Moderation Requirements
Political Studies Moderation boards aim to assess the student’s performance in the Lower College, interest in politics as an academic field of study, and capacity to undertake course work in the Upper College and to complete a Senior Project. Students are required to write a Moderation response paper (a response to one of four assigned readings), together with two other papers: a self-critical evaluation of past work done within the program and a detailed plan for the Upper College, including any plans for study abroad and ideas for the Senior Project.
Typically students moderate in the spring semester of their sophomore year. Moderations are held over spring Advising Days and are organized centrally through the program. The program will determine the student’s Moderation board, which will include a mix of Political Studies faculty from the four subfields. Instructions on how to sign up for a Moderation board and submit the required Moderation papers will be emailed to the student early in the spring semester.
Fall Moderations are generally discouraged and must be organized individually by the student’s adviser.