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.
For students planning to moderate in Spring 2022: you will hand in your short papers to the registrar by March 18th. The Politics moderation paper is not due until April 25th and should be emailed to your moderation board, along with copies of the short papers. Moderations will happen during advising days and the program will determine your moderation board. You will receive the details of your moderation board and time by April 15th.
For the Politics moderation paper, choose one of the articles below, read the article and follow the instructions linked below for how to write your paper.