Government Requirements

The Department of Government is a community of teachers and students dedicated to the study of politics, defined as the contest for and exercise of power.

At the conclusion of their course of study, majors in government should know (a) the major theoretical arguments about the nature and purpose of political communities, (b) the salient features and the strengths and weaknesses of various political systems and the reasons for those strengths and weaknesses, (c) the principal theoretical frameworks for understanding the causes of international cooperation and conflict, and (d) the basic research methods used by political scientists.

Our graduates will demonstrate the ability (a) to think critically and creatively, (b) to conduct political science research systematically, identifying and evaluating different sources of information and evidence, and (c) to communicate the results of that research effectively .

Chair, Professor Joseph Reisert

Professors Guilain Denoeux, Joseph Reisert, Kenneth Rodman, Daniel Shea, and Jennifer Yoder; Associate Professors Nicholas Jacobs, Carrie LeVan, and Lindsay Mayka; Assistant Professors Holly Dunn, Vivian Ferillo, Nazli Konya, and Gloria Xiong; Visiting Assistant Professor Volker Schmitz

Fulfillment of the government major requires successful completion of at least 10 courses in Government. Required courses include Government 111, 131, and 171; at least one introductory comparative course (Government 252, 253, 255, 256, or 259); and a 400-level senior seminar. Students must also satisfy the department’s methods requirement, either by taking GO 281, or by taking Psychology 214 and 215 or Sociology 271; note, however, that methods courses taken in other departments do not count toward the 10-course requirement.

Government majors should aim to complete all of the required 100-level courses by the end of their sophomore year. Note that the only 100-level courses that may be counted for the major are the required introductory courses. Exception: when an Integrated Studies Program course cluster includes two 100-level courses taught by government faculty, the whole Integrated Studies cluster can count as one elective course toward the major.

Students with a score of 5 on the Advanced Placement examination in U.S. Government and Politics may elect to substitute a 200- or 300-level course in American politics taken at Colby for Government 111.

Normally, the introductory comparative course should be taken before the end of sophomore year, especially for those students contemplating study abroad. Government 281 should be completed in either the sophomore or junior year. All of the required courses must be taken at Colby, including the 100-level courses, research methods (281 or approved alternatives), the introductory comparative course (252, 253, 255, 256, or 259), and the 400-level seminar.

Courses transferred from other institutions can count (up to a maximum of two) in the 10-course requirement. For transfer students, the department will count up to five courses from the previous institution with the permission of the department chair, excluding the seminar. Students taking government courses abroad must secure provisional approval for each course prior to leaving; upon return to Colby, brief descriptions of work completed must be submitted to the department for final approval.

No government major may take any government course satisfactory/unsatisfactory; only courses in which a grade of C- or better is received may be counted as part of the major. No requirement for the government major may be waived without written permission of the department chair. Independent study projects do not count toward the required 10 courses. Jan Plan independent study shall be limited to two credits, unless an exception has been granted by the department chair.

Introductory courses at the 100 level, as well as the 200-level comparative politics courses, are normally limited to 40 students, other 200- and 300-level courses to 25 students, and 400-level courses to 12 students.

Internships are encouraged so that students can experience the practical as well as the more theoretical aspects of the field. The department offers two fellowships to support government majors who undertake either an internship or a significant research project.

For those who intend to pursue the study of government in more depth, the department offers a senior thesis program that emphasizes substantial independent research under the close guidance of one or two members of the faculty.  To be eligible, students require a 3.5 GPA in the major or permission of the department chair. Students seeking admission to the honors program are expected to seek approval of a sponsor and the department chair before the conclusion of their junior year. 

The senior thesis is worth eight credits. Honors work appears on the transcript as GO 483 and GO 484; senior thesis students may receive Jan Plan credit for on-campus thesis work during the January term. Like other independent study coursework, GO 483 and 484 do not count toward the total of 10 courses required to complete the major. 

Participants in the honors program are expected to participate in the Government Department’s honors workshop and to present their projects at the Colby Liberal Arts Symposium. Students whose theses are judged worthy of honors by the department faculty will graduate with “Honors in Government.”