Government

Chair: B.A. Valentino

Professors L. Baldez, J. Barabas, S.S. Bedi, S.G. Brooks, J. M. Carey, Y. Horiuchi, J.L. Jerit, D.P. Lacy, M.F. Mastanduno, J.R. Muirhead, J.B. Murphy, B.J. Nyhan, D.G. Press, L.A. Swaine, B.A. Valentino, W.C. Wohlforth; Associate Professors J. Bafumi, D.J. Brooks, M.T. Clarke, J.A. Ferwerda, J.A. Friedman, J.M. Lind, J. Lyall, N. Miller, J.L. Rose, D.J. Vandewalle, S. Westwood; Assistant Professors A.N. Breuer, M. Costa, C. Crabtree, K. Powers, Y.Y. Zhou; Visiting Professors Emeritus N.M. Kasfir, L.L. Fowler; Visiting Professors B. Avishai, M. Becker , Y. Mounk, G. Rosenberg; Visiting Senior Lecturers H. C. Clark, B. Fredrickson, M. Herman; Visiting Research Professors H. Nachlis.

To view Government courses, click here.

Department Median Grade Standards

Except under extraordinary circumstances, median grades in government courses will not exceed A- in seminars, and B+ in all other courses.

Requirements for the Major

Political Science is a highly diverse field united around a core interest. Political scientists study power, and especially power used for public purposes: how it is created, organized, distributed, justified, used, resisted, and sometimes destroyed. American political science is traditionally divided into four subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory and Public Law. Students may choose to study within one of these subfields or may choose courses according to some other intellectual plan.

Prerequisite: One course in statistics and the methods of social science: GOVT 10, ECON 10, MATH 10, or QSS 15. The courses LING 10, PSYC 10, or SOCY 10 also may be substituted for Government 10.

Requirements: The Government Major comprises at least ten courses chosen to constitute an intellectually coherent program. (The prerequisite is not considered one of the ten courses). These courses should include:

Two introductory courses;
Six additional courses at any level;
Two advanced seminars in Government or one advanced seminar in Government and the Honors Program, as the culminating experience.

The Culminating Experience: To meet the requirement of an integrative academic experience in the Major, all Majors will be required to complete one of the following:

1. Advanced Seminar (GOVT 81–86). To complete the Major in Government, a student must take an advanced seminar consistent with the goals of the student’s program. Seminar requirements will include a research paper in which each student has the opportunity to integrate material from the study of political science in the analysis of a specific issue or phenomenon. It is expected that under normal circumstances seminar size will not exceed 16. Students are encouraged to take additional advanced seminars. An Independent Study (GOVT 80) may also be accepted as a culminating experience.

2. Honors Program. The Department offers an Honors Program. Seniors participating in the program and completing the thesis (whether or not they receive honors) will thereby fulfill the culminating experience requirement. Those who enter the program and do not finish the thesis, but complete at least one term of the program, may, with the approval of the Director(s) of the Honors Program, be given credit for GOVT 80.

Requirements for the Minor

The Minor in Government shall consist of:

Two introductory courses;
Four upper-level courses, chosen to constitute an intellectually coherent program (GOVT 10 may count as one of the upper-level courses);
One advanced seminar consistent with the goals of the student’s program.

Special Provisions

Under College policy, GOVT 7 (First-Year Seminar) may not be counted toward the Major or Minor.
Transfer students will normally be expected to complete:

a. At least five of the ten courses required for the major on campus, or in courses taught by members of the Department.

b. At least four of the seven courses required for the Minor on campus, or in courses taught by members of the Department.

3. Courses taken under the Non-Recorded Option (NRO), offered by any department, may not be counted toward the Major or Minor, including prerequisite courses.

Requirements for the Modified Majors

The Department of Government offers three Modified Government Majors that combine Government with Economics or Philosophy or both. Student transcripts will note the BOLD titles of these modified majors.

Government Modified with Economics

Prerequisite: Total of three courses, which should include: MATH 3, ECON 1, and GOVT 10, or MATH 10, or ECON 10, or QSS 15 . The courses LING 10, PSYC 10, or SOCY 10 also may be substituted for Government 10.

Requirements: The Government Modified with Economics Major comprises at least 10 courses in addition to the prerequisite. These courses should include:

Two introductory courses in Government (GOVT 3, 4, 5, 6); and two upper-level GOVT courses in Political Economy (see modified major study form for approved Political Economy courses).
ECON 21, ECON 22, and two additional Economics courses numbered between 20 and 69.
Two advanced seminars in Government or one advanced seminar in Government and the Honors Program, as the culminating experience.

