2020-21 Year at a Glance

As announced by the President of Columbia University in April 2020, the 2020-2021 academic year will be comprised of three semesters:  Fall 2020, Spring 2021, and Summer 2021. The Department of Political Science will therefore offer courses in each of these terms.

This page provides an overview of the department's course offerings for all three terms, to help students as they make decisions and plans for the academic year ahead. Please note that this schedule may be subject to change, and students are encouraged not only to revisit this page but also to confirm the course listings in the online Directory of Courses and Vergil, where course descriptions and class meeting times will be posted. 

In addition to semester-long (14-week) course offerings, the Department of Political Science will also offer 7-week “immersive courses.” These courses will cover a semester’s worth of material in a shorter period of time and will meet for twice as many hours per week, allowing more contact between faculty and students and more sustained focus on the class content. They will be offered in either the first half of a semester (e.g., Fall A, Spring A, Summer A) or in the second half of a semester (e.g., Fall B, Spring B, Summer B).

Please contact the following people with questions about the courses listed below or with questions about undergraduate or graduate programs of study:

  • For undergraduate major(s) and concentration(s): Maria Lema, Academic Affairs Coordinator 
  • For graduate programs: Holly Martis, Graduate Program Coordinator

 

Fall 2020
  • “Fall” term courses will run the full 14-week term: Tues., Sept. 8, 2020 – Wed., Dec. 23, 2020.
  • “Fall A” courses will run during the first half of the term: Tues., Sept. 8, 2020 – Fri., Oct. 23, 2020.
  • “Fall B” courses will run during the second half of the term: Mon., Oct. 26, 2020 – Wed., Dec. 23, 2020.
  • Course descriptions, as well as specific sections and meeting times, can be found in the online Directory of Classes.

Spring 2021
  • “Spring” term courses will run the full 14-week term: Mon., Jan. 11, 2021 – Mon., Apr. 26, 2021.
  • “Spring A” courses will run during the first half of the term: Mon., Jan. 11, 2021 – Fri., Feb. 26, 2021.
  • “Spring B” courses will run during the second half of the term: Mon., Mar. 8, 2021 – Mon., Apr. 26, 2021.
  • Course descriptions, as well as specific sections and meeting times, will be available in advance of the early registration period in November 2020.

Summer 2021
  • “Summer X” courses will run the full 14-week term: Mon., May 3, 2021 – Mon., August 16, 2021
  • “Summer A” courses will run during the first half of the term: Mon., May 3, 2021 – Fri., June 18, 2021.
  • “Summer B” courses will run during the second half of the term: Mon., June 28, 2021 – Mon., Aug. 16, 2021.
  • Course descriptions, as well as specific sections and meeting times, will be available in advance of Summer registration in April 2021.