Politics

Requirements for Major

Students planning to major must begin by going to the assistant to the undergraduate director (in Gibson S187) for assignment to a faculty advisor. Once a faculty advisor has been asigned, prospective majors should take major declaration paperwork (filled out as completely as possible) to the advisor for approval. Completion of at least three credits of work in this department with no grade below C and a cumulative grade-point average (GPA) of 2.000 are prerequisites for majors in government or foreign affairs.

Government

The major concentration in government requires 30 credits of course work, as specified below, including the three prerequisite hours. No more than nine credits taken at the 1000 level may be counted toward the major. At least fifteen credits of course work in the department must be earned at the 3000 level and above. At least six of these must be earned at the 4000 or 5000 level.

The government concentration requires the following minimum distribution of courses among the four fields:

1. American Politics - three credits
2. Comparative Politics - three credits
3. International Relations - three credits
4. Political Theory - three credits; majors should take this distribution requirement by the end of their third year
5. Students choosing the PLAP track must take nine additional credits in PLAP; students choosing the PLPT track must take nine additional credits in PLPT.

The remaining nine credits required for the government major may come from departmental offerings in any of the four fields, depending on student interests and objectives.

In addition to the 30 credits required in the Department of Politics, 12 credits of courses in closely related disciplines, such as history, philosophy, the social sciences and, in appropriate cases, in other related subjects, are required. No more than six of these credits should be taken at the 1000 and 2000 levels. The other six credits should be in advanced courses. Students should seek to construct their related course “package” in consultation with their major advisor in such a way that it contributes to their major subject field in as direct a fashion as possible.

Foreign Affairs

The major concentration in foreign affairs requires 30 credits of course work, as specified below, including the three prerequisite credits. No more than nine credits taken at the 1000 level may be counted toward the major. At least fifteen credits of course work in the department must be earned at the 3000 level and above. At least six of these must be earned at the 4000 and 5000 levels.

The foreign affairs concentration requires the following minimum distribution of courses among the four fields:

1. American Politics - three credits
2. Comparative Politics - three credits
3. International Relations - three credits
4. Political Theory - three credits; majors should take this distribution requirement by the end of their third year
5. Area Courses – six credits in a pair of courses that specializes in one area of the world, in either international relations or comparative politics. Area courses may deal with all or part of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, or the Middle East.”
6. Six additional credits in either international relations or comparative politics

The remaining six credits required for the foreign affairs major may come from departmental offerings in any of the four fields, depending on student interests and objectives.

In addition to the 30 credits required in the Department of Politics, 12 credits of courses in closely related disciplines, such as history, philosophy, the social sciences, and in appropriate cases, in other related subjects, are required. No more than six of these credits should be taken at the 1000 and 2000 levels. Students should seek to construct their related course “package” in consultation with their major advisor in such a way that it contributes to their major subject field in as direct a fashion as possible.

Both Majors

A grade of C or better is necessary in any course counted toward the major. Students who earn a grade of C- or lower in three courses in the department or who drop below a 2.000 GPA in the department are not allowed to continue as majors.

Transfer Credit Toward the Majors: Under no circumstance may advanced placement or dual enrollment credit count toward fulfilling the major. Students who transfer from other institutions or study abroad can count, in most cases, up to six Politics credits and up to six related-course credits from another institution toward the major, subject to the approval of the Undergraduate Director. Such approval is not automatic. Work done elsewhere must be of a suitable nature and quality and must be offered in compliance with departmental rules available from the Undergraduate Director. Students already enrolled at the University who wish to take courses at other institutions must obtain advance approval from the Dean of the College. In the case of courses transferred to the University from other U.S. institutions, the transferred Politics credits may only count toward the elective requirement within the major. In the case of courses transferred from non-U.S. institutions, the transferred Politics credits may count toward any requirement within the major, so long as the Undergraduate Director approves. Students who study abroad for the equivalent of two complete semesters may count up to nine transferred Politics credits, and up to nine related-course credits, toward the major, subject to their advisor’s approval.

Requirements for Minor

A minor program in politics consists of at least 15 credits of course work taken at the University in at least two of the four fields of the department, with a grade of C or better. At least nine credits must be in one field. Of the 15 credits, no more than six may be taken at the introductory (1000) level. At least three credits must be taken at the 4000 or 5000 level. No advanced placement or transfer credit is allowed for a minor.

Students taking the minor in government or foreign affairs should fill out a minor application found on the Department of Politics webpage and take it to the Undergraduate Director for approval. The department’s rules for satisfactory standing apply.

