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.
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN1501
- Course Title
- Introduction to Comparative Politics
- Instructor
- Kimuli Kasara
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3176
- Course Title
- Liberalism: Origins and Challenges
- Instructor
- Luke MacInnis
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3222
- Course Title
- The American Congress
- Instructor
- Gregory Wawro
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3285
- Course Title
- Freedom of Speech and Press
- Instructor
- Lee C Bollinger
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3290
- Course Title
- Voting and American Politics
- Instructor
- Robert Erikson
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3534
- Course Title
- Autocracy and Democracy
- Instructor
- Timothy M Frye
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3631
- Course Title
- American Foreign Policy
- Instructor
- Roy Licklider
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3648
- Course Title
- Governing the Global Economy
- Instructor
- Nikhar Gaikwad
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3704
- Course Title
- Research Design: Data Analysis
- Instructor
- Shigeo Hirano
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3720
- Course Title
- Research Design: Scope and Methods
- Instructor
- Abdullah Aydogan
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3768
- Course Title
- Experimental Research
- Instructor
- Donald P Green
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3901
- Course Title
- Independent Reading and Research I
- Instructor
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3911.001
- Course Title
- Humans, Nature and the Future
- Instructor
- Benjamin J Mylius
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3921.001
- Course Title
- Sexuality and Citizenship in the US
- Instructor
- Justin H Phillips
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3921.002
- Course Title
- Media and American Politics
- Instructor
- Brigitte Nacos
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3921.004
- Course Title
- Politics of Income Inequality
- Instructor
- Judith Russell
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3921.005
- Course Title
- Immigration Policy and Politics
- Instructor
- Carlos Vargas-Ramos
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3921.006
- Course Title
- Topics in American Democracy
- Instructor
- Lincoln A Mitchell
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3921.008
- Course Title
- Political Psychology
- Instructor
- Yamil R Velez
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3921.009
- Course Title
- Bureaucratic Politics
- Instructor
- Michael Ting
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3951.001
- Course Title
- Protests and Social Movements
- Instructor
- Sarah J Lockwood
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3951.003
- Course Title
- Corruption and the Rule of Law
- Instructor
- Timothy M Frye
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3961.001
- Course Title
- Inequality Within and Between Nations
- Instructor
- David E Spiro
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3961.003
- Course Title
- National Security Policy
- Instructor
- Richard K Betts
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3961.004
- Course Title
- International Politics of the Cold War
- Instructor
- Robert L Jervis
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3961.006
- Course Title
- International Relations of East Asia
- Instructor
- Katrin Katz
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- UN3998
- Course Title
- Honors Seminar
- Instructor
- Macartan Humphreys
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4132
- Course Title
- Political Thought - Classical and Medieval
- Instructor
- Giovanni Giorgini
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4134
- Course Title
- Modern Political Thought
- Instructor
- Nadia Urbinati
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4407
- Course Title
- Nine Thought Trends in China
- Instructor
- Boshu Zhang
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4423
- Course Title
- Political Economy Analysis of Elites and Institutions
- Instructor
- John Marshall
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4453
- Course Title
- Politics in Russia
- Instructor
- Elise Giuliano
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4454
- Course Title
- Political Systems of South Asia
- Instructor
- Philip K Oldenburg
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4461
- Course Title
- Latin American Politics
- Instructor
- Maria Victoria Murillo
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4472
- Course Title
- Japanese Politics
- Instructor
- Takako K Hikotani
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4476
- Course Title
- Korean Politics
- Instructor
- Stephen Noerper
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4496
- Course Title
- Contemporary African Politics
- Instructor
- Kimuli Kasara
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4700
- Course Title
- Mathematics and Statistics for Political Science
- Instructor
- Naoki Egami
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4720
- Course Title
- Quantitative Methods 1: Applied Regression and Causal Inference
- Instructor
- Andrew Gelman
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4724
- Course Title
- Quantitative Methods 3: Experimental Methods
- Instructor
- Donald P Green
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4732
- Course Title
- Research Topics in Game Theory
- Instructor
- Carlo Prato
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4813
- Course Title
- Advances in the Study of International Conflict: Learning from the Experts
- Instructor
- Virginia Page Fortna
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4848
- Course Title
- Israeli National Security, Policy and Decision Making
- Instructor
- Charles D Freilich
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4863
- Course Title
- International Political Economy of Developing Countries
- Instructor
- Nikhar Gaikwad
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GU4895
- Course Title
- War, Peace, and Strategy
- Instructor
- Richard K Betts
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GR6411
- Course Title
- Comparative Politics Survey I
- Instructor
- John Marshall
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GR6801
- Course Title
- Theories of International Relations
- Instructor
- Jack L Snyder
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GR8210
- Course Title
- Colloquium on Political Behavior
- Instructor
- Robert Y Shapiro
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GR8427
- Course Title
- Comparative Ethnic Politics
- Instructor
- Daniel M Corstange
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GR9010
- Course Title
- Special Research Course
- Instructor
- Term
- Fall
- Subject Code
- POLS
- Course Number
- GR9901
- Course Title
- Dissertation Seminar
- Instructor
- Virginia Page Fortna
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.
