Politics Major Requirements

Both Government and Foreign Affairs consist of 30 credits of course work in the Department of Politics plus 12 hours of related coursework, as specified below.

Prerequisites to declare a Government or Foreign Affairs major

• Six credits of PLxx coursework, taken at UVa (i.e., no transfer courses). Students must earn a grade of “C” or better in each course, and have an average GPA of 2.5 across the two. The 2.5 GPA requirement is waived for Spring 2020 through Summer 2021 courses with a grade of “Credit.” 
• If declaring during your fourth term (spring of second year): current enrollment in one additional PLxx course.
• If declaring during your fifth term (fall of third year), including incoming third-year transfer students: current enrollment in two additional PLxx courses. 

If you have not completed any Politics courses with a grade of C or better before your third year or fifth term, you may request to defer the declaration of the Government major if you are currently enrolled in two PLxx courses at UVa.

Minimum Performance Requirements

Only courses with a grade of at least “C” count toward major requirements.  

Students who earn a grade of “C–” or lower in three PLxx courses may not continue as majors.

Note about CR/GC/NC during COVID: Per University policy, courses with a grade of CR taken during spring 2020 through summer 2021 will count toward the major.

Major Course Requirements

Distribution (12 credits)

Three credits in each of the four political science subfields:

• American Politics (PLAP)
• Comparative Politics (PLCP)
• International Relations (PLIR)
• Political Theory (PLPT)

Concentration (9 credits)

• Government Major (AP Track): nine additional PLAP credits
• Government Major (PT Track): nine additional PLPT credits
• Foreign Affairs Major: nine additional PLCP and/or PLIR credits

Government / Foreign Affairs Electives (9 credits)

Nine additional credits in any Politics Department courses:

• American Politics (PLAP)
• Comparative Politics (PLCP)
• International Relations (PLIR)
• Political Theory (PLPT)
• Cross-field, methodology, and department-wide (PLAD)

Related Courses (12 credits)

Twelve credits in courses from closely related disciplines other than Politics. SIS will automatically pick up courses with the following mnemonics:

AAS, AMST, ANTH, COMM 3410, COMM 3420, EAST, ECON, ETP, GDS, GSGS, GSSJ, GSVS, HIAF, HIEA, HIEU, HILA, HIME, HISA, HIST, HIUS, MDST, MESA, MEST, PHIL, LPPA, LPPP (except LPPP 3001 and LPPP 3559), LPPS, PSYC, RELA, RELB, RELC, RELG, RELH, RELI, RELJ, RELS, SOC, WGS.

In extraordinary circumstances, the Director of the Undergraduate Program will consider other courses for approval.

Course Level Requirements

• PLxx 1000-level: no more than 9 credits
• PLxx 3000-level or above: at least 15 credits
• PLxx 4000-level or above: at least 3 credits
• Related courses 3000-level or above: at least 6 credits

Dual Enrollment & AP Credit

No advanced placement (AP) or dual enrollment credit may count toward the 30 hours of PL coursework required for the major or for Related Courses credit.

Transfer & Study-Abroad Credit

With the approval of the DUP, and in accordance with College guidelines, the following transfer/study abroad credit may count toward major requirements.

• Up to six hours of PL transfer/study abroad credit may count toward the Government or Foreign Affairs Elective requirement. 
• Up to six hours of transfer credit may count toward the Related Courses requirement.

See the College Transfer Course Requirements website for transfer of credit forms from U.S. Institutions.

For study abroad programs, students should initiate the process of approvals well before the program begins. Refer to the College’s Study Abroad website for vital information.

Politics Minor Requirements

A minor program in Government and Foreign Affairs requires at least 15 hours (with grades of ‘C’ or better) of resident course work in at least two of the four fields of the Department. The four fields from which you must choose are: American Politics (PLAP), Political Theory (PLPT), Comparative Politics (PLCP) and International Relations (PLIR). At least 9 hours must be in one field. No more than 6 hours may be taken at the introductory level, with a limit of 3 introductory hours per field. At least 3 hours must be taken at the 4000 or 5000 level.

Students taking the minor in Government and Foreign Affairs should register by filling out this form and returning it to the Undergraduate Office in Gibson S183. At the beginning of their last semester before graduation students should verify with the Undergraduate Assistant that the courses taken will fulfill the minor program.

