Major Requirements

The Political Science major normally consists of 38 credits in the field. The following courses are required of all Political Science majors:

POL 1100  Politics of United States
POL 1500  Comparative Politics 
POL 2000(W)  Political Science Methods
POL 4800  Senior Seminar: Politics and the Political Process

POL 2000(W) Political Science Methods must be completed by the end of student's sophomore year, except by permission of the Department Chair.

United States Politics 

At least two courses are to be in the area of United States politics and government and are to be selected from below:

POL 2111  State and Local Politics
POL 2120  Government, Business, and Society 
POL 2121  Public Administration and Public Policy
POL 2122 Law and Society
POL 2181  American Political Thought 
POL 3112  Congress and the Legislative Process
POL 3113  American Presidency
POL 3114  Political Parties and Interest Groups
POL 3122  Issues In Public Policy
POL 3130  Campaigns and Elections 
POL 3131  Polling and Public Opinion
POL 3132  Political Psychology
POL 3140  Mass Media and American Politics 
POL 3141  Political Communication
POL 3150  Criminal Law
POL 3151  American Constitutional Law
POL 3152  Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
POL 3160  United States Foreign Policy
POL 4199  Women and Politics

 International Relations

At least two courses are to deal with the world outside United States and are to be selected from the following: 

POL 2510  International Politics 
POL 2581  Political Thought: Plato to Machiavelli 
POL 2582  Political Thought: Machiavelli to Marx
POL 3520  Modern China
POL 3521  Latin American Politics
POL 3522  British Politics
POL 3523  Japanese Politics
POL 3524  Politics of the Russia and Post-Soviet States 
POL 3525  Politics of the Middle East
POL 3526  Politics of the European Union
POL 3530  Comparative Foreign Politics
POL 3531  Politics of Developing Nations
POL 3540  International Political Economy
POL 4599(W) Issues and Cases in United States Foreign Policy

Additional Upper Level Courses

The remaining courses may be taken from either of the two areas listed above, or qualified students may take some or all of the following:

POL 4700  Directed Study
POL 4850(W) Public Service (fall or spring) Internship*
POL 4851  Public Service Summer Internship
POL 4900  Senior Honors Seminar

*The Public Service (fall or spring) Internship is an 8 credit/2 course equivalent, with four credits counting toward Political Science and four toward electives.  Students can complete up to 12 internship credits; one fall or spring (8 cr.) and a summer internship (4 cr.)