2022 Changes to PLSC requirements explained

Change in PLSC Major Requirements Explainer

In December 2021, the Yale College Faculty approved changes to the requirements for the PLSC major.  These changes establish the mandatory major requirements for the class of ’26 and later.  The classes of ’23-’25 are presumptively following the old major requirements, but may elect to satisfy the new ones if they so desire.

Here are the basic differences between the two versions of PLSC major requirements:

Intro Classes (note: these are PLSC classes with numbers between 110-119)

• Old (default for classes up through ’25):
  • No specific requirement
• New (mandatory for ’26 and beyond):
  • At least two

Mid-level (or ‘Core’) lectures (note: these cover most non-intro lectures taught by faculty based in PLSC)

• Old (default for classes up through ’25):
  • No specific requirement (in fact, category did not exist)
• New (mandatory for ’26 and beyond):
  • At least two

Seminars

• Old (default for classes up through ’25):
  • At least two, including at least one in the senior year
• New (mandatory for ’26 and beyond):
  • Same as before (that is, at least two, including at least one in the senior year)

Methodology and Formal Theory (note: currently still known as “Analytical Political Theory”)

• Old (default for classes up through ’25):
  • No specific requirement
• New (mandatory for ’26 and beyond):
  • At least one

Sub-field distribution requirements

• Old (default for classes up through ’25):
  • At least 2 classes in at least three sub-fields
• New (mandatory for ’26 and beyond):
  • At least 2 non-intro classes in at least two sub-fields