How to Declare a Major or Minor

For non-transfer students and second-year transfer students

1. Decide on either a Government or a Foreign Affairs major after reviewing the requirements for each major listed above. The majors are similar but have different areas of focus.
2. Download the worksheets for the major you wish to declare:

• Government Major Worksheet
• Foreign Affairs Worksheet

1. Fill out this worksheet to outline the courses you’ll use to fulfill the major requirements, paying attention to the subfield and course level requirements. Remember that this is a plan of study that demonstrates your knowledge of our requirements and your plan to fulfill them.  It is not a firm commitment to take particular courses because new courses may be added, others may not be offered in the term you planned, and your preferences may change. You should consider not just the courses offered in the current term, but our complete course catalog, available through SIS or Lou’s List (https://louslist.org/CC/Politics.html).
2. Save and rename the file to lead with your last name (e.g., Smith_PoliticsMajorWorksheet-ForeignAffairs).
3. Email this renamed file as an attachment to our Undergraduate Assistant, Sharon Marsh.
4. We will review your worksheet, and return it to you, directing you to the College Forms site to fill out the DocuSign Declaration of Major form. Copy your PLxx list of courses from worksheet onto the College form, and complete the DocuSign process. (The College form lists only PLxx courses; don’t include your related courses.)

Per University policy, courses with a grade of CR taken during spring 2020 through summer 2021 will count toward the major.

For third-year transfer students

Most transfer students entering UVa as third years (i.e. granted four semesters to complete the College degree), will wish to declare a major immediately upon your matriculation to UVa.  To do so, follow the process outlined above, with the following alterations:

• If you have at least one course from your previous college that was granted PLxx credit, you need to take only one PL course at UVa in your initial fall term to declare the major. You may use this one class in the “pre-requisite” category of the Major Declaration form.
• That said, if possible, many of you will still want to take two politics courses in your initial term to make progress in the major.
• If you have no classes from your previous institution that transferred in as PLxx classes, you will need to take two classes here before you can declare our major.
• Do not choose classes that duplicate courses you completed at your previous institution and for which you have received College credit. Check your transfer credit report and/or your Course History listing at your Student Center in SIS.

With these considerations in mind, follow the procedure as set out above.

With the Major Declaration form submitted, complete your PLxx classes successfully with a grade of at least C. We will email your Major Worksheet to you at the end of the term, so you can complete your College Declaration of Major form, via the DocuSign process indicated above.

Deferral of major declaration

College students who have not completed any Politics courses with a grade of C or better before their third year or fifth term may request to defer the declaration of the Government or Foreign Affairs major. To request a deferral, students must be currently enrolled in two Politics courses at UVA. 

Major Advising

The Department holds two group advising sessions each semester in the weeks before preregistration. At these sessions, the Director of Undergraduate Programs and the Undergraduate Assistant will review major requirements, answer questions, and release your advising hold so you can register for courses. Watch for announcements of the advising session each semesters.  You must attend one of these sessions or come see Ms. Marsh in her office to have your advising hold lifted.

For questions about major or minor requirements, whether particular courses count, dealing with SIS, and the like, please contact Undergraduate Assistant Sharon Marsh at smm4g@virginia.edu or in S183 Gibson Hall.

Each Politics major has a faculty advisor assigned when you declare the major. Faculty advisors are happy to discuss the discipline of political science, your course of study, your future plans, and/or the meaning of life. They can also answer questions about major requirements.  You can email your faculty advisor, come to their regular office hours, or schedule a meeting for a different time via email. 

Information for Transfer Students

Students who plan to major in Government or Foreign Affairs will ideally lay the groundwork for their major at UVA before they arrive on Grounds. Two Politics courses taken at another institution may count towards the elective credit in each of our majors. Completion of at least one Politics course before arrival at UVA and Summer and/or Fall enrollment in two Politics courses will enable students transferring into the College to declare a Government or Foreign Affairs major in the Fall of their third year.

All transfer students should consult the Director of Undergraduate Programs about their plans.

Transfer Student Orientation Presentation

For additional information on how to declare your politics major as a transfer student, please see the section above.

Forms

• Government Major Declaration Worksheet
• Foreign Affairs Major Declaration Worksheet
• Minor Requirements/Declaration
• Exception Request Form
• Honors Program Application

FAQs

Can I get major credit for Politics courses taken in a Study Abroad Program?

Yes. As stated in our requirements, with approval, up to six credits may be directly applied to the major elective component of your program. An additional six credits may be applied as related courses.

1. Start by visiting the College’s Study Abroad website and the University’s Education Abroad site to familiarize yourself with the wealth of resources available. All students must complete the “Education Abroad Workshop” available there. The steps to follow are clearly laid out in this workshop.
2. If you will be attending a “UVa direct credit program,” you are all set. Courses taken in UVa programs are treated just like courses taken on Grounds.
3. If your program is not UVa direct credit: Well before you actually go abroad, obtain the College’s Study Abroad Credit approval form and choose the classes you will be taking. Gather as much information (description, syllabus, etc.) about the courses as possible.
4. Bring or email the form to the Department’s Director of the Undergraduate Program.
5. Upon approval the form should be submitted to the College Dean Abigail Holeman.

If I take a cross-listed Politics course under a non-PLxx mnemonic, will this apply to my major or minor?

