General
policy
· Advanced placement credit, for an Advanced Placement score of 4 or 5 in U.S. Politics and Government or Comparative Politics and Government
· Off-campus courses, defined as political science courses completed through a St. Olaf-affiliated off-campus program (i.e., a program listed in the annual International and Domestic Off-Campus Programs brochure)
· Transfer courses, defined as political science courses completed at an institution other than St. Olaf or Carleton (e.g., through a Post-Secondary Education Option [PSEO] course, an interim or summer school course at another college or university, or a course completed through a non-St. Olaf-affiliated domestic or international program)
2. Courses taught by
3. The chair’s approval for credit toward the major must be documented in writing. With the exception of AP credit (which is automatically recorded on a student’s transcript by the Office of the Registrar), a completed Request for Credit Toward a Major, signed by the department chair, must be on file with the student’s academic advisor and the Academic Administrative Assistant of the Department of Political Science in order to receive political science credit for courses completed at other institutions. A signed form indicating final approval for political science credit must be submitted for each course or course equivalent being counted toward the major. This form is available on the website of the Department of Political Science or from the department office. In addition, students seeking St. Olaf credit for transfer courses must submit a completed Permission to Transfer Credit to St. Olaf form to the Office of the Registrar (including a signature from the department chair if the student will seek credit toward the major) BEFORE registering for the course at the other institution.
This policy applies only
to students who enter St. Olaf as first-year students; transfer students must
consult with the department chair to determine which requirements for a
political science major can be met through courses completed at their previous
institution. The awarding of major
credit is not guaranteed for any program or course, particularly in the absence
of prior consultation.
Counting advanced
placement credits toward a major in political science
1. What kinds of advanced placement credits can be counted toward a St. Olaf political science major?
An Advanced Placement score
of 4 or 5 received on one of the CEEB Advanced Placement examinations in
Politics and Government (
2. Can advanced placement credits be used to
satisfy any requirements within the major and/or any General Education
requirements?
Yes:
· A score of 4 or 5 on the U.S. Government and Politics exam is considered the equivalent of PS 111 and satisfies the subfield requirement in American Politics and Public Policy. It also satisfies one General Education requirement in Studies in Human Behavior and Society (HBS).
· A score of 4 or 5 on the Comparative Government and Politics exam is considered the equivalent of PS 112 and satisfies the subfield requirement in Comparative Politics. It also satisfies one General Education requirement in Studies in Human Behavior and Society (HBS).
Please note: Since an advanced placement credit is considered the equivalent of a Level I course, AP credit counts toward the three-course limit for Level I courses within the major.
3. What do students need to do to make sure
they receive the right amount and type of credit toward the political science
major for advanced placement in political science?
If a student receives a 4 or
5 on an Advanced Placement exam in political science, AP credit will be
recorded on the student’s St. Olaf transcript by the Office of the
Registrar as AP Govt/Pol U.S. or AP
Govt/Pol Comp. Students will
automatically receive one Level I credit toward the major in the appropriate
subfield and will receive GE credit as described above. No additional action from the student is
required.
Counting off-campus
courses toward a major in political science
1. What kinds of off-campus courses can be
counted toward a St. Olaf political science major?
To receive one St. Olaf course credit, an off-campus course must carry a minimum of three semester-hour credits or four quarter-hour credits. Eligible courses for the political science major include:
·
Political
science courses offered through a St. Olaf semester abroad program (e.g.,
Global, Middle East, Asia,
·
Political
science courses offered through St. Olaf-affiliated programs at other
Internships
completed through an off-campus program receive St. Olaf credit but may not
be counted toward a St. Olaf political science major unless the internship is
supervised by a St. Olaf faculty member in the Department of Political
Science.
2. Can off-campus courses be used to satisfy
any requirements within the major and/or any General Education requirements?
Yes, off-campus
courses may satisfy some requirements for the political science major, within
the following parameters:
· A subfield requirement may be met by an off-campus course as appropriate to the content of the course.
