Basic Introduction to the Political Science Major

Please note that two of our introductory lecture courses have writing intensive sections: PLSC114 Introduction to Political Philosophy and PLSC118 The Moral Foundations of Politics. These sections are designed to give students' writing close critical attention. In doing so, they provide an excellent opportunity for freshmen students to improve their writing skills.

The Yale College Program of Study provides the authoritative description of the Department’s programs and requirements. The two most popular versions of the major are the Standard major and the Interdisciplinary concentration major (described below).

	Standard Major	Interdisciplinary Concentration Major	Intensive Major
Requirements of the major	11 term courses	12 term courses	11 term courses
Specific courses required	None	None	PLSC 474b (Directed reading & research for junior intensive majors); PLSC 493 (2-term senior essay-with specific adviser.)
Distribution of courses	2 courses in each of 3 fields.* Minimum of 2 sems. (at least one in senior year)	2 courses in each of 2 fields plus 7 in field of concentration.* Minimum of 2 sems. (at least one in senior year).	2 courses in each of 3 fields.* 1 seminar plus PLSC 474b
Substitution permitted:	Relevant college sems. by Polisci faculty	Up to 3 courses in other depts	Relevant college sems. by Polisci faculty
Senior Requirements	Senior seminar essay**	Senior seminar essay** in field of concentration	2-term senior essay (PLSC 493 – with specific adviser)

* The five fields are: American Government, Comparative Government, International Relations, Analytical Political Theory and Political Philosophy.
** Other options include the Yearlong Senior Essay and Individual Directed Readings.