Government Modified with Philosophy

Prerequisite: Total of two courses, which should include: PHIL 1 or PHIL 3, and GOVT 10, or MATH 10, or ECON 10, or QSS 15. The courses LING 10, PSYC 10, or SOCY 10 also may be substituted for Government 10.

Requirements: The Government Modified with Philosophy Major comprises at least 11 courses in addition to the prerequisite. These courses should include:

Two introductory courses in Government (GOVT 6 and 3 or 4 or 5); and any three additional courses in Political Theory (any government courses level 60’s or 86’s).
Four additional Philosophy courses, at least 3 of which must be courses numbered 11 or above, in moral, legal, or political philosophy (see modified major study form for approved courses).
Two advanced seminars in Government or one advanced seminar in Government and the Honors Program, as the culminating experience

Government Modified

Prerequisite: Total of two courses, which should include: ECON 1, and GOVT 10, or MATH 10, or ECON 10, or QSS15. The courses LING 10, PSYC 10, or SOCY 10 also may be substituted for Government 10

Requirements: The Government Modified Major comprises at least 10 courses in addition to the prerequisite. These courses should include:

Two introductory courses in Government (GOVT 6 and 3 or 4 or 5); and any two upper-level courses in government.
Two Economics courses in political economy and two Philosophy courses in moral or political philosophy (see modified major study form for approved Economics and Philosophy courses).
Two advanced seminars in Government or one advanced seminar in Government and the Honors Program, as the culminating experience

The Culminating Experience: To meet the requirement of an integrative academic experience in the Major, all Majors will be required to complete one of the following:

1. Advanced Seminar (GOVT 81–86). To complete the Major in Government, a student must take an advanced seminar course consistent with the goals of the student’s program. Seminar requirements will include a research paper in which each student has the opportunity to integrate material from the study of political science in the analysis of a specific issue or phenomenon. It is expected that under normal circumstances seminar size will not exceed 16. Students are encouraged to take additional advanced seminars. An Independent Study (GOVT 80) may also be accepted as a culminating experience.

Apart from these three pre-set modified majors, no other modified Government majors will be approved under any circumstances. This includes both Modified Majors in which Government is the primary component (e.g., Government Modified with History) and those in which it is the secondary component (e.g., History Modified with Government). Students who seek to modify a Major in another department with courses in Government may do so by using the option of a Modified Major without indication of the secondary department (e.g. History Modified).

Non-Recorded Option

Government courses may not be taken under the Non-Recorded Option (NRO). Courses from other departments taken under the Non-Recorded Option may not be counted toward the Major, Minor, or Modified Majors (including prerequisite courses).

Major GPA

The Major GPA is calculated using the average of all completed Government courses (even if the student has completed more than the 10 required courses) with the following exceptions and provisions:

The Major prerequisite(s) are not included in the calculation of the Major GPA;
Government courses being used to fulfill the requirements of other majors or minors are not included in the calculation of the Major GPA;
The Modified major GPA is calculated using the average of all courses listed in the modified major plan (not including the Prerequisites);
Under College policy, GOVT 7 (First-Year Seminar) may not be counted toward the Major, Minor, or Modified Majors. Therefore, GOVT 7 grades are not included in the calculation of the Major GPA.;
Although GOVT 99 (the third course in the Honors Program) may not be counted as one of the Major, or Modified Majors, courses its grade is included in the Major GPA;
Courses with grades E, CT, W or TR are not included in the calculation of the Major or Modified Majors GPA.

Off-Campus Study

Off-Campus Program in London

The Department of Government sponsors a foreign study program at the London School of Economics and Political Science during the fall term. Sixteen students will be selected for the program during the preceding winter term; Any two of the following courses: GOVT 4, GOVT 5, or GOVT 6 serve as prerequisites for this program. Relevant coursework in other departments will also be considered by the program director. Students take two midlevel courses with members of the LSE Department of International Relations (GOVT 90 and GOVT 91). The third course (GOVT 92) is a seminar with the Dartmouth faculty member accompanying the group. Please check the Frank J. Guarani Institute for International Education website at https://guarini.dartmouth.edu/ for further information or contact the program director.

Off-Campus Program in the Baltic Countries

The Department of Government and The Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy and Society offer an interdisciplinary program for government or energy policy students, the Baltic LEAP. This program features custom-designed courses focusing on evolving governance strategies, energy transitions, and the dynamics of democratization, identity, culture, and language in the region. Courses will be provided by the program directors and members of the Vilnius University in Lithuania and the University of Tartu in Estonia. Students in the program will take three courses, two of which can be used toward the government major, modified majors, or minor. These courses are "Baltic Energy Systems and Transition Strategies" (RUSS 24, a midlevel) and a seminar offered by the supervising government faculty member (GOVT 96.04). Please check the Frank J. Guarani Institute for International Education website at https://guarini.dartmouth.edu/ for further information or contact the program director.