· One Level III requirement may be met by an off-campus course. To receive Level III credit, a student must complete as part of the course work a research paper using primary sources and analyzing in depth a significant problem of interest to political scientists. The paper must be submitted to the St. Olaf Department of Political Science for review to verify that it reflects departmental criteria for Level III work. In order to receive Level III credit, the paper must:
1. Advance a clear argumentative thesis by testing a hypothesis, proposing an explanation, resolving a legal or philosophical difficulty, or defending a policy or position;
2. Defend the thesis with scholarly evidence, including classic or contemporary sources as appropriate to the topic of the paper;
3. Make explicit use of one or more theoretical concepts or frameworks;
4. Be at least 15 pages in length, exclusive of references;
5. Receive a grade of C or better from the course instructor.
If a Level III off-campus course consists of an independent study or research experience, the student must have completed at least one lower-level course (Level I or II) in the subfield area of the independent study prior to or during the semester in which the independent study is completed.
Off-campus courses may also meet selected General Education
requirements, depending on the course or program; consult the
3. What do students need to do to make sure
they receive the right amount and type of credit toward the political science
major for off-campus courses?
·
Students work with the Office of International
and Off-Campus studies to arrange for credits and grades from their off-campus
programs to be recorded on their St. Olaf transcript.
·
To
receive credit toward the political science major for off-campus course work,
students must submit a Request for Credit Toward a Major form to the
Political Science Academic Administrative Assistant for each political science
credit they wish to receive before registering for the program. The request will be forwarded to the
department chair for approval. If the
request for credit includes sufficient information about course content (such
as a detailed course description or a course syllabus), the chair may provide
final approval for political science credit before the student registers. Otherwise, the chair will provide conditional
approval and indicate what additional information the student will need to
provide after completing the course in order to secure final approval (e.g., a
course syllabus, a portfolio of completed assignments, a major research paper,
etc.). IT IS THE STUDENT’S
RESPONSIBILITY TO SUBMIT THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR FINAL APPROVAL AFTER
COMPLETING THE COURSE OR PROGRAM AND RETURNING TO CAMPUS. Materials should be submitted to the
Political Science Academic Administrative Assistant. Once a request has received final approval,
copies will be provided to the student, the student’s academic advisor, and the
Political Science Academic Administrative Assistant, to ensure accuracy in
certifying that the student has completed the major.
· Most off-campus courses will be designated as Level I or II, but students may request Level III credit (see above). If the student is requesting Level III credit, the student must submit a copy of the research paper(s) prepared for the course to the Political Science Academic Administrative Assistant after returning to campus. The Academic Administrative Assistant will arrange for a St. Olaf political science faculty member to review the paper to determine whether it is equivalent to work submitted in Level III courses taught within the department.
Counting transfer
courses toward a major in political science
1. What kinds of transfer courses can be
counted toward a St. Olaf political science major?
To receive one St. Olaf course credit, a transfer course must carry a minimum of three semester-hour credits or four quarter-hour credits. Common kinds of transfer courses include:
· A transcripted Post-Secondary Enrollment Option (PSEO) course in Political Science completed during a student’s junior or senior year of high school. Additional information concerning college-wide policies on St. Olaf credit for PSEO courses is available on the website of the Office of the Registrar: http://www.stolaf.edu/offices/registrar/apexam.htm
·
Political
science courses offered at institutions other than St. Olaf or Carleton;
students commonly complete such courses during a summer term or January interim
·
Political
science courses completed under the auspices of an off-campus program that is
not affiliated with St. Olaf (i.e., a program that is not listed in St. Olaf’s
annual International and Domestic Off-Campus Programs brochure).
2. Can transfer courses be used to satisfy
any requirements within the major and/or any General Education requirements?
Yes, transfer
courses may satisfy some requirements for the political science major, within
the following parameters:
· A subfield requirement may be met by a transfer course as appropriate to the content of the course.
