2025-2026 Catalog

Government and Law, A.B. Major

Requirements

The major consists of a minimum of 10 courses:

Three introductory courses from:

GOVT 101Introduction to United States Politics

1

GOVT 102Introduction to International Politics

1

GOVT 103Introduction to Comparative Politics

1

GOVT 104Introduction to Political Theory

1

Two seminar courses:

Two 400-level seminars

Or

One 400-level seminar

And

Honors thesis

Five additional courses:

GOVT Five additional Government and Law electives

Introductory Courses/Subfields

Exposure to each of the four subfields required (United States Politics, International Politics, Comparative Politics, Political Theory) AND exposure beyond the introductory level in at least three of the subfields:

United States Politics:

GOVT 101Introduction to United States Politics

1

GOVT 207Race and Ethnicity in American Politics

1

GOVT 211State and Local Government and Politics

1

GOVT 213Law and Society

1

GOVT 215Campaigns and Elections in the U.S.

1

GOVT 218Politics of Public Policy

1

GOVT 245Early American Political Thought

1

GOVT 258Political Opinion and Participation in the U.S.

1

GOVT 310Politics, Policy, and Law in American Federalism

1

GOVT 311Constitutional Law and Politics in the United States

1

GOVT 313First Amendment in the United States: Law and Politics

1

GOVT 314Liberty in the United States: Law and Politics

1

GOVT 315Equality in the United States: Law and Politics

1

GOVT 320The Presidency and Executive Politics

1

GOVT 321Congress and the Legislative Process

1

GOVT 407Law and Social Movements

1

GOVT 410Personality and Supreme Court Decision Making

1

GOVT 421American Political Economy

1

GOVT 424Immigration Politics in the United States

1

GOVT 425Global Perspectives on American Federalism

1

International Politics:

GOVT 102Introduction to International Politics

1

GOVT 220The United States and Latin American Relations

1

GOVT 230International Politics of the Middle East and Persian Gulf

1

GOVT 231Global Environmental Politics

1

GOVT 232International Political Economy

1

GOVT 235International Law and Organization

1

GOVT 238East Asian International Relations

1

GOVT 270Chinese Foreign Policy

1

GOVT 331Politics of the European Union

1

GOVT 332Globalization and Security

1

GOVT 334American Security Policy

1

GOVT 336International Conflict

1

GOVT 405US Foreign Policy in a Changing World

1

GOVT 412Politics of European Integration

1

GOVT 415Nationalism in World Politics

1

GOVT 419Global Governance

1

Comparative Politics:

GOVT 103Introduction to Comparative Politics

1

GOVT 223Politics of Africa

1

GOVT 225Politics of Russia, the Other Post-Soviet States, and Eastern Europe

1

GOVT 226Political Regimes and Regime Change

1

GOVT 227Latin American Political History from the Conquest to the Present

1

GOVT 228Democratization and Democratic Breakdown

1

GOVT 230International Politics of the Middle East and Persian Gulf

1

GOVT 412Politics of European Integration

1

GOVT 415Nationalism in World Politics

1

GOVT 420Issues in Contemporary Latin American Politics

1

GOVT 422Britain and Brexit

1

Political Theory:

GOVT 104Introduction to Political Theory

1

GOVT 241The Politics of Fashion

1

GOVT 242African American Political Thought

1

GOVT 244Modern Political Theory

1

GOVT 245Early American Political Thought

1

GOVT 246Recent American Political Thought

1

GOVT 248Capitalism and its Critics

1

GOVT 341Contemporary Political Thought

1

GOVT 414Political Thought through Literature

1

GOVT 416Critical Theory: Power and Resistance

1

GOVT 418Race, Prisons, Citizenship

1

GOVT 423The Radical Right: Rage, Race, Conspiracy

1

 

Seminars:

GOVT 405US Foreign Policy in a Changing World

1

GOVT 407Law and Social Movements

1

GOVT 410Personality and Supreme Court Decision Making

1

GOVT 412Politics of European Integration

1

GOVT 414Political Thought through Literature

1

GOVT 415Nationalism in World Politics

1

GOVT 416Critical Theory: Power and Resistance

1

GOVT 418Race, Prisons, Citizenship

1

GOVT 419Global Governance

1

GOVT 420Issues in Contemporary Latin American Politics

1

GOVT 421American Political Economy

1

GOVT 422Britain and Brexit

1

GOVT 423The Radical Right: Rage, Race, Conspiracy

1

GOVT 424Immigration Politics in the United States

1

GOVT 425Global Perspectives on American Federalism

1

General Courses:

GOVT 380Internship

1

GOVT 390-391Independent Study

1

GOVT 495-496Thesis

1

Coordinate majors: Government and Law with Religion, and Foreign Languages and Literatures.

This page reflects the requirements for completing this major. General graduation requirements for all students can be found here