Political Science, B.A.

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Students who major in Political Science at the undergraduate level through the College of Arts and Sciences, will begin with the study of a rich array of courses that cover the four major sub-fields of the discipline. This includes courses in: American Politics and Policy, Comparative Political Analysis, International and Global Politics, and Social Justice and Civil Engagement. Building on this foundation, students will take elective courses that both deepen their understanding of these fields and allow them to apply what they have learned to the real world in terms of analysis and activism (advocacy, and civic engagement). Emphasis is given to the common interdisciplinary pursuit of critical thinking as it applies to social problem solving. Beyond the core, students will select 21 hours of electives which will deepen their understanding and expertise of the program’s four fields: American Politics and Policy, Comparative Political Analysis, International and Global Politics, and Social Justice and Civil Engagement. This will allow them to tailor the program to meet their educational and career goals and be more competitive in the job-market. Depending on their career goals and objectives, graduates of the program will also have the theoretical understanding for graduate work in the social science disciplines and the practical skills that are highly in demand in government, public service, education, political advocacy, and the private sector.

Degree Requirements

Students must meet all university requirements for a bachelor’s degree.

General Education Requirement (37-41 Hours)

See Bachelor’s Degree Requirements for general education requirements.

Required Courses (21 Hours)

• POLS - 2100 American National Government (3) *
• POLS - 2101 Principles of Political Science (3) *
• POLS - 2950 Transformation of Global System (3)
• POLS - 3150 Comparative Political Analysis (3) *
• POLS - 4600 Political Theory (3)
• POLS - 4990 Political Struggle: Empowerment and Change (3)
• SOSC - 4500 Research Methods in the Social Sciences (3)

NOTE:

Courses with an * may be substituted with a lower-division course.

Selectives (18 Hours)

Students, with the assistance of their advisor, will select an additional 18 hours of courses relevant to the four major sub-fields of the program, i.e. American Politics and Policy, Comparative Political Analysis, International and Global Politics, Social Justice and Civic Engagement. This may be done with the degree of generalization and specialization that best suits the student’s personal and professional goals. It is also recommended that students who want to enrich their undergraduate education consider registering with the University Honors Program.

The following courses are suggestive of what may be used:

A. American Politics and Policy

• ANTH - 4100 Urban Anthropology (3)
• HIST - 4100 Beyond the Dream: Current Black Social Issues (3)
• HIST - 4200 American Urban History (3)
• HIST - 4400 Black Experience in the U.S. (3)
• POLS - 2200 Local Governmental Systems (3)
• POLS - 4200 U.S. and Illinois Elections (3)
• POLS - 4400 Constitutional Law (3)
• POLS - 4500 Political Communication (3)
• POLS - 4110 Black Politics in America (3)
• POLS - 4460 Urban Politics (3)
• SOC - 3300 Principles of Urban Studies (3)
• SOC - 4250 Community Organization (3)
• SOSC - 4510 The Measure of Knowledge: Quantitative Research Methods (3)

B. Comparative Political Analysis

• HIST - 4115 Modern African History (3)
• HIST - 4340 Modern Chinese History (3)
• HIST - 4420 Caribbean History (3)
• HIST - 4470 Latin America from Independence (3)
• HIST - 4650 Modern European History (3)
• HIST - 4670 Russia in the 20th Century (3)
• ICS - 4620 African Politics (3)
• ICS - 4650 Latin America: Culture and Society (3)
• POLS - 4100 Hispanic Experience in the U.S. (3)
• POLS - 4330 Modern Middle Eastern History and Politics (3)
• POLS - 4340 Politics of Latin America (3)

C. International and Global Politics

• GEOG - 4470 Human Geography (3)
• POLS - 3250 International Political Economy (3)
• POLS - 3600 International Organizations (3)
• POLS - 4375 Conflict Resolution (3)
• POLS - 4380 International Peace Initiative (3)

D. Social Justice and Civic Engagement

• PHIL - 4402 Advanced Ethics: Theory and Practice (3)
• POLS - 3900 Seminar in Civic Engagement (3)
• POLS - 4090 Topics in Political Science (3)
• POLS - 4625 Contemporary Political Thought (3)
• POLS - 4650 Empowering Community: from Self to Service (3)
• POLS - 4700 Independent Study (1-4)
• POLS - 4800 Internship (1-4)
• SOSC - 4575 Women and Social Action (3)

Electives (44 Hours)

Total - 120 Hours