Jun 29, 2024

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

FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours

Foundations Requirements

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:

ECO 200 Principles of Economics (Macro) 3 credit hours
G 100 World Regional Geography 3 credit hours
HIS 102 The West in the World 3 credit hours
PS 102 Contemporary Global Issues 3 credit hours

Disciplinary Perspectives Requirement

Choose 3 credits of the following Humanities courses:

FLM 216 Introduction to Film 3 credit hours
HIS 101 The Foundation of the West 3 credit hours
LIT 200 Introduction to Literary and Textual Studies 3 credit hours
PHL 221 Introduction to Philosophy 3 credit hours
PHL 238 Race, Gender, and Sexuality 3 credit hours crosslisted as WGS 238 Race, Gender, and Sexuality 3 credit hours

Choose 3 credits of the following Arts courses:

ART 101 Art and Visual Culture 3 credit hours
CRW 272 Introduction to Creative Writing 3 credit hours
MUS 186 Listening to Music 3 credit hours
THE 154 Introduction to Theatre 3 credit hours

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

ECO 205 Economic Perspectives 3 credit hours
ENT 150 Introduction to Entrepreneurship 3 credit hours
MKT 100 Principles of Marketing 3 credit hours
PSY 100 General Psychology 3 credit hours
REC 101 Recreation and Leisure in Modern Society 3 credit hours
SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology 3 credit hours

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

BIO 204 Exploring Biology 3 credit hours
CHM 240 Perspectives on the Molecular World 3 credit hours
CHM 241 Perspectives on the Molecular World Lab 0 credit hours
G 151 Introduction to Physical Geography 3 credit hours
G 152 Introduction to Physical Geography Lab 0 credit hours
PHY 252 Science and Sustainability 3 credit hours

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

Core Requirements

PS 101 American Government and Citizenship 3 credit hours
PS 110 Introduction to Political Science 3 credit hours
PS 151 Introduction to Public Administration 3 credit hours
PS 242 State and Local Government 3 credit hours
PS 260 Comparative Politics 3 credit hours
PS 262 Quantitative Analysis 3 credit hours
PS 302 International Relations 3 credit hours
PS 360 Political Theory 3 credit hours crosslisted as PHL 360 Political Theory 3 credit hours.
PS 450 Senior Seminar 3 credit hours

Political Science Upper Division Electives

Students must complete 21 credits of the following:

PS 303 American Foreign Policy 3 credit hours
PS 304 American-East Asian Relations 3 credit hours
PS 305 Parties, Campaigns, and Elections 3 credit hours
PS 306 International Organizations 3 credit hours
PS 307 International Law 3 credit hours
PS 308 International Political Economy 3 credit hours
PS 309 International Organizations 3 credit hours
PS 312 Politics of Public Policy 3 credit hours
PS 315 Politics and the News Media 3 credit hours
PS 317 Principles of Law 3 credit hours
PS 327 Environmental Law 3 credit hours
PS 337 Administrative Law 3 credit hours
PS 352 Introduction to Public Finance 3 credit hours
PS 357 Health Law and Policy 3 credit hours
PS 360 Political Theory 3 credit hours
PS 361 American Political Thought 3 credit hours
PS 362 The Congress 3 credit hours
PS 367 Judicial Politics 3 credit hours
PS 371 American Constitutionalism (I): Structures of Government 3 credit hours
PS 372 American Constitutionalism (II): Civil Rights and Liberties 3 credit hours
PS 406 International Peace and Security 3 credit hours
PS 463 Policy and History in York, Pennsylvania 3 credit hours
PS 471-478 Selected Topics in Political Science 3 credit hours
PS 473 Social Movements Around the World 3 credit hours
PS 479 European Union 3 credit hours
PS 480 European Union 3 credit hours
PS 490 Internship 3 credit hours each semester
PS 491 Internship 3 credit hours each semester
PS 498 Independent Study 1-3 credit hours
PS 499 Independent Study 1-3 credit hours

Political Science Electives

Students must complete 6 credits of the following:

PS 102 Contemporary Global Issues 3 credit hours
PS 243 Government and Politics of Africa 3 credit hours
PS 244 Government and Politics of East Asia 3 credit hours
PS 245 Government and Politics of Latin America 3 credit hours
PS 246 Government and Politics of the Middle East 3 credit hours
PS 247 Government and Politics of Eastern Europe and Russia 3 credit hours
PS 248 Government and Politics of the Caribbean 3 credit hours
PS 250 Government and Politics of South Asia 3 credit hours
PS 303 American Foreign Policy 3 credit hours
PS 304 American-East Asian Relations 3 credit hours
PS 305 Parties, Campaigns, and Elections 3 credit hours
PS 306 International Organizations 3 credit hours
PS 307 International Law 3 credit hours
PS 308 International Political Economy 3 credit hours
PS 309 International Organizations 3 credit hours
PS 312 Politics of Public Policy 3 credit hours
PS 317 Principles of Law 3 credit hours
PS 318 Law and Society 3 credit hours
PS 327 Environmental Law 3 credit hours
PS 337 Administrative Law 3 credit hours
PS 352 Introduction to Public Finance 3 credit hours
PS 357 Health Law and Policy 3 credit hours
PS 361 American Political Thought 3 credit hours
PS 362 The Congress 3 credit hours
PS 367 Judicial Politics 3 credit hours
PS 371 American Constitutionalism (I): Structures of Government 3 credit hours
PS 372 American Constitutionalism (II): Civil Rights and Liberties 3 credit hours
PS 406 International Peace and Security 3 credit hours
PS 471-478 Selected Topics in Political Science 3 credit hours
PS 473 Social Movements Around the World 3 credit hours
PS 479 European Union 3 credit hours
PS 480 European Union 3 credit hours
PS 490 Internship 3 credit hours each semester
PS 491 Internship 3 credit hours each semester
PS 498 Independent Study 1-3 credit hours
PS 499 Independent Study 1-3 credit hours

