Minor in Government

The Government Minor

Requirements for the Minor

The Government Minor at Georgetown comprises six courses:  four foundational courses and two electives. The foundational courses include:

• GOVT 1200 U.S. Political Systems (unless satisfied by a qualifying score in AP American Government and Politics)
• GOVT 1400 Comparative Political Systems 
• GOVT 1600 International Relations 
• GOVT 1800 Elements of Political Theory 

[NB: With the exception of transfer students, those who minor in Government must complete the foundational courses at Georgetown.]

In addition to the foundational courses, students who want to minor in Government take two electives offered by the Government Department.

Declaring the Minor

Students may declare a minor in Government at any point after the first semester of sophomore year, by notifying their College Dean.  The DUS is happy to meet with anyone who wants to discuss minoring in Government, but such a meeting is not required. 

However, if student would like to have a course offered by another Department count for credit toward the Government minor, that requires review and approval by the DUS.  This is limited to one class. 

Study Abroad

Government Minors may take one course during Study Abroad that can count toward the Minor, provided the course is Politics, Political Science, Political Theory, or International Relations.  The Director of Undergraduate Studies [DUS] decides whether the course merits transfer credit toward the minor, upon review of the syllabus, after the student returns.

Transfer Students

Upon matriculation, Transfer students work with their Dean to decide whether courses at the previous institutions may be accepted for credit toward the Government minor.  The limit, for a Government minor, is two.