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As a government major, you’ll learn how to think and write rigorously and creatively about issues of public life. You’ll have the choice of courses in four subfields: American politics (the political behavior, policies and institutions of the U.S.), comparative politics (the institutions and political processes of other nations), political theory and philosophy (normative theories of politics and history of political thought) and international relations (transactions between states, international organizations and transnational actors).
Course offerings reflect the breadth of faculty expertise in this exciting and growing discipline, and the study of Government at Cornell trains students with skills that are in high demand in public service, business, law, the non-profit sector, and many other professions. Our introductory courses in American politics, comparative politics, political theory, and international relations introduce students to the major tools and approaches to the study of politics. From there, students apply these tools to understand the many facets of public life, from contemporary political thought to campaigns and elections, public policy, conflict and peace, and beyond. The Department of Government not only offers a major program, but also an honors program and two minors.
The graduate program in Government at Cornell prepares students for academic and research careers in political science. All students admitted to the program are expected to earn a doctoral degree. Completion of the Ph.D. program normally requires two-to-three years of full-time course work at Cornell and several additional years of dissertation research and writing.
The federal government ended a program that has funded Cornell's Southeast Asia Program and South Asia Program for decades.
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A conversation with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution publisher, former Daily Sun editor, and past Distinguish Visiting Journalist in A&S, whose newspaper will soon be digital-only.
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A Sept. 27 event taking inspiration from the foundations of the Harlem Renaissance will highlight collaboration, resource sharing and storytelling.
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In “Rural Versus Urban: The Growing Divide that Threatens Democracy,” Cornell government scholars Suzanne Mettler and Trevor Brown share findings from their study of data spanning five decades and all 3,143 U.S. counties plus interviews with people in several states.
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Professor Tom Pepinsky comments on the news that Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto has reshuffled his cabinet, removing top economic and security officials.
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“The proposal to rename the Department of Defense back to the Department of War carries symbolic weight but raises questions about substance," says Sarah Kreps, government scholar and former active-duty officer in the U.S. Air Force.
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