Program Guidelines

Students who pursue comparative politics as a major or minor field typically take the gateway course, PS 641, "Proseminar in Comparative Politics" in their first term. We recommend at least two additional courses that treat broad themes from a cross-national perspective—for example, courses on comparative democratic institutions, comparative political behavior, comparative public policy, political economy, and political economy of development. Students taking comparative as a major field will also want to take courses that develop a regional specialization or other very strong empirical base, such as a familiarity with transition economies.

Familiarity with research design is essential. The sub-field offers its own research design course on an occasional basis. In other years, PS 680 covers much of the same material, with examples drawn largely from American politics.

We strongly encourage students to consider courses in other departments to supplement the curriculum the department offers. Economics, sociology, and history routinely offer courses that comparative politics specialists find helpful.