The graduating class of '23 and '24 have their coursework organized around "Fields of Study." This matches the graduate program's themes of research and coursework organization.
Beginning with the class of '25, the department has reorganized and updated the undergraduate curriculum around "Career Concentrations." This changes some of the requirements and reorganizes research themes. The Class of 2025 will declare their intention to select the "Fields of Study" or "Concentrations" organization for their major. The default assumption is that the Class of 2025 will use the new requirements as outlined below, but members of the Class of 2025 can opt for the existing requirements, since in many cases students have taken classes in anticipation of this course of study. Each student must choose at the time of declaring the major.
Members of the Class of 2025 who have already declared will complete the major under the "fields of study" requirements.
Members of the Class of 2026 and beyond will use the "concentrations" requirements to guide their major progress.
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The undergraduate political science curriculum at Duke is divided into six fields of study for the class of '23 and '24.
Normative Political Theory and Political Philosophy (N)
This field interprets, critiques, and constructs philosophical conceptions and arguments concerning morally appropriate and prudent standards and purposes for political actors and regimes. Topics include historically influential theories, the genealogy of political ideas, democratic theory, and contemporary theories of legitimacy, identity, ethics, the good society, and social justice. Political Theory in the Triangle is the calendar source for local events.
See courses in Normative Political Theory and Political Philosophy
Political Behavior and Identities (BI)
This field is concerned with the formation and acquisition of political attitudes, beliefs, and preferences by individuals and groups; and how those beliefs, attitudes, and preferences, as well as various social identities map onto political behaviors and decision-making. Specific areas of study within this field include the origin, nature, and measurement of public opinion; voting and elections; mass participation; collective action; political parties; interest groups; and disruptive political action.
See our courses in Political Behavior and Identities
Political Economy (PE)
This field examines the reciprocal relationships between politics and markets, both within and among countries, using a variety of analytical tools, including those of economics. Its concerns include interactions among economic and political development; cooperation and conflict among nations, groups, and individuals; the distribution of material resources and political power; the effects of political actors and institutions on economic outcomes; the causes and consequences of technological and structural change, growth, and globalization; and regulation.
See our courses in Political Economy
Political Institutions (PI)
This field studies the formal and informal rules, practices, and regularities at both the domestic and international level that guide and constrain political choices and activities. It is concerned with the emergence, dynamics, and consequences of institutions in both authoritarian and non-authoritarian regimes. This focus includes constitutional design and how the organization of legislatures, parties, judiciaries, markets and other social structures shape relationships between individuals and states and, in turn, the factors shaping the emergence and evolution of those institutions.
See courses in Political Institutions
Political Methodology (M)
This field focuses on scholarship directed at providing appropriate methodologies for investigating theoretically motivated political questions. Departmental activities in methods are organized around deductive/analytical, empirical/inductive, and computational approaches to modeling political phenomena.
See courses in Political Methodology
Security, Peace, and Conflict (SPC)
This field is dedicated to the study of political violence – armed conflict both within and across state borders – and to the study of politics in the shadow of violence. We seek to understand the causes of armed conflict and violence, the conduct and consequences of the use of violence and coercion by state and non-state actors, and the conditions under which the peace and security of states, societies, groups and individuals can be protected. Toward these ends, we examine the policies and strategies used by states and other political agents – both domestic and international – to control, manage, contain or prevent the use of political violence.
The undergraduate political science curriculum at Duke is divided into five career concentrations for the class of '25 and beyond.
American Political Institutions and Behavior
“American politics” is the largest of the fields in traditional Political Science, and it examines the federal system created by the constitution, the conflict between majorities and individual rights, and how race and identity are expressed in electoral conflicts.
CAREERS: consulting, think tanks, non-profits and other non-governmental organizations, law school, governmental organizations, political campaigns, as well as a broad liberal arts preparation for leadership.
International Relations
“IR” is a traditional field in Political Science, where ideas of "power" and "empire" originated. Modern IR focuses more on collaboration and trade. IR also addresses the conduct and consequences of the use of violence and coercion by state and non-state actors, and the conditions under which the peace and security of states, societies, groups and individuals can be protected.
CAREERS: Government and military service U.S. and abroad, consulting, law school, think tanks, non-profits and other non-governmental organizations, international finance, risk analysis
Law and Political Theory
Political theory focuses on both normative theory and the technical functioning of rules, laws, and procedures. This field interprets, critiques, and constructs philosophical conceptions and arguments concerning morally appropriate and prudent standards and purposes for political actors and regimes. Topics include historically influential theories, the genealogy of political ideas, democratic theory, and contemporary theories of legitimacy, identity, ethics, the good society, and social justice.
CAREERS: Law school, consulting, international organizations and non-profits, as well as a liberal arts foundation for sturdy ethical flourishing in a democracy.
Decision Theory and Data Science
This new concentration follows closely with the existing Decision Science Certificate courses. If you are interested in behavioral economics, game theory, machine learning or neuroeconomics, this concentration will provide an interdisciplinary appreciation for how these (often) separate fields all approach decision making.
CAREERS: Social media, consulting, political campaigns, policy analysis, sales and marketing
Political Economy
This field examines the reciprocal relationships between politics and markets, both within and among countries, using a variety of analytical tools, including those of economics. Its concerns include interactions among economic and political development; cooperation and conflict among nations, groups, and individuals; the distribution of material resources and political power; the effects of political actors and institutions on economic outcomes; the causes and consequences of technological and structural change, growth, and globalization; and regulation.
CAREERS: consulting, government agencies and public service, think tanks, non-profits and other non-governmental organizations, finance, risk analysis, analysis of inequality