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Political Science Major

Overview

Mission Statement

The Department of History and Political Science seeks to foster in their students an awareness of and appreciation for their cultural, historical, and political heritage as well as an understanding of important national and global issues. The department’s curriculum helps develop students’ critical thinking, research, writing, and communication skills in order to prepare them to be effective learners and leaders.

Objectives for the Political Science Major

The Political Science major develops in students an informed and critical outlook toward the origins, nature, and functioning of the U.S. Constitution and the institutions of government that it empowers, as well as their role in shaping the debate on the important political, social, and economic issues of the contemporary world. It also acquaints them with the political systems of other advanced democracies, the complexities of international politics, and the political philosophy of the modern era. This major prepares students for law school, graduate school, and careers in government service and with nongovernmental and intergovernmental organizations. The critical thinking, research, and writing components are also excellent preparation for many other professional fields.

Requirements

Core Courses

POLS 104	American National Government	3

POLS 212	Congress and the Presidency	3
	or
POLS 312	Congress and the Presidency	4

POLS 225	Comparative European Governments	3
	or
POLS 325	Comparative European Governments	4

POLS 233	World Politics	3
	or
POLS 333	World Politics	3

POLS 352A	American Economic Policy	3
	or
POLS 352B	American Economic Policy	4

POLS 396	Modern Political Thought	3
Total Credit Hours:		18-21

Plus three of the following courses:

POLS 311	Federal Indian Policy	3
POLS 314A	Governmental Power and U.S. Constitutional Law	3
POLS 314B	Governmental Power and U.S. Constitutional Law	4
POLS 316A	Rights & Liberties and U.S. Constitutional Law	3
POLS 316B	Rights & Liberties and U.S. Constitutional Law	4
POLS 335A	The European Union	3
POLS 335B	The European Union	4
POLS 342A	American Foreign Policy	3
POLS 342B	American Foreign Policy	4
POLS 368	Politics in India	4
POLS 391/HIST 391	American Economic Development	3
POLS 450	Internship in Political Science	1-3
POLS 495	Independent Study in Political Science	3
POLS X00	Directed study in Political Science	3
POLS X90	Special Topics in Political Science	3
Total Credit Hours:		9-12

Other Requirements

Internships conducted through the Office of Experiential Education (EE 350) and worth at least 3 credits can be used to satisfy one Political Science elective requirement with the approval of the Department of History and Political Science.

Political Science Research and Writing Requirement: Majors must write at least three research papers for their Political Science classes. Classes which have research papers as a requirement are POLS 311, POLS 312, POLS 314B, POLS 316B, POLS 325, POLS 333, POLS 335B, POLS 342B, POLS 352B, POLS 368, POLS 391, POLS 450, POLS 495, POLS X00, and POLS X90. Research papers written for courses in other disciplines may be used to fulfill part of this requirement with the approval of the Department of History and Political Science.

Non-Political Science Elective Requirement:

Three of the following related, non-political science courses:

BUSN 315, BUSN 316, BUSN 410, BUSN 440

COMM 301, COMM 305, COMM 314, COMM 318, COMM 320, COMM 405

CJ 312, CJ 313, CJ 320, CJ 330

ECON 201, ECON 202, ECON 314, ECON 354, ECON 364, ECON 391

ENGL 201, ENGL 351

FREN 310, FREN 320, FREN 330, FREN 340

HIST 222, HIST 262, HIST 268, HIST 302, HIST 303, HIST 304, HIST 305, HIST 306, HIST 307, HIST 308, HIST 312, HIST 316, HIST 331, HIST 340, HIST 344, HIST 354, HIST 362, HIST 364, HIST 368, HIST 374, HIST 391

GER 310, GER 320, GER 330, GER 340

PHIL 251, PHIL 303, PHIL 304, PHIL 305, PHIL 306, PHIL 307, PHIL 483

PSYC 202, PSYC 306, PSYC 311, PSYC 315, PSYC 317, PSYC 318, PSYC 319, PSYC 323, PSYC 365, PSYC 370

REL 304, REL 305, REL 315, REL 316, REL 320, REL 371

SOC 201, SOC 315, SOC 320

SPAN 330, SPAN 340, SPAN 370, SPAN 380

Special topics and other classes in any department can be used to fulfill part of this requirement with the approval of the Department of History and Political Science.

Minimum Semester Credits: 9

Students cannot take multiple sections of classes that are cross-listed with other departments or have different sections or numbers in Political Science.

Total Credit Hours: 36