POLITICAL SCIENCE, BA
Department of Political Science and Public Administration
We offer different degree options to suit your particular interests and goals. The B.A. in Political Science allows you to take a broad variety of courses within the field of Political Science. For those of you who want to focus on a certain area within Political Science we offer three different concentrations, American Politics and Political Theory, Global Politics and Policy, and Human Rights and Social Justice.
Major and Concentration Options
- Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Political Science
- American Politics and Political Theory
- Global Politics & Policy Concentration
- Concentration in Human Rights & Social Justice
Bachelor of Arts with a Major in Political Science
A grade of C or better is required in all Political Science courses. In fulfilling the requirements below, students must have 17 hours at the 300-level or above, 9 of which must be at the 400 level.
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Political Science 2 | ||
| PSC 101 | Foundations of American Government 1 | 3 |
| PSC 400 | Data, Politics, and Policy | 3 |
| Capstone | ||
| Select one course from the following: | 3 | |
| Capstone Public Affairs Internship | ||
| Capstone in Political Science and International Studies | ||
| 400 Level Elective | 3 | |
| Politics and Race in America | ||
| Gender, Politics, & Policy | ||
| American Constitutional Law | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Digital Democracy | ||
| Human Rights and Technology | ||
| Revolution and Political Violence | ||
| Human Trafficking | ||
| Politics of Transitional Justice | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| International Law | ||
| The United Nations | ||
| Political Propaganda in Film | ||
| Select 24 credit hours from additional PSC courses: | 24 | |
| Public Service | ||
| Foundations of Comparative Politics | ||
| Foundations of International Relations | ||
| Foundations of Political Theory | ||
| Urban Politics | ||
| Contemporary Political Issues | ||
| American State and Local Government | ||
| Law and Film | ||
| Contemporary Political Issues | ||
| American Public Policy | ||
| Human Rights | ||
| Religion and Politics | ||
| Civil Liberties and Civil Rights | ||
| Political Participation | ||
| Public Opinion in American Politics | ||
| Gender, Politics, & Policy | ||
| Public Administration and Policy | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| The American Judicial Process | ||
| The U.S. Congress | ||
| The American Presidency | ||
| Political Parties and Interest Groups | ||
| Memory Politics: Monuments, Museums and Human Rights | ||
| Classical Political Thought | ||
| Modern Political Theory | ||
| African Politics | ||
| European Political Systems | ||
| Latin/South American Political Systems | ||
| Asian Political Systems | ||
| Politics of Development | ||
| Health and Humanitarian Crisis | ||
| Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity | ||
| International Security | ||
| North/South International Relations | ||
| Diplomacy | ||
| Nationalism in World Politics | ||
| Gender in World Politics | ||
| Politics of the Middle East and Northern Africa | ||
| Women and War | ||
| Politics and the Media | ||
| Social Justice and Pop Culture | ||
| Supreme Court Politics | ||
| The Politics of Constitutional Law | ||
| The Bill of Rights | ||
| Political Networks | ||
| International Conflict & Conflict Management | ||
| Diamonds, Drugs, and Guns: The Illicit Global Economy | ||
| Economics of Public Policy | ||
| Special Topics in Political Science | ||
| Politics and Race in America | ||
| Gender, Politics, & Policy | ||
| American Constitutional Law | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Digital Democracy | ||
| Human Rights and Technology | ||
| Revolution and Political Violence | ||
| Human Trafficking | ||
| Politics of Transitional Justice | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| International Law | ||
| The United Nations | ||
| Political Propaganda in Film | ||
| Directed Research in Political Science | ||
| Independent Studies and Special Projects | ||
| Honors Research in Political Science | ||
| Capstone Public Affairs Internship | ||
| Capstone in Political Science and International Studies | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
| 1 |
Completing PSC 101, PSC 102, and PSC 103 will automatically satisfy nine hours of Core Curriculum Area IV. |
| 2 |
Students must complete 9 hours of the major classes at the 400 level. |
Concentration Options:
American Politics and Political Theory
This concentration prepares students for a work in a variety of positions in the federal, state, or local governments, including careers in government agencies, non-profit organizations, interest groups, governmental relations divisions of corporations and the media. Students can also utilize this concentration to prepare for careers in law, research and teaching. This concentration is a solid foundation for public administration, nonprofit advocacy and legal studies.
