Political Science - Bachelor of Arts (30 credits)
(30 credits plus 10 credits of experiential learning)
Political science is the study of how goal-oriented individuals and groups use power to influence the behavior of others and achieve desired outcomes. Governments are public institutions that frame official power relations and strongly determine most political outcomes. The political science major offers courses in six fields of political science:
- U.S. Politics
- Comparative Politics
- Political Theory
- International Relations
- Public Policy
- Political Behavior
Political science majors will emerge from the program with an understanding of governmental structures and processes, methods for evaluating policy, strategies for exercising power, and conceptual tools for analyzing political events and outcomes. Thus prepared, graduates will be ready to improve lives through teaching, writing, or active political engagement.
Students will be able to:
- systematically and critically analyze government, politics and public policy, and analyze the process by which systematic knowledge about government, politics and policy is produced.
- frame thoughtful questions, conduct and evaluate scholarly research, marshal convincing evidence about the causes and possible solutions to political issues and problems,
- compare and contrast questions of private and public values.
- critically evaluate perspectives (e.g. geographic, ethnic, racial, gender-based, cultural, and historical) as they are used to identify, examine and understand political issues.
- write and speak with clarity and precision.
Students who are double majoring in Political Science and Education are exempted from the Professional/Experiential component of the Political Science major.
Please note: a minimum grade of "C" is required in the internship seminars and the capstone course to progress in the major.
Degree Requirements
I. Required core (15 Credits):
II. Choice Courses (15 Credits):
At least 6 credits must be taken at the 3000 level or above.
III. Experiential Component (10 Credits):
Students who are also majoring in Education are exempted from this component of the major.
| CSOCS 2401 | Social Sciences Pre-Internship Seminar | 1 |
| CPOLS 3100 | Political Science Internship and Seminar I | 3 |
| CPOLS 4100 | Political Science Internship and Seminar II | 6 |
Dual Political Science/Education Majors:
Dual Political Science/Education majors seeking licensure in grades 5-8 or 8-12 in "Political Science/Political Philosophy" should take the following Choice Courses:
| CPOLS 2410 | Comparative Politics | 3 |
| CPOLS 3131 | Perspectives on International Relations | 3 |
| One additional choice course at the 3000-level or above | |
Choose ONE:
Choose ONE (both may be applied to the Arts and Humanities category):
Students should also include the following courses in their General Education selection:
(CGEOG 1001 and either CECON 2101 or CECON 2102 may be applied to the General Education Social Science category, and the remaining course may be applied to General Education Liberal Arts Electives.)