Director:
Professor Bueno de Mesquita

Deputy director:
Clinical Associate Professor Rama

The Alexander Hamilton Center fosters the development of policy solutions to pressing domestic and international issues. The Center’s teaching and research functions emphasize considerations such as the design of governing institutions, the development and distribution of human capital, and the means by which fundamental policy issues can be resolved or advanced through the promotion of efficient and effective solutions that are sensitive to political, economic, and social realities.

The Center offers a number of undergraduate courses in political economy, in addition to a certificate program.

Certificate

The Alexander Hamilton Center Certificate is a unique credential that demonstrates highly developed skills in political economy analysis. Students interested in careers and/or graduate study in policy will benefit from the rigorous training in analytical methodology provided by the certificate course work.

Applications to the certificate program are rolling, although students typically apply in the spring of their junior year. (They may apply earlier if they have fulfilled the requirements.) The Center welcomes applications from students of all majors. To be considered for admission to the program, students should have an overall GPA of at least 3.3. Students with lower GPAs will be considered if they have a strong recommendation from a faculty member affiliated with the Center.

The prerequisites for admission are Quantitative Methods for Political Science (V53.0800), a course in microeconomics, and at least one Hamilton seminar.

The certificate program consists of four Hamilton seminars, in addition to V53.0800. Hamilton seminars taken prior to starting the program will count toward the certificate requirements. (Only one internship may be counted toward the certificate.) Students must earn at least a B in each of the seminars and participate in the Alexander Hamilton Center Junior Research-ers Conference in May of their senior year. Upon graduation from the College (September, January, or May), students are awarded one of two certificates: the Gold Hamilton Certificate is awarded to students who graduate with at least a 3.7 GPA, and the Silver Hamilton Certificate is awarded to those who graduate with a GPA between 3.3 and 3.7.

For more information about the certificate, please contact the program administrator, Sarah Dickinson, at 19 West Fourth Street, 2nd Floor.