In accordance with the University's policies, the Department of Government and Politics expects students to make timely progress toward graduation. Under normal circumstances, full-time students are expected to complete their degree requirements in four years. Students should successfully complete a specific number of courses each academic year. To help measure progress during the early stages of a student's studies in government and politics, students will have to complete courses designated as benchmarks within a specified number of semesters in order to continue in the major.

Students must complete the following four courses within two semesters of entering the major (B.A. track - no concentration or IR concentration):

  • GVPT170 with a grade of C- or higher
  • One 200-level GVPT course with a grade of C- or higher (may not be experiential learning)
  • One of STAT100, MATH107, MATH120, MATH135, MATH136, or MATH140 with a grade of C- or higher
  • Academic Writing with a grade of C- or higher

Note: At least one of the GVPT courses must not be from AP/IB/CLEP credit.

 

Students must complete the following courses within three semesters of entering the major (B.S. track):

Benchmark 1

Students must complete the following four courses within two semesters of entering the major:

  • GVPT170 with a grade of C- or higher
  • GVPT201 with a grade of C- or higher
  • One of STAT100, MATH107, MATH120, MATH135, MATH136, or MATH140 with a grade of C- or higher
  • Academic Writing with a grade of C- or higher

Benchmark 2

Students must complete the following course within one semesters of completing Benchmark 1:

  • GVPT320 with a grade of C- or higher

 

The two-semester window for completing the benchmark requirements begins in the term for which the major change/addition becomes effective. For example, if you change/add the major AFTER the Schedule Adjustment period for Fall 2022, the effective term for your major change/addition will be the next full term, Spring 2023. You would then have Spring 2023 and Fall 2023 to complete the benchmark requirements. If you change/add the major BEFORE the end of the Schedule Adjustment period, the effective term for your major change/addition is the current term. You would have the current term and the next full term to complete the benchmark requirements. For example, if you change/add the major before the Schedule Adjustment period for Fall 2022, the effective term for your major change/addition will be Fall 2022. You would then have Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 to complete the benchmark requirements.

Students who do not successfully complete the four benchmark requirements within two semesters of entering the GVPT- B.A. major (no concentration or IR concentration) or five courses (benchmarks 1 & 2) within three semesters of entering the GVPT- B.S. major are subject to dismissal from the major. Students who are dismissed from the GVPT major due to failure to meet benchmarks may not return to the major in future semesters.

Benchmark FAQs

Effective Fall 2022, GVPT is transitioning from Limited Enrollment Program Gateway requirements to Benchmark requirements. This change has no impact on current GVPT students who were admitted to the major under the Limited Enrollment Program Gateway requirements and policies. Below are answers to common questions about the transition from LEP Gateways to Benchmarks:

 

1. I am currently a GVPT major and already completed my gateway requirements. Will I have new time-sensitive requirements to complete?

Answer: No, removal of the LEP Gateway requirements does not impact your standing in the major or your remaining requirements.

 

2. I am currently a GVPT major and was admitted directly to the major as a freshman. I am still working on my gateway requirements. Will I have new time-sensitive requirements to complete?

Answer: No, removal of the LEP Gateway requirements does not impact your standing in the major or your remaining requirements. You will continue to be subject to the Gateway requirements that were in place at the time of your admission to the major. Please note, however, that for students completing the GVPT170 Gateway requirement in Spring 2022 or later, an exception will be made to accept a grade of C- or higher.

 

3. Who is impacted by the change to benchmark requirements?

Answer: The new Benchmark requirements apply to students who change their major to GVPT after the end of the Spring 2022 schedule adjustment period (i.e., students who submitted their change/addition of major paperwork on or after February 7th, 2022). If you submitted your change/addition of major paperwork to the BSOS Feller Center on or before December 23rd, 2021, you fall under the LEP Gateway requirements and policies. 

 

4. I entered the major (B.A. track) under gateway requirements and I want to switch concentration/ change to the B.S. track, am I subject to the new benchmark requirements?

Answer: Yes. Students switching concentration or to the B.S. track are subject to the benchmark requirements outlined above. For students switching to the B.S. track in particular, GVPT320 must be completed in the semester following GVPT201 (or GVPT320 must be completed in the first full semester of the entering the track if GVPT201 already completed).