Honors Program

The Department of Politics Honors Program is designed for students with an outstanding record of academic achievement. Its curriculum emphasizes the development of reading, writing, and analytical skills through close interaction with faculty in the Department of Politics. The program offers students unusual flexibility and autonomy to pursue their intellectual goals in creative goals. After being admitted into the program students may elect to take any or all of their courses on an ungraded basis. Students who successfully complete the program receive degrees with Highest Honors, High Honors, Honors, and Pass.

Application Requirements: Second-year students with strong academic records, enthusiasm for independent research, and an aptitude for critical thought are encouraged to apply during the second semester of their second year. Most students admitted into the program have at least a 3.7 GPA before they enter the program at the beginning of their third year.

Application materials include: 1) A two-page personal statement discussing at least two in the study of politics that the student would like to investigate while in the honors program; 2) An official transcript; 3) Two graded papers preferably from the courses in the Politics Department that demonstrate the student’s analytical capabilities; 4) Two letters of recommendation from faculty at the University; 5) A resume listing the students’ academic, extra-curricular and employment credentials. The application deadline is March 1.

Honors Program Curriculum: Beginning in the fall semester of their third year, approximately six students are admitted to the program. Each semester, they take an intensive seminar in one of four subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory. Each seminar includes regular assignments to write critical reviews. Faculty tutors provide students with regular construction evaluation of their work. At the end of each semester, faculty tutors submit a detailed, written evaluation of each student’s performance. Each seminar is worth nine credit hours.

Students take a “Proseminar on Thesis Writing and Research Design.” During their third year, students meet regularly and discuss readings concerning different approaches to social science research. They also meet with fourth-year students who present their on-going thesis projects to seminar. The third-year students develop research proposals for their honors thesis which they complete in their fourth year. Students receive three credit hours for completing the Proseminar.

During their fourth year, students select a faculty advisor for their Honors thesis. They present their ongoing work to the Proseminar on Thesis Writing and Research Design. At the end of the year, students present their thesis at the annual Honors Thesis Colloquium, an event that is open to the public. Students receive six credit hours for completing their thesis by the April 1 deadline. Each year, a faculty committee selects the best thesis for the John White Stevenson Prize which includes a cash award.

In addition to the above requirements, honors students are required to take six elective courses. These may be taken on a Pass-Fail basis or for a grade at the student’s discretion.

Student Evaluations: an outside examining committee is convened by the Honors Program Director. The committee administers written examinations in each of the four subfields and conducts oral exams for all fourth-year students. The committee assesses the results of these exams together with written evaluations for the core seminars and honors theses in deciding the level of honors each student should receive. The committee may award Highest Honors, High Honors, Honors, or pass the student without honors.

For more information on the Politics Honors Program see the program website http://www.virginia.edu/politics/people/ Gerard_Alexander .

The Distinguished Majors Program

Students of high academic achievement are eligible for the department’s Distinguished Majors Program (DMP). Students completing the program graduate with distinction, high distinction, or highest distinction. A prerequisite of three credits of course work in the department and departmental and University GPA’s of 3.400 or above are required for admission. Students wishing to apply should submit an application form, a statement of interest in the DMP, a copy of their current transcript, and two sealed letters of recommendation from faculty members. Students may apply in the second semester of their third year. The application deadline is April 1.

Conferences and Special Activities

Students and faculty of the department meet frequently in informal and off-the-record conferences throughout the session at which discussions are led by visiting authorities from government, business, and educational institutions. Speakers of distinction are also brought to the Grounds by student organizations, including those consisting primarily of students in the department. When appropriate, field trips are organized to study the operation of government and international relations firsthand in nearby Richmond, Washington, and the United Nations.

Additional Information

For more information, contact Lynn Sanders, Director of Undergraduate Programs, Department of Politics, S265 Gibson Hall, P.O. Box 400787, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4787; (434) 924-3613; www.virginia.edu/politics.

Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service

The Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service was created in 1987 by the merger of the former Institute of Government and portions of the former Tayloe Murphy Institute. With research programs in government, public policy, business and economics, and demographics, the center brings multiple perspectives to the study of Virginia. It assists both state and local governments in the Commonwealth with research into specific issues, management expertise, planning, and social and economic data. The center also sponsors professional education programs for government managers and elected officials, through the Virginia Institute of Government, and it hosts the Virginia Institute of Political Leadership. In all its work, the center aims to apply the University’s resources to improving the public life of Virginia.

Center for Politics

Course Descriptions