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN1601
Course Title
- Introduction to International Politics
Instructor
- TBA
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3112
Course Title
- Gandhi, King and the Politics of Nonviolence
Instructor
- Karuna Mantena
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3208
Course Title
- State Politics
Instructor
- Justin H Philips
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3213
Course Title
- American Urban Politics
Instructor
- Carlos Vargas-Ramos
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3225
Course Title
- American Constitutional History
Instructor
- Robert Tortoriello
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3591
Course Title
- Civil Wars and Political Violence
Instructor
- Sarah J Lockwood
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3619
Course Title
- Nationalism and Contemporary World Politics
Instructor
- Jack L Snyder
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3720
Course Title
- Research Design: Scope and Methods
Instructor
- Daniel Corstange
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3871
Course Title
- China's Foreign Relations
Instructor
- Thomas Christensen
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3902
Course Title
- Independent Reading and Research II
Instructor
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3912.001
Course Title
- Tocqueville's "Democracy in America"
Instructor
- Jon Elster
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3912.002
Course Title
- Populism, Democracy and Rights
Instructor
- Jean Cohen
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3922.001
Course Title
- Contemporary Electoral Politics
Instructor
- Robert Erikson
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3922.002
Course Title
- Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Instructor
- Brigitte Nacos
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3922.003
Course Title
- Equality and the Law
Instructor
- Robert L Amdur
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3922.004
Course Title
- Policymaking
Instructor
- Judith Russell
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3922.005
Course Title
- Politics and Policy: State and Local Government
Instructor
- Gerard Bushell
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3922.006
Course Title
- Political Parties in U.S. Politics
Instructor
- Lincoln Mitchell
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3952.001
Course Title
- Information, Media, and Political Behavior
Instructor
- John Marshall
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3962.001
Course Title
- Topics in International Security
Instructor
- Jack L Snyder
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3962.002
Course Title
- Foreign Policy Decision-Making
Instructor
- Yarhi-Milo
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3962.003
Course Title
- International Crises Since the Cold War and the Emergent Post-Post-Cold War Era
Instructor
- Jeremiah S Pam
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3962.004
Course Title
- International Law
Instructor
- Jean Krasno
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3962.005
Course Title
- Solving Global Problems
Instructor
- Giulio Gallarotti
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3999
Course Title
- Honors Seminar
Instructor
- Macartan Humphreys
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4110
Course Title
- Recent Continental Political Thought
Instructor
- Jean Cohen
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4139
Course Title
- Tocqueville on the Ancient Regime and the Revolution of 1789
Instructor
- Jon Elster
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4406
Course Title
- Politics in Contemporary China
Instructor
- Boshu Zhang
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4434
Course Title
- Ethnic Politics Across Post-Soviet Eurasia
Instructor
- Elise Giuliano
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4436
Course Title
- Populism in Europe and the World
Instructor
- Paula Ganga
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4710
Course Title
- Principles of Quantitative Political Research 1
Instructor
- Robert Y Shapiro
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4722
Course Title
- Quantitative Methods 2: Statistical Theory and Causal Inference
Instructor
- Naoki Egami
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4730
Course Title
- Game Theory and Political Theory
Instructor
- John Huber
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4823
Course Title
- China and the World Economy
Instructor
- Austin Strange
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4865
Course Title
- International Political Economy
Instructor
- Davit Sahakyan
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR5000
Course Title
- M.A. Proseminar
Instructor
- Chiara Superti
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR6101
Course Title
- Issues in Political Theory
Instructor
- Turkuler Isiksel
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR6211
Course Title
- Theories and Debates in American Politics II
Instructor
- Donald P Green
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR6412
Course Title
- Comparative Politics Survey II
Instructor
- Kimuli Kasara
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8152
Course Title
- Empirical Studies of Justice
Instructor
- Jon Elster
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8203
Course Title
- State and Local Politics
Instructor
- Justin H Phillips
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8211
Course Title
- Political Economy of Institutions
Instructor
- Carlo Prato
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8219
Course Title
- Elections
Instructor
- Robert Erikson
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8426
Course Title
- Comparative Democratic Processes
Instructor
- John Huber
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8428
Course Title
- The Politics of Autocracy
Instructor
- Timothy Frye
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8832
Course Title
- Theories of Interstate War and Peace
Instructor
- Jack Levy
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8866
Course Title
- International Signaling and Communication
Instructor
- Robert L Jervis
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8870
Course Title
- US Relations with East Asia
Instructor
- Takako Hikotani
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR9010
Course Title
- Special Research Course
Instructor
Term
- Spring
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR9902
Course Title
- Dissertation Seminar
Instructor
- Virginia Page Fortna
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.
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3177
Course Title
- Reason and Politics
Instructor
- Luke MacInnis
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3922
Course Title
- The First Amendment
Instructor
- Robert Amdur
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3922
Course Title
- US Presidential Powers
Instructor
- John Sivolella
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3962
Course Title
- Contemporary Diplomacy
Instructor
- Rebecca Murphy
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- UN3623
Course Title
- Terminating War and Building Peace
Instructor
- Sarah Daly
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4471
Course Title
- Chinese Politics
Instructor
- Junyan Jiang
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GU4712
Course Title
- Principles of Quantitative Political Research 2
Instructor
- Robert Y Shapiro
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8102
Course Title
- Anticolonial and Post-colonial Thought
Instructor
- Karuna Mantena
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8245
Course Title
- Controversies in American Politics
Instructor
- Shigeo Hirano
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8412
Course Title
- Political Economy of Development
Instructor
- Junyan Jiang
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8420
Course Title
- Political Culture, Political Participation, and Regime Legitimacy
Instructor
- Andrew Nathan
Term
- Summer A
Subject Code
- POLS
Course Number
- GR8854
Course Title
- Civil and Ethnic Wars
Instructor
- Sarah Daly