Department Website
Program Description
A vibrant home for those interested in government and public affairs, the Wilf Family Department of Politics gives students the skills needed to reach a deeper analytical understanding of political events that is grounded in logic and evidence. We encourage a truly scientific inquiry into politics that informs a critical discussion of political institutions and a rigorous approach to effecting positive political change.
We offer courses in political theory, quantitative and formal political analysis, American politics, comparative politics, and international politics. Our curriculum covers a wide range of substantive topics including law, elections, ethnic conflict, justice, economic development, political accountability, war and peacekeeping, public policy, democracy, political economy, strategy, and political attitudes and beliefs. Our faculty specializes in the politics of the United States and countries around the globe. Courses are regularly offered on Latin America, Western and Eastern Europe, Africa, Russia, India, China, and Japan.
The analytical skills gained by Politics majors prepare them for a wide range of careers. Our graduates accept positions with governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), think tanks, international finance groups, multinational corporations, law firms, and other institutions. Many pursue further study in fields such as political science, law, and public and international affairs at highly competitive universities.
Honors Program
The honors track of the major requires ten 4-credit courses (40 credits), including all requirements for the Politics major in addition to ECON-UA 1 Introduction to Macroeconomics or ECON-UA 2 Introduction to Microeconomics. Admission to and completion of the honors program requires a GPA of 3.65 both overall and in the Politics major. The deadline for application is March 1 in spring of junior year, when interested students submit a two-to-three-page thesis proposal outlining a research question. To be eligible for application, students must have completed or be currently enrolled in POL-UA 850 Introduction to Research Methods for Politics (must be taken at NYU Washington Square), as well as either ECON-UA 1 Introduction to Macroeconomics or ECON-UA 2 Introduction to Microeconomics (must also be taken at Washington Square, and AP scores cannot satisfy this requirement); they must also have successfully completed at least four POL-UA courses. Admitted students register for an 8-credit honors sequence consisting of POL-UA 950 Senior Honors I in the fall and POL-UA 951 Senior Honors II in the spring. The thesis and its oral defense must be approved by both the instructor teaching POL-UA 951 and the second reader of the thesis, and students must earn at least an A- in both honors courses to be awarded honors. All honors students present at the Politics Department Honors Research Conference in April of their senior year.
Preparation for Law School
Although law schools do not require any particular major or course of study, Politics can be an especially useful field for students planning legal study and a career in law. Students interested in a course of study that prepares them for law school may wish to choose courses in consultation with the College’s Prelaw Program. For information about the program, please visit prelaw.cas.nyu.edu.
Admissions
New York University's Office of Undergraduate Admissions supports the application process for all undergraduate programs at NYU. For additional information about undergraduate admissions, including application requirements, see How to Apply.
Program Requirements
The major in Politics requires ten 4-credit courses (40 credits) in the department chosen in consultation with a departmental adviser, as outlined below. All major courses must be completed with a grade of C or better; courses graded as Pass/Fail do not count. Although it is not required for the major, POL-UA 850 Introduction to Research Methods for Politics is strongly recommended. Students are advised to take it before enrolling in other advanced courses in the major.
This program offers a track in American Political Practice and Leadership that affords students the opportunity to gain skills and experience in applied American politics (via a study-away semester at NYU Washington, DC). See below for track requirements.
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| 4 |
| EXPOS-UA 1 | Writing as Inquiry | 4 |
| 1 | 16 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| 4 |
| Political Theory | |
| Power & Politics in America | |
| Comparative Politics | |
| International Politics | |
| 28 |
| 40 |
| Total Credits | 128 |
Subfield Courses (8 + 4 Credits)
The first two subfield courses must be completed at NYU Washington Square; transfer students who have already taken courses at the introductory level may petition the department to have these courses count as politics electives.
