Political Science
Policy Regarding Transfer of Credits for Political Science
(Approved September 12, 1996; Amended Sept. 24, 1997; Amended August 24, 2007; Amended February 22, 2009)The Political Science Department's Policy for transferring credits differs if you are a transfer or a non-transfer student. Transfer students are students who have attended some university or college prior to enrolling at Reed and who are transferring credits from that university. Non-transfer students are students who began and are continuing their studies at Reed but who plan to take classes elsewhere (while on leave or over the summer).
Transfer Students
Transfer students must submit their requests for transfer units within one year of arriving at Reed. The Department recognizes that transfer students may face difficulties in completing all the requirements for a major in a timely way. For Group B credit or HSS divisional requirements the Department requires enrolled students to take one 200-level Political Science course and any other political science course, but no more than one course from Political Science 230 (formerly 200) and 386-415. However, depending on a transfer student's past courses, the Department will consider petitions that grant transfer students greater flexibility in their program. In particular, if they meet the guidelines below, transfer students may apply their existing transfer credits to the requirements, including the 200 level Political Science courses. However, once transfer students are at Reed, they may not complete the 200 level Political Science course requirement by taking courses elsewhere.
The Department will waive a Pol 200 requirement if the student has already taken an introductory course equivalent to one of the four 200 courses. If you are a transfer student who plans to become a Political Science major, the Department requires that at least two Pol 200 courses be completed at Reed if you are transferring in as a sophomore. Two Pol 200 courses are highly recommended if you are transferring in as a junior.
The Department will grant credit for political science courses typically offered at other universities to meet the non-introductory part of Group or Divisional requirements. Students who have 1.5 transfer credits in Political Science must still take an extra political science course to complete the Group or Divisional requirement.
Once a student has transferred to Reed, the department does not normally approve additional units in Political Science taken elsewhere. This is especially the case if the student did not request transfer credit before registering for a course elsewhere.
Non-transfer Students
Sometimes, Reed students take political science courses at another university in the United States or overseas. If you plan to do so, you should discuss your courses in advance with the Department. Present the Department with course descriptions and, if available, a syllabus. The following rules apply to course pre-approval requests for all Reed study abroad programs as well as credits transferred from non-Reed approved programs.
The Department never waives taking Pol 200 courses as a requirement for Group B and Divisional requirements. For example, if you take two political science courses at Harvard or Sarah Lawrence over a semester, we will count only one of those courses towards your Group B or Divisional requirement. This is the case even if the other course you took was an introductory political science course.
The Department normally grants credit for upper level political science courses taken at other universities. You may use one such course towards Group B or Divisional requirements. If you are a major, you may take a maximum of two upper level courses at another university to meet your upper level political science course requirements.
Majors will note that some 200 level courses are offered once a year, and they may not be able to take the course either due to a schedule conflict or enrollment in study abroad programs. In these cases, upon the adviser's recommendation, the Department will consider granting credit for courses that are equivalent to Pol 200 level courses taken at other universities. But generally the department strongly prefers that majors take all three required 200 level courses at Reed.