· One Level III requirement may be met by a transfer course. To receive Level III credit, a student must complete as part of the course work a research paper using primary sources and analyzing in depth a significant problem of interest to political scientists. The paper must be submitted to the St. Olaf Department of Political Science for review to verify that it reflects departmental criteria for Level III work. In order to receive Level III credit, the paper must:
1. Advance a clear argumentative thesis by testing a hypothesis, proposing an explanation, resolving a legal or philosophical difficulty, or defending a policy or position;
2. Defend the thesis with scholarly evidence, including classic or contemporary sources as appropriate to the topic of the paper;
3. Make explicit use of one or more theoretical concepts or frameworks;
4. Be at least 15 pages in length, exclusive of references;
5. Receive a grade of C or better from the course instructor.
If a Level III transfer course consists of an independent study or research experience, the student must have completed at least one lower-level course (Level I or II) in the subfield area of the independent study prior to or during the semester in which the independent study is completed.
Transfer courses may also meet selected General Education
requirements, depending on the course or program; consult the
3. What do students need to do to make sure
they receive the right amount and type of credit toward the political science
major for transfer courses?
· Credit for a PSEO course is recorded on the student’s St. Olaf transcript by the Office of the Registrar. A PSEO course is counted as one Level I elective credit toward the major UNLESS students receive approval from the department chair to count the course differently – for example, as a Level II course, or toward a subfield requirement. To obtain such approval, students must submit a Request for Credit Toward a Major form to the Political Science Academic Administrative Assistant for approval by the department chair. The department chair may require a copy of the syllabus or a detailed course description to accompany the request. Students must also work with the Office of the Registrar to receive GE credit for these courses. For details, see the St. Olaf College Catalog.
·
To receive St. Olaf credit for all other kinds
of transfer courses, students must obtain a Permission to Transfer Credit to
St. Olaf form from the St. Olaf Office of the Registrar, and review the
College’s policies for transfer credit indicated on the form to make sure they
can receive St. Olaf credit for the course they plan to take. They must then complete the form (including a
signature from the department chair if they plan to seek major credit for the
course) and submit it to the St. Olaf Office of the Registrar before
registering for the course or program at the other institution. (Students do NOT need to submit a transfer
request form if they are registering for a St. Olaf-approved off-campus
program; credits from these programs are considered St. Olaf credits rather
than transfer credits.)
·
To
receive credit toward the political science major for transfer course work,
students must submit a Request for Credit Toward a Major form to the
Political Science Academic Administrative Assistant for each political science
credit they wish to receive before registering for the course or program at
the other institution. The request
will be forwarded to the department chair for approval. If the request for credit includes sufficient
information about course content (such as a detailed course description or a
course syllabus), the chair may provide final approval for political science
credit before the student registers.
Otherwise, the chair will provide conditional approval and indicate what
additional information the student will need to provide after completing the
course in order to secure final approval (e.g., a course syllabus, a portfolio
of completed assignments, a major research paper, etc.). IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO SUBMIT
THE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION FOR FINAL APPROVAL AFTER COMPLETING THE COURSE OR
PROGRAM AND RETURNING TO CAMPUS. Materials
should be submitted to the Political Science Academic Administrative Assistant.
Once a request has received final approval, copies will be provided to the
student, the student’s academic advisor, and the Political Science Academic
Administrative Assistant, to ensure accuracy in certifying that the student has
completed the major.
·
Most transfer courses will be designated as Level I
or II, but students may request Level III credit.
Students
requesting Level III credit must submit a copy of the research paper(s)
prepared for the course to the Political Science Academic Administrative
Assistant after returning to campus. The
Academic Administrative Assistant will arrange for a St. Olaf political science
faculty member to review the paper to determine whether it is equivalent to
work submitted in Level III courses taught within the department.
If students have any questions about any of the above policies, they should contact their academic advisor and/or the Academic Administrative Assistant in the Department of Political Science (Shawn Paulson, x3127, paulsons@stolaf.edu).