Political Science, BA

This major is administered by the Department of Political Science .

Program Learning Outcomes

As a graduate of the Political Science Program you will be able to:

Describe political institutions and current debates in domestic and global politics
Apply discipline-specific concepts and theories to scholarly investigations of political institutions and current issues in domestic and global politics
Employ qualitative and/or quantitative methods to formulate an argument regarding a domestic or global political issue
Communicate research findings using professional prose supported by scholarly evidence

Consists of a minimum of 40 credits.

Note: Required courses marked below have Math prerequisites. Depending on your placement score, additional courses may be required.**

Core courses

Required, 16 credits

POLI 101 - American Politics Credits: 3
POLI 180 - Introduction to Global Affairs Credits: 3
POLI 201 - Career Development in Political Science Credits: 1
POLI 300 - Political Inquiry and Analysis Credits: 3
POLI 301 - Methods of Policy Analysis Credits: 3 **
POLI 315 - Minority Group Politics Credits: 3 or
POLI 360 - Gender and Politics in Comparative Perspective Credits: 3

Political Science Subfields, 12 credits

Take at least 6 credits in each of the two fields listed below.

American Politics

POLI 202 - Introduction to Policy Analysis Credits: 3
POLI 212 - Law and Legal Systems Credits: 3
POLI 242 - State and Local Government Credits: 3
POLI 250 - Public Administration Credits: 3
POLI 304 - Environmental Politics and Policy Credits: 3
POLI 306 - Health Politics and Policies Credits: 3
POLI 307 - Politics and the Media Credits: 3
POLI 308 - Public Opinion Credits: 3
POLI 310 - American Presidency Credits: 3
POLI 315 - Minority Group Politics Credits: 3
POLI 316 - Parties and Elections Credits: 3
POLI 320 - Legislative Process Credits: 3
POLI 325 - Business, Government, and Politics Credits: 3
POLI 330 - Constitutional Law Credits: 3
POLI 331 - Constitutional Law: Special Topics Credits: 3
POLI 335 - Law and Society Credits: 3
POLI 338 - Environmental Law and Regulation Credits: 3
POLI 389 - Public Policy for Sustainable Communities Credits: 3
POLI 450 - Law, Policy, and Regulation Credits: 3

Global Politics

PAX 200 - Dilemmas of War and Peace: An Introduction to Peace Studies Credits: 3
POLI 305 - Climate Change Politics and Policy Credits: 3
POLI 360 - Gender and Politics in Comparative Perspective Credits: 3
POLI 361 - European Politics Credits: 3
POLI 362 - East European Politics Credits: 3
POLI 363 - The Politics of the European Union Credits: 3
POLI 370 - Asian Politics Credits: 3
POLI 374 - International Development Credits: 3
POLI 375 - Latin American Politics Credits: 3
POLI 382 - Latin America in World Affairs Credits: 3
POLI 383 - U.S. Foreign Policy Credits: 3
POLI 385 - International Organizations and Law Credits: 3
POLI 386 - Politics of Terrorism and Homeland Security Credits: 3
POLI 387 - International Simulation Credits: 1-3
POLI 388 - International Law and Human Rights Credits: 3

Political Science Electives, 12 credits

Complete 12 additional Political Science credits. You may choose any courses from the American Politics and Global Politics subfields, as well as any of the following:

POLI 391 - American Political Thought Credits: 3
POLI 392 - Politics, Art, and Film Credits: 3
POLI 394 - Political Ideas that Changed the World Credits: 3
POLI 396 - Radical and Utopian Politics Credits: 3
POLI 455 - Internship in Government Credits: 1-6
POLI 490 - Selected Problems in Political Science Credits: 1-3

World Language Courses, 0-8 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. Please see the Department of World Languages and Literatures for details.