PLxx courses that are cross-listed count towards our majors and our minor as PLxx courses, even when you are enrolled under the cross-listed mnemonic (e.g. EVSC, MDST, LPPA). To ensure that SIS recognizes this, please email the Undergraduate Program Administrator (Ms. Sharon Marsh, Gibson room S183) with this information. Because cross-listed courses are Politics courses, they do not count toward the Related Courses requirement. 

How many courses do I need before I can declare a major in Government or Foreign Affairs?

See the section above, "Politics Major Requirements."

Where are the forms to fill out for a major?

The forms are electronically on this page, or in hard copy from S183 Gibson Hall.

Do Advanced Placement (AP) classes count toward major or minor requirements?

No.

Do high-school dual enrollment courses count toward major or minor requirements?

No.

Do transfer courses from other institutions count toward major or minor requirements?

Yes, if you have received UVa transfer credit for course(s). With the approval of the DUP, and in accordance with College guidelines, you may count the following toward major requirements:

• Up to six hours of PLxx transfer and/or study abroad credit toward the Government or Foreign Affairs Elective component major requirements.
• Up to six hours of non-PLxx transfer and/or study abroad credit may count toward the Related Courses requirement.

See the College Forms website for transfer of credit forms from U.S. Institutions.

For study abroad programs, students should initiate the process of approvals well before the program begins. Refer to the College’s Study Abroad website for vital information.

Can I create an independent study course in Politics?

We strongly discourage independent studies by undergraduate students in the Politics Department. It almost always better for students to find a seminar that meets their interests and enroll in that. We allow very rare exceptions. These are instances when a Politics Department faculty member and an undergraduate student decide together to pursue a particular topic outside of the confines of an established course.

If a faculty member has suggested an independent study to you, then you should consult with her or him about preparing a syllabus for the independent study. You and the instructor will need to create a schedule of weekly meetings outside of faculty office hours and a complete list of readings and assignments you will complete during the term of the independent study. Your readings and assignments should be at least the amount you see in a typical 4000 or 5000 level seminar, meaning at least 150-200 pages of reading a week and writing assignments adding up to at least 2,500 words. Then you will submit your plans to the DUP, who will approve or disapprove your independent study.

Can I double-count a class toward the major and toward another UVA graduation requirement?

Yes. Courses that meet UVA distribution requirements (e.g. “social science”, “humanities”) can also count toward the 30 hours of PLxx credit required for the major and toward the 12 hours of related credit.

Can I count the same course toward two majors or toward both a major and a minor?

Students may declare a second major in another department or program, in which case the application for a degree must be approved by both departments or interdepartmental programs. Students receive one diploma, but the double major status is reflected on their transcript. Students who double major must submit at lease 18 credits in each major, credits applied toward one major may not be included in the core 18 hours of the major, and no more than two courses can be counted simultaneously for two majors unless one or both majors is interdisciplinary.

Students may apply up to two classes (six credits) toward both Government or Foreign Affairs and a second major.

Can I double-major or minor in Government and Foreign Affairs?

No. You must choose just one of our majors. You can of course take more than the 30 hours required.

Can I receive credit for an internship?

Yes, but not for PLxx credit toward the 30 hours required for the major. For questions on how to obtain and/or receive academic credit for internships, consult the UVA Career Center’s website on internships.

What do I do when I want to declare a major or minor in Government or Foreign Affairs?

See the sections, above.

My advisor is gone for the semester/year. How do I get a new one?

If your advisor is on leave for a fully academic year, you will be assigned a new advisor. If your advisor is gone for only one semester, see any other faculty member or the DUP.

What counts as a related course for my major?

Both of our majors require 12 credits of courses in "Related" disciplines other than Politics. See the Major Requirements section, above, for details on which courses. In extraordinary circumstances, the Director of Undergraduate Programs can consider other courses for approval.

How can I change the courses that SIS counts toward the Related Courses requirement?

SIS automatically picks up Related Courses based on the mnemonic, and there is no way to tell SIS not to count one of those courses. You may petition the Director of Undergraduate Programs to approve courses that are not automatically picked up by SIS.

Can I change the courses that SIS uses to calculate my major GPA?

SIS’s algorithm for identifying major courses cannot be changed. However, your major GPA does not print on your transcript, so consistent with the honor code you may calculate your major GPA using whichever courses you have taken that meet the major requirements. (See the sections, above, for the major requirements, and consult with Ms. Marsh if you have any questions or concerns about which courses count toward which requirements.)

When can I meet with my advisor or the DUP?

Most faculty members have regular office hours and prefer that you visit them during those hours if possible. Please note that these are subject to change each semester. If you have an unmovable conflict with your advisor's or the DUP's office hours, you should contact them by email to schedule an alternate meeting time.