About Columbia Political Science

The Department of Political Science at Columbia University was founded in 1880 and was the first of its kind in the country. Today it is one of the largest departments in the university, serving one of the largest undergraduate majors on campus and annually attracting an elite group of graduate students. Its faculty includes leaders and prizewinners in every subfield in the discipline. Its graduates are leaders in global and domestic private and public sector organizations and professors in world-class colleges and universities in the U.S. and abroad. 

Co-curricular Seminars and Workshops

The Department of Political Science hosts a range of co-curricular seminars and workshops designed to enrich learning beyond the classroom. These sessions are designed to offer faculty and graduate students opportunities to engage with current research, develop practical skills, and connect with faculty, peers, and visiting scholars.

Who Can Attend

Attendance at the department's seminars and workshops is by invitation. Each seminar maintains its own participant list, tailored to the session's topic, level, and objectives. Eligibility may vary by seminar—some are open to students at particular stages of study, while others are intended for specialized groups or research interests.

How to Join

Persons outside the department who would like to attend should email [email protected], stating the reason for requesting to join and their academic affiliations. 

​Please note that job talks in the Department of Political Science are part of a confidential personnel process and are open only to faculty and graduate students affiliated with the Department. Colleagues from other institutes or departments may attend by invitation from the search committee, based on substantive expertise relevant to the search and subject to the Chair’s approval.