Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, University of MissouriHigh resolution polarization studies of electronic absorption and emission spectra of molecular systems may be used to determine the Multi-pole nature of particular transitions. In this presentation we will discuss the polarization properties expected for ``pure"" electric-quadrupole transitions in ordinary absorption and emission spectroscopy, as well as the induced polarization (circular and linear) introduced through the application of an external magnetic field. Results will he presented for randomly oriented molecules, and calculations based on selected model systems will be discussed