The one additional (third) subfield course must also be taken at Washington Square and transfer credits cannot meet this requirement. It can be either an introductory-level or upper-level course. Note that POL-UA 8xx courses (the Analytical subfield: research methods and/or game theory) and POL-UA 9xx courses (which can fall into different subfields depending on content) may both be used for the third subfield course, but POL-UA 970 Internship in Pol & Govt and POL-UA 990 Readings & Research do not count.
Seven Politics Electives (28 Credits)
All courses taught in the politics department at NYU Washington Square qualify as politics electives, with the exception of POL-UA 970 Internship in Pol & Govt and POL-UA 990 Readings & Research. The latter two courses count as CAS general electives.
American Political Practice and Leadership Track
This track (open only to declared Politics majors) offers students the opportunity to gain skills and experience in applied American politics via a study away semester at NYU’s site in Washington, DC, while also acquiring the analytical understanding provided by American politics courses offered at NYU Washington Square.
Course List
| Course |
Title |
Credits |
| POL-UA 300 | Power & Politics in America (at the Washington Square campus) | 4 |
| 4 |
| NODEP-UA 9982 | Experiential Learning Seminar (at the Washington, D.C. campus) | 4 |
| 2 | 12 |
| The Presidency | |
| American Constitution | |
| American Public Opinion & Pressure Groups | |
| Topics: (Campaign Strategy and Media in Domestic and International Campaigns) | |
| Topics: (Identities in American Politics in the 21st Century) | |
| Public Policy | |
| The Presidency | |
| Controversies in Public Policy: Logic and Evidence | |
| American Constitution | |
| Civil Liberties | |
| The U.S. Supreme Court | |
| Private Influence in Public Policy | |
| American Public Opinion | |
| The Election Process | |
| The Politics of Administrative Law | |
| Politics of Poverty & Welfare | |
| American Field Sem: (with permission of the departmental adviser for this track) | |
| Total Credits | 24 |
Graduate Courses Open to Undergraduates
Courses at the 1000 and 2000 levels are open to exceptional undergraduates with an adequate background in politics. Requires written permission of the instructor or, in the instructor’s absence, the director of graduate studies.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of program requirements, students are expected to have acquired:
- The ability to analyze both complex political issues and quantitative data.
- Knowledge of the fundamental theoretical debates in the subfields of politics.
- Advanced knowledge of specialized topics in politics and the requisite skills for conducting sophisticated research on those topics.
- Fluency in presenting well-grounded arguments, both orally and in writing.
Policies
Program Policies
Advanced Placement Scores
Students can use AP scores of 4 or 5 in Government-US and Government-Comparative to satisfy up to 8 credits of politics electives, but must request this online (see the Politics Department Advising website).
Double Counting of Courses
Students majoring in Politics may double-count no more than two courses between this major and a second major or a minor. They must first secure permission from both the Department of Politics and the other major or minor department or program. See the Politics Department Advising website for approval.
Study Away
Students studying away at any NYU-affiliated Global site or at one of NYU’s International Partner Universities may petition (well in advance of studying away) to use courses listed or cross-listed as politics courses to satisfy up to 12 credits of politics electives. See the Politics Department Advising website for more information.
Transfer Students and Transfer Credits
Students who wish to have a transfer course count as a politics elective must send the syllabus to the Department of Politics for approval (see the Politics Department Advising website). Department policy is that up to 20 of the required 28 credits in politics electives (which amounts to one-half of the entire 40-credit major) may be fulfilled with transfer credits, AP scores, and/or study away credits at NYU or International Partner sites. Transfer students already at this maximum must take the remaining 8 credits of politics electives in the politics department at NYU Washington Square. Transfer credit cannot be applied toward the requirement of three subfield courses. All transfer students must also complete one-half of all their courses in CAS (-UA).
Transfer Students from Liberal Studies to CAS
Note that GWC-UF 102 Global Works and Society in a Changing World qualifies as a politics elective. This course will automatically be recorded as qualifying as a politics elective on students’ Degree Progress Reports.
NYU Policies
University-wide policies can be found on the New York University Policy pages.
College of Arts and Science Policies
A full list of relevant academic policies can be found on the CAS Academic Policies page.