Dec 11, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Political Science, B.A.


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Political scientists study the formal and informal political processes that shape public policy. As a discipline, political science combines both humanistic and scientific perspectives in order to understand the behavior of individuals, groups, nations, and international organizations. The Department offers courses in all of the major fields of the discipline (American Government and Politics, Comparative Politics, Constitutional Law, International Relations, Political Theory, Quantitative Methods, Public Administration, and Public Policy.)

The major is designed to provide a firm foundation in all sub-fields and to provide sufficient flexibility for students to pursue their own intellectual interests with both breadth and depth. It provides a basis for informed participation in community organizations, electoral politics, national and world affairs, and public policy. Students receive a solid foundation for graduate study, including law, as well as for a wide variety of careers in both the public and private sector. Students often explore these possibilities through internships with government agencies, parties and groups, law firms, and selected businesses and non-profits.

Degree Requirements

Institutional Degree Requirements 

Program-Specific Degree Requirements: To be eligible for graduation, students majoring in Political Science must maintain a 2.0 grade point average in the course requirements of the major and earn a grade of 2.0 or higher in all Political Science courses.

General Education Requirement


First Year Seminar


Foundations Requirements


Communication course:


Choose 3 credits of the following Quantitative Fluency courses:


Choose 3 credits of the following American Citizenship courses:


Choose 3 credits of the following Global Citizenship courses or students have the option to complete this requirement by successfully completing 6 credits of the same foreign language:


Disciplinary Perspectives Requirement


Choose 3 credits of the following Arts courses:


Choose 3 credits of the following Social and Behavioral Sciences courses:


Choose 3 credits of the following Natural and Physical Sciences courses:


Constellation Requirement


The Constellation requirement is met when a student completes four courses from a minimum of three disciplines within the Constellation requirements. Students who transfer in 60 credits or more at the time of admission to the college will be waived from the Constellation requirement, except for Education majors. The waiver applies to the requirement for graduation but does not waive the credits to graduate; students need to meet the overall bachelor’s degree credit requirement.

Required Courses


Political Science Upper Division Electives


Students must complete 21 credits of the following:

Political Science Electives


Students must complete 6 credits of the following:

Targeted Electives


Students must complete 6 credits of the following:

General Elective Courses


Students must complete 18 credits of free elective courses.

Suggested Course Sequence


Freshman Year (30 credits)


Sophomore Year (30 credits)


Junior Year (30 credits)


  • 3 credit hours
  • 3 credit hours crosslisted as PHL 360 Political Theory 3 credit hours.  
  • Constellation course 3 credit hours
  • Constellation course 3 credit hours
  • Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Political Science Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Political Science Upper Division Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Political Science Upper Division Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Targeted Elective course 3 credit hours
  •  

Senior Year (30 credits)


  • 3 credit hours
  • Constellation course 3 credit hours
  • Constellation course 3 credit hours
  • Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Political Science Upper Division Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Political Science Upper Division Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Political Science Upper Division Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Political Science Upper Division Elective course 3 credit hours
  • Political Science Upper Division Elective course 3 credit hours

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