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Political Science Core | ||
| Courses may only count once | ||
| PSC 101 | Foundations of American Government | 3 |
| PSC 400 | Data, Politics, and Policy | 3 |
| PSC 498 | Capstone Public Affairs Internship | 3 |
| or PSC 499 | Capstone in Political Science and International Studies | |
| PSC Major Electives | ||
| Choose 4 PSC courses from outside of the concentration | 12 | |
| American Politics and Political Theory Concentration | ||
| Select at least one course from 400-level | 3 | |
| Politics and Race in America | ||
| American Constitutional Law | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Digital Democracy | ||
| Special Topics in Political Science | ||
| Honors Research in Political Science | ||
| Select four courses from: | 12 | |
| Public Service | ||
| Foundations of Political Theory | ||
| Urban Politics | ||
| American State and Local Government | ||
| American Public Policy | ||
| Religion and Politics | ||
| Public Opinion in American Politics | ||
| Public Administration and Policy | ||
| Civil Liberties and Civil Rights | ||
| Political Participation | ||
| Gender, Politics, & Policy | ||
| The American Judicial Process | ||
| The U.S. Congress | ||
| The American Presidency | ||
| Political Parties and Interest Groups | ||
| Memory Politics: Monuments, Museums and Human Rights | ||
| Classical Political Thought | ||
| Modern Political Theory | ||
| Politics and the Media | ||
| Social Justice and Pop Culture | ||
| Supreme Court Politics | ||
| The Politics of Constitutional Law | ||
| The Bill of Rights | ||
| Economics of Public Policy | ||
| Politics and Race in America | ||
| Gender, Politics, & Policy | ||
| American Constitutional Law | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Digital Democracy | ||
| Political Science Internship | ||
| Special Topics in Political Science | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Global Politics & Policy Concentration
This concentration prepares for work in the wide variety of public and private institutions that deal with global issues, including multinational corporations, governmental and international organizations such as the State Department and United Nations, and NGOs that deal with global issues.
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Political Science Core | ||
| Courses may only count once | ||
| PSC 101 | Foundations of American Government | 3 |
| PSC 400 | Data, Politics, and Policy | 3 |
| PSC 498 | Capstone Public Affairs Internship | 3 |
| or PSC 499 | Capstone in Political Science and International Studies | |
| PSC Major Electives | ||
| Select four PSC courses not included in the concentration 4 | 12 | |
| Concentration in Global Politics and Policy | ||
| Select one at least one from 400-level courses | 3 | |
| Revolution and Political Violence | ||
| Politics of Transitional Justice | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| International Law | ||
| The United Nations | ||
| Political Science Internship | ||
| Special Topics in Political Science | ||
| Honors Research in Political Science | ||
| Select four from: | 12 | |
| Foundations of Comparative Politics | ||
| Foundations of International Relations | ||
| Public Administration and Policy | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Memory Politics: Monuments, Museums and Human Rights | ||
| African Politics | ||
| European Political Systems | ||
| Latin/South American Political Systems | ||
| Asian Political Systems | ||
| Politics of Development | ||
| Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity | ||
| International Security | ||
| North/South International Relations | ||
| Diplomacy | ||
| Nationalism in World Politics | ||
| Gender in World Politics | ||
| Special Topics in Comparative Politics | ||
| The United Nations | ||
| Politics of the Middle East and Northern Africa | ||
| Women and War | ||
| International Conflict & Conflict Management | ||
| Revolution and Political Violence | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| International Law | ||
| The United Nations | ||
| Political Science Internship | ||
| Special Topics in Political Science | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Concentration in Human Rights & Social Justice
This concentration prepares students to become advocates in social justice and human rights causes. It prepares students for a wide variety of positions in government agencies, nonprofit agencies and other non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who deal with social justice and human rights concerns.
| Requirements | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| Political Science Core | ||
| Courses may only count once. | ||
| PSC 101 | Foundations of American Government | 3 |
| PSC 400 | Data, Politics, and Policy | 3 |
| PSC 498 | Capstone Public Affairs Internship | 3 |
| or PSC 499 | Capstone in Political Science and International Studies | |
| PSC Major Electives | ||
| Select four PSC courses from outside of the concentration | 12 | |
| Concentration in Human Rights and Social Justice | ||
| Select at least one course from 400-level | 3 | |
| Politics and Race in America | ||
| Human Rights and Technology | ||
| Revolution and Political Violence | ||
| Human Trafficking | ||
| Politics of Transitional Justice | ||
| International Law | ||
| Political Science Internship | ||
| Special Topics in Political Science | ||
| Select remainder from: | 12 | |
| Foundations of International Relations | ||
| Human Rights | ||
| Civil Liberties and Civil Rights | ||
| Gender, Politics, & Policy | ||
| Memory Politics: Monuments, Museums and Human Rights | ||
| Health and Humanitarian Crisis | ||
| Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity | ||
| Gender in World Politics | ||
| Women and War | ||
| Social Justice and Pop Culture | ||
| Diamonds, Drugs, and Guns: The Illicit Global Economy | ||
| Politics and Race in America | ||
| Revolution and Political Violence | ||
| Human Trafficking | ||
| International Law | ||
| Political Science Internship | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Additional Requirements
Students must take general electives to reach the 120 required for the degree.
