The Government Department encourages you to study abroad
Living in a foreign country and gaining fluency in another language not only are valuable parts of a liberal education, but also can lead to a better understanding of the keys concerns of political science.
The first step in any plan to study abroad, whether during term time or summer, is to consult with the Office of International Education. It is located at 1414 Massachusetts Avenue, 3rd floor and can also be reached at (617) 496-2722, or oie@fas.harvard.edu. The OIE maintains a list of approved programs and a database of reviews by returning Harvard students.
The Government DUS/ADUS can guide you
Once you have one or more programs abroad in mind, meet with the Government Department’s DUS or ADUS to make sure that your plan of study is aligned with your intellectual interests and aims. For example, if you intend to write a thesis, you may need to plan carefully to make sure that you have time to take the required Gov 94 seminar(s), to find a thesis adviser, and to meet any thesis funding deadlines.
Policies for study abroad
You should meet with the DUS or ADUS before you go on study abroad to talk about your academic plans. This is particularly important if you are planning to use study-abroad coursework to meet concentration requirements.
Courses taken abroad for concentration credit must be approved ahead of time by the Government DUS/ADUS. They are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and must be similar in both content and rigor to those offered in the Government Department. Ordinarily, courses taken on study abroad can count only toward the requirement for Government concentration electives; other concentration requirements (e.g., subfield requirements, the Gov 94 seminar requirement) must usually be met through coursework at Harvard.
Semester study abroad: Government concentrators on semester study abroad may petition to receive up to 4-8 credits (the equivalent of 1-2 Harvard College courses) of Government elective credit per semester abroad.
Summer study abroad: Government concentrators who complete summer study abroad may petition to receive up to 4 credits (the equivalent of one Harvard College course) of Government elective credit for their study-abroad coursework.
Secondary field students: No courses on study abroad can be used toward the Government secondary field. This applies to both semester and summer study abroad programs.
Once abroad, you may find that you need to change your preliminary course selection. Students in this situation should enter any changes through the Study Abroad portal. It is in your interest to keep the Government Undergraduate Program and the OIE informed of all course changes as they occur.
Grade requirements for courses taken abroad
To receive final approval for concentration credit, you must earn a B- or better in each course. The OIE and the Department will receive a copy of your final transcript. Study abroad courses do not show up individually on a student’s Harvard record/transcript, so they cannot count toward your concentration or overall GPA, even if they have been approved by the DUS/ADUS for concentration credit and there are grades on the study abroad transcript.