• You are encouraged to declare early in the process so that you have ample time to schedule a meeting with your academic advisor. The deadline to declare is April 17th. For more details on the Registrar’s process, please follow the declaration instructions distributed by your residential college dean.

• Once you declare SPIA as your major, you must complete the Designate Policy area electronic form.

• Your choice of Policy Area will help guide you and your academic advisor during course selection throughout the next two years. Taking courses in your policy area will help provide a depth of knowledge that will prepare you for junior and senior independent work.

• You will be assigned an academic advisor upon completion of Policy area electronic form and department verification of prerequisites.

You will be able to meet with your advisor between March 30 and April 18. The Undergraduate Program office will distribute instructions on how to schedule an appointment. Your adviser must approve your fall course selection before course enrollment begins on April 19.

You should list the courses you are planning to take in the fall on the DAPF (department academic planning form) prior to your meeting with your advisor. Before completing the DAPF you should review the requirements and electives posted on the website.

To complete the University requirement for junior independent work, each concentrator must enroll in one Policy Task Force and one Research Seminar during their junior year; they cannot be taken in the same semester. Note, the research seminar carries course credit whereas the task force does not. The process of choosing a Task Force and Research Seminar will take place after course registration. You should therefore enroll in no more than four courses during course registration and you will be asked to drop one when you return in the fall if you are assigned to a Research Seminar.

For those interested in taking a policy task force abroad, please consult with a study abroad advisor. SPIA will be hosting two task forces abroad in Spring 2024:

1. Pembroke College at Cambridge: Application due April 10, 2023
2. University of Cape Town: Application due October 6, 2023

If you are opting to take a policy task force abroad (Spring 2024), you must register for a Research Seminar for the fall semester.

When you choose your courses, remember that most of the Task Forces and Research Seminars will meet on Monday afternoons (1:30-4:00pm); some may meet in the evening on Monday, Tuesday or Thursday (7:30-10:00pm); selecting courses that meet on Monday afternoon could therefore restrict your choice of Task Force or Research Seminar.  Students who select a research seminar should also keep in mind the required lab component of the course meets on Wednesday evenings, 7:30-10:00pm

You must select your approved courses in TigerHub https://registrar.princeton.edu/tigerhub/ for the fall semester on APRIL 19.