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How to Declare Government

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Declaring Government as your concentration is an easy 3-step process: 

  1. Submit a declaration of concentration request on my.harvard. Directions on how to do that can be found here. Note that the declaration won’t be approved by the Government Department until you complete step #3 below.
  2. Complete a plan of study. Please download the Government Department’s Plan of Study form and fill it out. To make sure you’re including all of the courses you need, reference our Concentration Requirements.
  3. Meet with a CA to review your plan of study. A concentration adviser (CA) will need to sign your plan of study before your concentration declaration can be approved. Each House has a CA (or two) specifically assigned to students in that House. You can sign up to meet with your CA on their appointment calendar.

Double concentrations with Government

A double concentration means that you are completing two separate concentrations at the same time. There does not need to be academic overlap between the two fields, and per Harvard College rules, you cannot double count more than 2 classes (8 credits) for the two fields.

To declare a double concentration, simply complete the 3-step declaration process above and then separately complete the declaration process for your other concentration. As you prepare your plans of study for Government and your other concentration, make sure that you are not double counting more than 2 classes (8 credits) for the two fields.

Joint concentrations with Government

A joint concentration requires combining two related fields into a single course of study. The centerpiece of a joint concentration is a single senior-honors thesis that meets the requirements of two different disciplines.

Because a joint concentration requires substantial planning to ensure that it lends itself to a single thesis project, it requires an application. Sophomores cannot apply for the joint concentration. Sophomores who might be interested in applying for a joint concentration in the future should declare the two fields as a double concentration in the interim.

More information about the joint concentration can be found here.

Optional Curricular Programs in Government

The Government Department offers optional curricular programs in Data Science, Tech Science, Public Policy, Political Economy, & Law and Justice.  You do not need to declare these when you declare your concentration, though you may want to speak with your concentration adviser (CA) about your interest in these programs when choosing the classes for your plan of study. If you have particular questions about a program or you want to complete the paperwork to declare one of the programs, please get in touch with the following advisers:

We hope the information above helps you as you explore your options and decide on the concentration that is best for you. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about the concentration.