Political Science, B.A.

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This major is administered by the Department of Political Science .

Consists of at least 36-44 credits including:

Required, 9 credits

Take 6 credits from

POLI 101 - American Politics 3 cr.
POLI 160 - Comparative Politics 3 cr.
POLI 170 - Political Ideas 3 cr.
POLI 180 - International Relations 3 cr.

Take 3 credits from

POLI 300 - Analyzing Politics 3 cr.

Upper-level courses requirement, 18 credits

Take at least 18 credits in courses numbered 300 and above.

POLI 300 - Analyzing Politics 3 cr.
POLI 301 - Game Theory for Political Scientists 3 cr.
POLI 304 - Environmental Politics and Policy 3 cr.
POLI 305 - Climate Change Politics and Policy 3 cr.
POLI 306 - Health Politics and Policies 3 cr.
POLI 307 - Politics and the Media 3 cr.
POLI 308 - Public Opinion 3 cr.
POLI 309 - Tribal Governments in the United States 3 cr.
POLI 310 - American Presidency 3 cr.
POLI 314 - Public Policy Issues 3 cr.
POLI 315 - Minority Group Politics 3 cr.
POLI 316 - Parties and Elections 3 cr.
POLI 320 - Legislative Process 3 cr.
POLI 324 - Religion and Politics 3 cr.
POLI 325 - Business, Government, and Politics 3 cr.
POLI 330 - Constitutional Law 3 cr.
POLI 331 - Constitutional Law: Special Topics 3 cr.
POLI 334 - Courts and Public Policy 3 cr.
POLI 335 - Law and Society 3 cr.
POLI 338 - Environmental Law and Regulation 3 cr.
POLI 341 - Urban Politics 3 cr.
POLI 354 - Public Personnel Administration 3 cr.
POLI 356 - Government Finance 3 cr.
POLI 358 - Public Budgets 3 cr.
POLI 361 - European Politics 3 cr.
POLI 362 - East European Politics 3 cr.
POLI 363 - The Politics of the European Union 3 cr.
POLI 371 - Chinese Politics 3 cr.
POLI 374 - Political Development 3 cr.
POLI 375 - Latin American Politics 3 cr.
POLI 376 - International Political Economy 3 cr.
POLI 380 - Conflict, Security, and Peace in International Relations 3 cr.
POLI 382 - Latin America in World Affairs 3 cr.
POLI 383 - U.S. Foreign Policy 3 cr.
POLI 385 - International Organizations and Law 3 cr.
POLI 386 - Politics of Terrorism and Homeland Security 3 cr.
POLI 387 - International Simulation 1-3 cr.
POLI 388 - International Law 3 cr.
POLI 389 - Public Policy for Sustainable Communities 3 cr.
POLI 391 - American Political Thought 3 cr.
POLI 392 - Politics, Art, and Film 3 cr.
POLI 393 - Ancient and Medieval Western Political Theory 3 cr.
POLI 394 - Political Ideas that Changed the World 3 cr.
POLI 395 - Political Ideas Today 3 cr.
POLI 396 - Radical and Utopian Politics 3 cr.
POLI 397 - Methods of Policy Analysis 3 cr.
POLI 414 - Politics of Race, Class and Gender in the U.S. 3 cr.
POLI 450 - Law, Policy, and Regulation 3 cr.
POLI 455 - Internship in Government 1-6 cr.
POLI 490 - Selected Problems in Political Science 1-3 cr.
POLI 497 - Methods of Political Science Research 3 cr.
POLI 498 - Political Science Capstone Seminar 3 cr.
POLI 499 - Special Work 1-3 cr.

Political Science Subfields, 12 credits

Take at least 3 credits in each of the four fields listed below.

American politics and government

POLI 202 - American Policymaking 3 cr.
POLI 212 - Law and Legal Systems 3 cr.
POLI 242 - State and Local Government 3 cr.
POLI 250 - Public Administration 3 cr.
POLI 304 - Environmental Politics and Policy 3 cr.
POLI 306 - Health Politics and Policies 3 cr.
POLI 307 - Politics and the Media 3 cr.
POLI 308 - Public Opinion 3 cr.
POLI 310 - American Presidency 3 cr.
POLI 314 - Public Policy Issues 3 cr.
POLI 315 - Minority Group Politics 3 cr.
POLI 316 - Parties and Elections 3 cr.
POLI 320 - Legislative Process 3 cr.
POLI 324 - Religion and Politics 3 cr.
POLI 325 - Business, Government, and Politics 3 cr.
POLI 330 - Constitutional Law 3 cr.
POLI 331 - Constitutional Law: Special Topics 3 cr.
POLI 334 - Courts and Public Policy 3 cr.
POLI 335 - Law and Society 3 cr.
POLI 338 - Environmental Law and Regulation 3 cr.
POLI 341 - Urban Politics 3 cr.
POLI 354 - Public Personnel Administration 3 cr.
POLI 356 - Government Finance 3 cr.
POLI 358 - Public Budgets 3 cr.
POLI 389 - Public Policy for Sustainable Communities 3 cr.
POLI 397 - Methods of Policy Analysis 3 cr.
POLI 414 - Politics of Race, Class and Gender in the U.S. 3 cr.
POLI 450 - Law, Policy, and Regulation 3 cr.
POLI 497 - Methods of Political Science Research 3 cr.

Political theory

Comparative politics

POLI 309 - Tribal Governments in the United States 3 cr.
POLI 361 - European Politics 3 cr.
POLI 362 - East European Politics 3 cr.
POLI 370 - Asian Politics 3 cr.
POLI 371 - Chinese Politics 3 cr.
POLI 374 - Political Development 3 cr.
POLI 375 - Latin American Politics 3 cr.

International politics

World Language Courses, 8 credits

Complete a two-semester sequence of university entry-level world language courses (101, 102). The requirement may be fulfilled through equivalent coursework or other language acquisition as demonstrated through a test-out policy (including Native American languages and American Sign Language). If your native language is not English and you can document formal high school or university study of your native language, you may use ENGL 101 and ENGL 202 , or ENGL 150 as a means of fulfilling this world language requirement.

Teacher Certification

You need 12 credits American politics and government, including 3 credits public law and 3 credits state and local: 6 credits comparative and international; 6 credits theory including POLI 300 or POLI 497 that is required for certification by the Department of Public Instruction (DPI).
THE DPI requires all elementary and secondary education majors to take POLI 101 .
Also see information about the Professional Education Program in the Education section, and information about Secondary Education for teacher certification in the Secondary/K-12 Education Curriculum for Teacher Certification section of this catalog.

Communication in the Major

Satisfied by POLI 300 and one of the following:

POLI 455 - Internship in Government 1-6 cr.
POLI 498 - Political Science Capstone Seminar 3 cr.
POLI 499 - Special Work 1-3 cr. *

Note

* when taken as a 3 credit independent study with a presentation of research to a public audience

Capstone Experience

Satisfied by:

POLI 498 - Political Science Capstone Seminar 3 cr. or
POLI 499 - Special Work 1-3 cr. *

Note

* when taken as a 3 credit independent study that satisfies the Capstone Experience requirements