian inference, multilevel modeling, ideal-point and measurement-error models, and time/spatial/network models. This course builds on the materials covered in POLS 4700, 4720, 4722, and 4724, or their equivalent courses (i.e., probability, statistics, linear regression, logistic regression, causal inference with observational and experimental data, and knowledge of the statistical computing environment R)
Spring 2025: POLS GU4726
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4726 | 001/13421 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am Room TBA |
Andrew Gelman | 4.00 | 0/30 |
POLS GU4730 GAME THEORY & POLIT THEORY. 4.00 points.
Prerequisites: POLS GU4700 or equivalent level of calculus.
Prerequisites: POLS GU4700 or equivalent level of calculus. Introduction to noncooperative game theory and its application to strategic situations in politics. Topics include solution concepts, asymmetric information, and incomplete information. Students should have taken POLS GU4700 or have equivalent background in calculus. Permission of instructor required
Spring 2025: POLS GU4730
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4730 | 001/13423 | M W 4:10pm - 6:00pm Room TBA |
John Huber | 4.00 | 0/30 |
POLS GU4732 RESEARCH TOPICS IN GAME THEORY. 4.00 points.
Prerequisites: POLS W4730 or the instructors permission. Advanced topics in game theory will cover the study of repeated games, games of incomplete information and principal-agent models with applications in the fields of voting, bargaining, lobbying and violent conflict. Results from the study of social choice theory, mechanism design and auction theory will also be treated. The course will concentrate on mathematical techniques for constructing and solving games. Students will be required to develop a topic relating political science and game theory and to write a formal research paper
Fall 2024: POLS GU4732
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 4732 | 001/17641 | M W 10:10am - 11:25am 307 Uris Hall |
Carlo Prato | 4.00 | 8/15 |
POLS GU4768 Experimental Research: Design, Analysis and Interpretation. 4 points.
Prerequisites: one or two semesters of statistics; basic understanding of probability, hypothesis testing, and regression are assumed. Basic familiarity with statistical software (Stata and R) is helpful but not required.
In this course, we will discuss the logic of experimentation, its strengths and weaknesses compared to other methodologies, and the ways in which experimentation has been -- and could be -- used to investigate social phenomena. Students will learn how to interpret, design, and execute experiments.
Senior Honors Seminar
POLS UN3998 HONORS SEMINAR. 4.00 points.
Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program.
Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program. A two-term seminar for students writing the senior honors thesis
Fall 2024: POLS UN3998
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3998 | 001/14930 | M 10:10am - 12:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Kimuli Kasara | 4.00 | 17/20 |
POLS UN3999 HONORS SEMINAR. 4.00 points.
Prerequisites: admission to the departmental honors program.
A two-term seminar for students writing the senior honors thesis.
Spring 2025: POLS UN3999
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3999 | 001/13413 | M 10:10am - 12:00pm 711 International Affairs Bldg |
Kimuli Kasara | 4.00 | 0/16 |
Independent Reading and Research
POLS UN3901 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH I. 1.00-6.00 points.
Fall 2024: POLS UN3901
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Course Number | Section/Call Number | Times/Location | Instructor | Points | Enrollment |
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POLS 3901 | 001/21197 | |
Carlos Vargas-Ramos | 1.00-6.00 | 1/1 |
POLS 3901 | 002/21410 | |
David Johnston | 1.00-6.00 | 2/2 |
POLS 3901 | 003/21449 | |
Andrew McCall | 1.00-6.00 | 1/1 |
POLS 3901 | 004/21450 | |
Michael Ting | 1.00-6.00 | 1/1 |
POLS 3901 | 005/21578 | |
Junyan Jiang | 1.00-6.00 | 1/1 |
POLS UN3902 INDEPENDENT RESEARCH II. 1.00-6.00 points.
Of Related Interest
Code | Title | Points |
---|---|---|
Economics | ||
ECPS GU4921 | SEMINAR IN POLITICAL ECONOMICS | |
Human Rights | ||
HRTS UN3001 | INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN RIGHTS | |
HRTS W3930 |
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