Off-Campus Program in Washington

Students in any major may apply to participate in the Government Department’s off-campus program, which is held in Washington, D.C., during the spring term. The program offers three course credits for the following: an independent study that reflects on the links between the internship experience and the academic courses (GOVT 93) and two seminars (GOVT 94 and GOVT 95) offered in Washington by the supervising faculty member. In Washington, students work at their internships Monday through Thursday. Fridays are reserved for excursions and visits to guest speakers drawn from the Washington community (such as members of Congress, government officials, reporters, lobbyists, political activists, and staff at non-governmental organizations). Each seminar meets twice a week in the evening. Please check the Frank J. Guarani Institute for International Education website at https://guarini.dartmouth.edu/ for further information or contact the program director.

Honors Program

The Government Department Honors Program provides qualified undergraduates with an opportunity to complete independent research under the supervision of the members of the Department. Participants define and analyze a specific issue or hypothesis in the field of political science and write a thesis (normally 75 to 125 pages in length). Students should consider the possibility of participating in the Honors Program when first planning their Major. Students must take courses providing necessary preparation in their sophomore and junior years and an advanced seminar in their junior year to allow them to develop a proposal. Students interested in participating in the Government Department Honors Program should obtain information on the Program from the Department Office.

Formally, the Honors Program consists of submission and acceptance of a proposal by the end of the spring term of the junior year and of completion of an Honors thesis within the framework of a three-course sequence during the senior year: GOVT 97 (Fall), GOVT 98 (Winter), and 99 (Spring). GOVT 97 will count as a seminar and GOVT 98 will count as a midlevel course toward either the Major or Minor. GOVT 99 will not count toward the Major, Modified Majors, or Minor.

Each student writing an Honors thesis will be supervised by an advisor(s) who, insofar as possible, have expertise in the area concerned. Students are responsible for securing an advisor from the Government Department before submitting an application to the Honors Program. Participation in Government 98 and 99 also entails regular interaction among Honors students under the direction of the Department’s Honors Program Director(s). The Director(s) share with thesis advisor(s) responsibility for determining grades for the two courses.

Admission to the Honors Program and enrollment in GOVT 97 are granted by the Directors if the following requirements are met:

Grade point average of 3.3 or higher overall and 3.5 or higher in the Major;
Completion of six courses from your Major or Modified Major, plus the methods and statistics prerequisite to the Major (Government 10 or its equivalents). These six courses must include at least one introductory course, two upper-level courses and one advanced seminar before the end of the junior year;
Submission of a proposal by the end of the junior year, and approval by the advisor and the Honors Program Director(s); and
A written statement by a faculty advisor, submitted as part of the thesis proposal, supporting the proposed thesis and indicating a willingness to supervise the student. Advisors must confirm that they will be in residence during the terms when they have responsibility for supervising the Honors thesis.

Admission to the Honors Program will be granted by the Director(s) of the Honors Program and advisor(s) if they approve the thesis proposal and are satisfied that the student has the ability to conduct the necessary research. Students enrolled in GOVT 97 or 98 who, for any reason, cannot continue in the Honors Program may have their course enrollment converted to GOVT 80 (Readings in Government) and complete the requirements for this course under the supervision of their original advisors. Conversion must be formally recorded with the Registrar.

The courses GOVT 098 and GOVT 099 will qualify as the Registrar’s official two course credits for participation in the Honors program.

Students who will be away on an FSP or LSA during the spring term of their junior year are encouraged to discuss their thesis topics with potential advisors before the end of winter term. Extensions will not be granted on account of FSP or LSA participation.

Course Levels

The Department of Government offers courses at different levels:

Prerequisite: a course in the statistics and methods of social sciences (GOVT 10 or its equivalents).
Introductory courses: The Department offers four courses (GOVT 3, 4, 5, and 6), designed to provide an overview of each of the four subfields in Government: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory & Law. Introductory courses are generally designed to be taken as the first courses in the major and usually not later than the end of a student's second year.
Midlevel courses: Courses that explore specific topics in Government in greater depth (these courses are assigned numbers between 11 and 69).
Seminar courses: Advanced, discussion-based, research and writing-intensive courses (these courses are assigned numbers between 80 and 86). Seminars are generally designed to be taken in a student's third or fourth years.
Upper-level courses: Any course except for introductory or prerequisite courses

Government Website

Please check the Department website at http://www.govt.dartmouth.edu for further information, including updated course offerings.

GOVT - Government Courses

Related Sites

Government