Spring 2025: March 12 — June 25
Subject: PS
Course Level: 200
Number of Credits: 4 U.S. / 8 ECTS
Max Enrollment: 22
Schedule: Mon, Wed 16:00 – 17:20 CET (Berlin) | 10:00 – 11:20 AM EDT (New York)
Distribution Area: Social Analysis
Language of Instruction: Russian
Course Prerequisites: Russian B2 / Equivalent or higher

This course provides a systematic and comprehensive overview of comparative politics as an academic discipline, emphasizing the methodologies, theories, and key concepts essential for analyzing and comparing political systems, institutions, and processes worldwide. Students will explore the origins and evolution of political science, examine its interconnections with political theory, and appreciate the distinctive analytical frameworks that define the field. Key topics include an in-depth analysis of political regimes, the separation of powers and its associated checks and balances, electoral systems, party systems, state-society relations, and democratic accountability. Through engagement with seminal texts and contemporary empirical research, students will develop critical skills to evaluate diverse models and theoretical assumptions, gaining practical insights into the dynamics of modern states.

Guidelines for the Statement of Purpose:
Craft a reflective statement of purpose explaining your interest in the Smolny Beyond Borders online course. The file should be saved with your name and course title as the filename and uploaded accordingly. Your statement’s clarity and substance will significantly influence our selection. Convey your motivations and aspirations for this course succinctly but thoroughly. Kindly write your statement in the course’s Language of Instruction.

Application Portal Instructions:
1) Use the Latin alphabet for all entries on the portal, including your name. If the Language of Instruction is Russian, you may use Cyrillic only within the Statement of Purpose file, and the title of the file should still be in English.
2) Refrain from using email addresses associated with Russian or Belarusian educational institutions.
3) While completing the “Required Information” section, ensure you fill in the “Province” field for your address.
4) Provide an address outside Russia or Belarus in both the “Required Information” and “Geographic Location Confirmation” sections of the “Online Course Application”. This ensures we can send your transcript.
5) You must press the “Sign” button twice during the application.
6) If you hold a bachelor’s degree, select “4th+” in the “Academic Year (online)” section.
7) Applicants either unaffiliated or affiliated with educational institutions in Russia and Belarus should list ‘Smolny Beyond Borders’ as their educational institution.
8) In the student ID section, enter ‘SBB’.
9) Consider drafting your motivation letter ahead of time. Save it as a separate file with this format: LastName_FirstName_CourseTitle for a smoother application process.