Targeted Electives

Students must complete 6 credits of the following:

ECO 200 Principles of Economics (Macro) 3 credit hours
ECO 201 Principles of Economics (Micro) 3 credit hours
ECO 205 Economic Perspectives 3 credit hours
ECO 315 Environmental and Natural Resource Economics 3 credit hours
ECO 340 Sustainable Development Economics 3 credit hours
ECO 345 The Economics of Urban Revitalization 3 credit hours
ECO 350 Intermediate Microeconomics 3 credit hours
ECO 360 Intermediate Macroeconomics 3 credit hours
ECO 370 Money and Banking 3 credit hours
ECO 390 Managerial Economics 3 credit hours
ECO 450 Economics Seminar 3 credit hours
ECO 490 Economics Internship I 3 credit hours
ECO 491 Economics Internship II 3 credit hours
G 100 World Regional Geography 3 credit hours
G 241 International Service Learning: Making a Difference in a Globalizing World 1 credit hour
G 242 International Service Learning: Making a Difference in a Globalizing World 2 credit hours
G 261 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems 3 credit hours
G 331 Urban Land Use & Sustainability 3 credit hours
G 332 Globalizing Economic World 3 credit hours
G 336 Historical Geography of North America 3 credit hours
G 348 Cultures and Environments Field Series 3 credit hours
G 349 Cultures and Environments Field Series 3 credit hours
G 352 Geographic Perspectives on Sustainability 3 credit hours
G 470-479 Selected Topics in Geography 3 credit hours
G 481 Independent Study 1-3 credit hours
G 482 Independent Study 1-3 credit hours
G 491 Internship 3 credit hours
G 492 Internship 3 credit hours
HIS 101 The Foundation of the West 3 credit hours
HIS 102 The West in the World 3 credit hours
HIS 111 American History from Colonization to Civil War 3 credit hours
HIS 112 American History from Civil War to Global Power 3 credit hours
HIS 200 Methods and Theory in History 3 credit hours
HIS 303 Museum Studies 3 credit hours
HIS 352 The Revolutionary Era in America 3 credit hours
HIS 363 Coming of the Civil War 1846-1861 3 credit hours
HIS 364 Civil War and Reconstruction, 1861-1877 3 credit hours
HIS 366 Twentieth Century American History, 1914-1945 3 credit hours
HIS 367 Recent America, 1945-Present 3 credit hours
HIS 370 History of Alcohol and Drugs in American Life 3 credit hours
HIS 371 American Constitutionalism (I): Structures of Government 3 credit hours
HIS 372 American Constitutionalism (II): Civil Rights and Liberties 3 credit hours
HIS 386 Historical Geography of North America 3 credit hours
HIS 387 North American Environmental History 3 credit hours
HIS 388 Race, Racism, and the Long Struggle for Equality in America 3 credit hours
HIS 395 Special Topics in American History 3 credit hours
HIS 396 Special Topics in American History 3 credit hours
HIS 399 Special Topics in Public History 3 credit hours
HIS 402 The Black Death 3 credit hours
HIS 420 The First World War 3 credit hours
HIS 421 Nazi Germany and the Holocaust 3 credit hours
HIS 460 The Civil Rights Movement 3 credit hours
HIS 489 Special Topics in American History 3 credit hours
HIS 490 Special Topics in American History 3 credit hours
HIS 495 History Internship 3 credit hours
HIS 496 History Internship 3 credit hours
HIS 497 Independent Study 1-3 credit hours each semester
HIS 498 Independent Study 1-3 credit hours each semester
HIS 499 Senior Seminar in History 3 credit hours

General Elective Courses

Students must complete 18 credits of free elective courses.

Suggested Course Sequence

Freshman Year (30 credits)

FYS 100 First-Year Seminar 3 credit hours
FYS 102 Common Hour 0 credit hours
FCO 105 Rhetorical Communication 3 credit hours
PS 101 American Government and Citizenship 3 credit hours
PS 110 Introduction to Political Science 3 credit hours
PS 151 Introduction to Public Administration 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Foundations - American Citizenship course 3 credit hours
Foundations - Quantitative Fluency course 3 credit hours
Foundations - Global Citizenship course 3 credit hours

Sophomore Year (30 credits)

PS 242 State and Local Government 3 credit hours
PS 262 Quantitative Analysis 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Disciplinary Perspectives course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Elective course 3 credit hours
Foundations - Advanced Communication course 3 credit hours
Political Science Elective course 3 credit hours
Targeted Elective course 3 credit hours
PS 260 Comparative Politics 3 credit hours

Junior Year (30 credits)

PS 302 International Relations 3 credit hours
PS 360 Political Theory 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)

PS 450 Senior Seminar 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