Harvard's Government Department is one of the leading Political Science communities in the United States. It represents a broad and changing spectrum of interests, backgrounds, and approaches. We have strength in teaching and research not only in the four main fields of Political Science—American Politics, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, and International Relations—but also in Quantitative Methods and Formal Theory as well in thematic areas such as Political Economy. The Department’s graduate program trains students for careers in university teaching and advanced research in Political Science. Our 165 Ph.D. candidates receive hands-on training by conducting supervised dissertation research and by working with faculty in research projects and undergraduate teaching. A diverse graduate student body benefits from classroom and other intellectual opportunities in robust programs at Harvard in Political Science and cognate disciplines, some of the top international studies centers in the world, and a remarkable array of research institutes and seminars that draw scholars from around the globe. With over 300 undergraduate concentrators, the Government Department also has one of the largest concentrations in Harvard College. Together our faculty, graduate students, and undergraduate concentrators comprise a vibrant community of Political Science scholars and students at Harvard.  

Government is offered as both a concentration and a secondary field.