You should visit the Undergraduate Advising Office for assistance in completing your political science program planning form (you can find planning forms in the office, or
here). The advisers in this office must sign and date this form in the approval column next to any listed class that requires approval to be counted toward your program (transfer courses, non-traditional courses, etc.). These forms cannot be completed by faculty advisers. Your form will be kept on file in the department, so that you may return each semester to meet with an adviser to update your form.
The advisers are also happy to speak about more substantive issues, including your research interests and theirs, internships and post-college plans. Since they've been through the graduate school application process, the advisers are great resources with whom you may discuss the process. Also, since they're current PhD students in the department, they're quite familiar with most political science faculty research interests, and can therefore refer you to a professor whom you may approach if you're looking for a thesis adviser, a research assistant job, or just looking to connect with a faculty member whose research corresponds to your own interest.
Requesting a Faculty Adviser
Often the best way to obtain advising from a faculty member is to contact a
professor with whom you have taken a class in an area that interests you.
You also have the option of having a faculty adviser
assigned to you. To request a faculty adviser, please fill out the
Faculty Adviser Request Form and submit it to the Undergraduate Coordinator,
Nathalie Neptune, in 710 IAB, during the first two weeks of the semester.
Please remember that faculty availability is different every semester (some go
on leave, their schedules change, etc.), so there is no guarantee that your
assigned faculty adviser will be available in future semesters.
Once
you're assigned an adviser, please contact him or her by email or during
office
hours. Please remember that you may consult your faculty adviser for
any substantive issue, but you still must see an Undergraduate Adviser to have
courses approved and to fill out and update your planning form, or with any
questions about departmental requirements and regulations.
Undergraduate Coordinator
The Undergraduate Coordinator, Nathalie Neptune, organizes the administration
of the undergraduate program. Nathalie is often the first point of
contact for students who want more information about any aspect of the
department's majors and concentrations. She organizes the Undergraduate
Advising office schedule, publicizes internship and other opportunities, and
can provide information about the department's honors program, prizes and
fellowships. Please keep in mind that Nathalie cannot approve any courses
to be counted toward the major (for that, please see an Undergraduate
Adviser). Nathalie is in the office (710 IAB) Monday to Friday, 9am to
5pm. Please email
Nathalie
with any questions or concerns you may have about the program, and she'd be
happy to meet with you or to refer you to the appropriate person.
Director of Undergraduate Studies (DUS)
The DUS, Professor Jack Snyder, oversees the undergraduate program. He
is available during his
office
hours.
While your first stop for
advising should be the Undergraduate Advising Office, the DUS is available to
answer any questions that the Undergraduate Advisers or the Undergraduate
Coordinator cannot. In such a case, Nathalie or the advisers would refer
students to the DUS.
Economics - Political Science Adviser
Econ-Poli Sci majors may consult Professor
David
Epstein during his
office
hours. Please note that you should also see an Undergraduate Adviser to
speak about your major requirements and fill out a planning form. For any
questions about the Econ-Poli Sci program that an Undergraduate Adviser cannot
answer, you'll be referred to Professor Epstein.
Political Science - Statistics Adviser
Poli Sci-Stats majors may consult Professor
Robert
Shapiro during his
office
hours. Please note that you should also see an Undergraduate Adviser to
speak about your major requirements and fill out a planning form. For any
questions about the Poli Sci-Stats program that an Undergraduate Adviser cannot
answer, you'll be referred to Professor Shapiro.
Faculty at-large
You are encouraged to contact any professor for advice during his or her
office
hours or by arrangement, to speak about your interests in any field of
political science, course selection, or any other academic or post-college
issues on which you need advice. For example, faculty members may provide
advice about graduate schools, suggest literature you might consult as sources
for your research, recommend specific courses or professors based on your own
interests, or offer information about research opportunities with faculty.
However, please note that any issues
surrounding departmental regulations and requirements, major certification,
course approvals, etc., should be taken up at the Undergraduate Advising
Office.
