Undergraduate

• Introduction
• Requirements
• Senior Seminars
• Independent Study
• Double Major
• Internships
• Honors Program
• International Relations
• Cornell Abroad
• Cornell in Washington
• Transfer Students and Transfer Credit

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Introduction

Cornell᾿s Department of Government is devoted to the study of political power and the interaction of citizens and governments. Some faculty members concentrate on theory, and some on applications. Some analyze the great texts of political philosophy, and others examine the behavior of power wielders and publics in the United States and in other societies. The field of government at Cornell is divided into four sub-fields: American politics, comparative politics (the institutions and political processes of other nations), political theory (philosophy), and international relations (transactions between nations).

Entering students often begin taking the introductory course on the government of the United States. Students whose interests are more internationally focused may take Introduction to International Relations or Introduction to Comparative Politics, while those who want to reflect on questions of political philosophy might begin with the introductory course that deals with political theory.

Students who continue their study of government beyond the introductory level can choose from many upper level and seminar-style courses. There are also courses that cover issues in Latin America, Europe (Western, Central and Eastern, including Russia), the Middle East, and East, South and Southeast Asia.

The department offers special opportunities within the major such as the minor in International Relations, the Cornell in Washington program, the Study Abroad program, and the option to do an independent study project of your own design with a faculty member.

A number of government majors participate in the department᾿s honors program. Students in the honors program take an organized seminar in their senior year, and work with an individual faculty member on their senior thesis.

Graduates with a major in government have entered business, law, journalism, government service, politics, teaching, graduate school, and a host of professions. The study of government has one major purpose: to teach how to think and to write rigorously and creatively about issues of public life.

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Requirements

To be admitted to the major, a student must pass two government courses. Applications to the major are available in the Government Department, 210 White Hall.

To complete the major, a student must:

1. Complete two introductory courses.
2. Pass an additional GOVT course (at any level, but minimum 3 credits)
3. Accumulate an additional 28 credits of government course work at the 300-level or above.
4. Complete at least one seminar-style course in government which may be applied toward the 28 credits. These courses include those numbered 400.xx.
5. Ensure that the coursework in Government includes at least one course in three different areas of the four subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, Political Theory and International Relations.
6. Accumulate 11 credits in upper-level (300+ level) courses in related fields. Students should consult with their major advisor to choose appropriate courses. All choices of related courses must be approved by the major advisor. Please see the FAQ page for the Undergraduate Program for more information.
7. All courses used to fulfill the Government Major Requirements -- that is, the Government courses and the “related field” courses -- must be passed with a letter grade.

To summarize, a total of 10 government courses and an additional 11 credits of upper-level related courses are required to complete the major.

When registering for government courses, please keep in mind that the course catalogue is not always the most reliable guide to the courses that are actually offered in a given semester. A more up-to-date listing of courses offered in any particular semester may be found by clicking on the Courses menu at the top of this page.

Worksheet to assess your progress in the Major:

• For Government Majors (DOC)
• For Government Majors (PDF)

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Double Major

Students who are interested in joining the Department of Government as a second major (double major) will be required to submit an application to be accepted just as any other student is required to do. (The applications are available from the Undergraduate Field Coordinator.) Once accepted, students will then be notified by email of their acceptance and of their faculty advisor in the department. Double majors who wish to use a single course to fulfill requirements in both majors should obtain the approval of their faculty advisor.

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Senior Seminars

Seminars (also called “Major Seminars”), arranged particularly for government majors who are seniors, are those government courses numbered 400.xx. Preference in choosing students for these seminars is given to majors over non-majors and seniors over juniors. Students who have already taken a major seminar will be assigned if space is available after those applying for the first time have been admitted.

Please visit the Government Department website to review other 400-level courses that would fulfill your senior seminar requirement. Students interested in taking these courses may be asked to get permission to enroll from the instructor during the pre-enrollment or add/drop period. Cornell in Washington seminars do not count toward this requirement.

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Independent Study

Independent study, Government 499, is a one-on-one tutorial which is arranged by the student with a faculty member of their choosing. Government 499 is open to government majors doing superior work. It is the responsibility of the student to establish the research proposal and to find a faculty sponsor. Applicants for independent study must present a well-defined program of study that cannot be satisfied by pursuing courses in the regularly scheduled curriculum. No more than 4 credits of independent study may count towards fulfillment of the major. Students who elect to continue taking this course for more than one semester must select a new theme or subject each semester. Credit can be given only for work that results in a satisfactory amount of writing. Emphasis is on the capacity to subject a body of related readings for analysis and criticism. Independent study cannot be used to fulfill the seminar requirement. The application form for Independent Study is available in 210 White Hall and must be completed at the beginning of the semester in which the course is being taken.

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Internships

Internships are often valuable experiences and students are encouraged to undertake them either during vacations or while studying in absentia. Though valuable, the department does not grant academic credit for this experience.

Credit is granted when internships are integrated into the Cornell in Washington Program.

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Honors Program General Information

Each fall, a small number of highly qualified seniors enter the Government Honors Program. The Honors Program is open to Government majors who have excelled in performance, and who want to devote a substantial part of their senior year to independent research and to the writing of a thesis.

Prerequisites

Applicants must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 in the Government Major. They are also strongly encouraged to complete coursework in the relevant subfield before filing an application. Students in the second semester of their Junior year are eligible and should submit an Honors Program application by March 13, 2009. The Undergraduate Office will send an email to students and post a flyer listing the deadline and requirements for the Program.

• Honors program application form (PDF)
• Honors program application form (DOC)

Program Structure

The Honors Program involves two courses taken during the student᾿s senior year. Participants enroll in Government 494, the Honors Thesis Writing Seminar, during the fall semester. Students begin to conduct their own research on an independent basis under the supervision of their thesis advisor during the fall. Participants then enroll in Government 495 during the spring semester and work on a one-on-one basis with their thesis advisor. Students submit the thesis for evaluation in mid-April. Each of these courses carries four credits and each receives a separate grade. Government 494 also fulfills the senior seminar requirement.

The Government Department᾿s Undergraduate Committee meets in early May to determine the level and honors, if any, for each student. The final decision about honors is based on the quality of the thesis and the grade record in the major.

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International Relations Minor

Cornell offers dozens of courses in many departments and several colleges which provide a strong grounding in the International Relations field, including courses in government, economics, history, rural sociology, modern languages and linguistics, international comparative labor relations, and others.

The purpose of the International Relations Minor is to provide a structure for undergraduate students who will go on to specialize in careers in international law, economics, agriculture, foreign trade, international banking, government service, international organizations, or other cultural or scholarly activities. Some students major in one of the traditional departments such as History, Government, or Economics; still others major in different disciplines, while seeking to gain a basic understanding of important international problems.

Students choosing to minor in International Relations should see the International Relations Minor Coordinator in 156 Uris Hall for further information.

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Cornell Abroad

Approval of credit for work done abroad is not automatic. It is very important to realize that some courses students may wish to pursue might not be applied towards the major. Careful planning is essential, and it is often impossible to know in advance whether the courses taken elsewhere will be equivalent to courses offered on campus.

Before students go abroad, the Government Department requires that majors meet with their advisor to go over the following points:

1. Determine the courses that interest you and will count towards your major requirements. Students are advised to try to find courses that are similar to or compatible with courses that are offered at Cornell. Courses that have unusual requirements, duplicate course work already taken at Cornell, or do not meet the standards of upper level Cornell courses should be avoided. To count as a four credit course for the major, the course taken should have reading and writing requirements commensurate with our upper level courses.
2. Students must present their proposed course schedule to their advisor before leaving. If this is not possible, students should forward the information to their advisor for review as soon as it becomes available.
3. Students are required to bring back a complete record of the courses that they took while abroad. This record should include: course syllabi, copies of any papers written while abroad, copies of exam questions or a statement from the faculty member explaining the course requirements, and the official transcript.

Studying in a host country where the official language(s) is not (do not include) English

The Department warmly encourages students to study in non-English speaking countries. However, we will only extend credit for GOVT coursework in a non-English speaking country under the following conditions:

Our Majors should only go abroad to non-English speaking countries if they have achieved near-native fluency in that country᾿s language of instruction. This requirement may in fact be much more rigorous than the admission standard imposed by the host institution upon foreign students. The host institution may make many different courses of study available to foreign students. However, we expect our Majors to study in the host country language. We will not, therefore, give credit for any course taught in English in a non-English speaking country.

It is our intention that our Majors will be fully integrated into the student body of the host country, and that they will receive instruction at or above the Cornell level. The Department expects our Majors to select their courses carefully, and to ensure that they are not segregated with foreign students in any credit-earning activity in any GOVT course at any time. Any student who has a concern relating to this rule ought to consult with the Director of Undergraduate Studies of the Department immediately. We will not give any credit for a course that is specifically tailored for foreign students.

Students are reminded that we do not grant transfer credit for any course in which a student fails to obtain a grade of a B- or better. On returning from study abroad, students must make an appointment to see the Director of Undergraduate Studies who will review all pertinent materials and make the final determination regarding whether courses will count towards the government major. This should be done as soon as a student returns to campus so that the credits for work done abroad can be properly recorded.

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Cornell in Washington

The Cornell in Washington Program allows students the opportunity to study questions of public policy and to do supervised research during a semester in residence in Washington, DC.

Students are required to enroll in GOVT 500, Politics and Policy: Theory, Research, and Practice. This course is the core of the program and involves a research project carried out in conjunction with an externship which is a major part of the program. GOVT 500 may not be used to satisfy the seminar requirement. However, it does count toward two courses toward the major-for a total of 8 credits. Students may serve as externs with congressional committee offices, executive-branch agencies, interest groups, research institutions and other organizations involved in the political process and public policy, among others. Students are expected to work three days a week and carry a full academic load of 12 to 16 credits. No course credit is given for the experience aspect of the externship.

Students also enroll in additional seminars which are offered in areas of government, history, economics, sociology, natural resources and architectural history at the Cornell in Washington Center. This course listing changes each semester. All seminars are taught by Cornell faculty and carry appropriate credit toward fulfillment of the major.

More information, as well as application forms, are available from the Cornell in Washington web page (http://www.ciw.cornell.edu) or the Cornell in Washington office located in McGraw Hall.

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Transfer Students and Transfer Credits

The department welcomes transfer students who wish to major in Government. Transfer students should note that when the College of Arts & Sciences grants a credit value to them for the coursework that they have completed at another institution, it does not automatically get applied to the Government Major.

Cornell students who wish to use coursework taken from another institution should meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies for transfer credit approval.

For more information on transfer credit policies, please consult the FAQ page.