| Bachelor of Arts in Political Science | |
Students in the Political Science program learn about politics and study questions such as the following. Are democracies with a president and legislative branch more representative than those with a prime minister who leads the legislature? Is a two-party system better than a multi-party system? How can governments respect diverse ethnic, racial, and religious identities, and still promote bonds of common citizenship? What should be the role of the United States in an increasingly interdependent global economy? These are the types of questions that political scientists explore, but they also represent issues that require ordinary citizens to make informed judgments. This program prepares graduates for careers in government such as public management, administration of justice, military service and the gaining and holding of elected positions. Graduates from political science programs are found in many professions; particularly those involved in large organizations with extensive internal networks requiring skills in dealing with and managing other people. |
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Degree Program Objectives
In addition to the institutional and general education level learning objectives, the Bachelor of Arts in Political Science also seeks the following specific learning outcomes of its graduates. With reference to each of the respective areas of Political Science, graduates in this degree program will be able to: Political Theory and Systems - Investigate the fundamental theories and philosophies of government, governance, economy, and civil society; apply them to contemporary political systems.
- Examine the political elements of representative democracy and compare and contrast those elements with other political systems.
The United States Political System - Describe the three institutions of government that create and implement federal policy.
- Analyze the historical evolution and contemporary manifestations of the federal system and its intergovernmental implications.
Political Parties and Interest Groups - Explain the evolution of interest groups in the United States and their various roles assumed in both historical and modern democratic processes.
- Explain the perspectives of political parties and their impact on federal, state, and local government.
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Degree Program Requirements | Required Course - 3 semester hours | | | | | | | | | |
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General Education Requirements (34 semester hours) |
| English Composition - 6 semester hours | | | | | EN101 / ENGL101 - Proficiency in Writing [Required] EN102 / ENGL102 - Effectiveness in Writing EN202 / ENGL200 - Composition and Literature
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| Social Sciences - 6 semester hours | | | | | SS101 / ECON101 - Microeconomics SS102 / ECON102 - Macroeconomics SS111 / GEOG101 - Introduction to Geography SS133 / SOCI111 - Introduction to Sociology SS134 / PSYC101 - Introduction to Psychology SS190 / ANTH100 - Introduction to Anthropology SS210 / CHFD220 - Human Sexuality SO220 / SOCI220 - American Popular Culture
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| Science - 4 semester hours including the required 1 hour lab | | | | | SC100 / SCIN100 - Introduction to Biology SC198 / SCIN101 - Introduction to Biology Lab SC101 / SCIN102 - Introduction to Chemistry SC199 / SCIN103 - Introduction to Chemistry Lab SC102 / SCIN104 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology SC122 / SCIN105 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab SC103 / SCIN106 - Introduction to Physics SC123 / SCIN107 - Introduction to Physics Lab SC104 / SCIN108 - Introduction to Astronomy SC124 / SCIN109 - Introduction to Astronomy Lab SC106 / SCIN110 - Introduction to Oceanography SC126 / SCIN111 - Introduction to Oceanography Lab SC107 / SCIN112 - Introduction to Meteorology SC127 / SCIN113 - Introduction to Meteorology Lab SC108 / SCIN114 - Introduction to Physical Geology SC128 / SCIN115 - Introduction to Physical Geology Lab SC105 / SCIN116 - Introduction to Forestry SC125 / SCIN117 - Introduction to Forestry Lab SC110 / SCIN118 - Introduction to Human Ecology SC120 / SCIN119 - Introduction to Human Ecology Lab
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| Mathematics - 3 semester hours | | | | | MA112 / MATH110 - College Algebra MA113 / MATH111 - College Trigonometry MA125 / MATH125 - Math for Liberal Arts Majors MA225 / MATH225 - Calculus
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| History - 6 semester hours | | | | | HS101 / HIST101 - American History to 1877 HS102 / HIST102 - American History since 1877 HS111 / HIST111 - World Civilization before 1650 HS112 / HIST112 - World Civilization since 1650 HS121 / HIST121 - Western Civilization before The Thirty Years War HS122 / HIST122 - Western Civilization since The Thirty Years War HS215 / HIST223 - History of the American Indian HS217 / HIST221 - African-American History before 1877 HS218 / HIST222 - African-American History since 1877
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| Humanities - 3 semester hours | | | | | HM101 / SPAN100 - Spanish I HM102 / SPAN101 - Spanish II [Prerequisite: HM101] HM103 / FREN100 - French I HM104 / FREN101 - French II [Prerequisite: HM103] HM105 / ARAB100 - Arabic I HM106 / ARAB101 - Arabic II [Prerequisite: HM105] HM107 / RUSS100 - Russian I HM108 / RUSS101 - Russian II [Prerequisite: HM107] HM109 / CHIN100 - Chinese I (Mandarin) HM110 / CHIN101 - Chinese II (Mandarin) [Prerequisite: HM109] HM111 / GERM100 - German I HM112 / GERM101 - German II [Prerequisite: HM111] HM200 / MUSI200 - Music Appreciation HM230 / RELS201 - Introduction to World Religions HM240 / ARTH200 - Art Appreciation HM277 / PHIL200 - Introduction to Ethics PH101 / PHIL101 - Introduction to Philosophy GM200 / COMM200 - Public Speaking
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| Literature - 3 semester hours | | | | | All literature courses require successful completion of EN101 - Proficiency in Writing or EN102 - Effectiveness in Writing HM201 / LITR220 - American Literature before the Civil War HM202 / LITR221 - American Literature from The Civil War to Present HM221 / LITR210 - English Literature: Beowulf to 18th Century HM222 / LITR211 - English Literature: 18th Century to Present HM211 / LITR201 - World Literature through the Renaissance HM212 / LITR202 - World Literature since the Renaissance
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| Political Science - 3 semester hours | | | | | | | | | |
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| Core Courses (27 semester hours) | | | | | Select all courses from the following list: - SS121 / POLS210 - American Government I (Required)
- SS122 / POLS211 - American Government II (Required)
- RQ300 / COLL300 - Research, Analysis, and Writing
- SO311 / SOCI311 - Political Sociology
- SS304 / POLS311 - Political Parties and Interest Groups
- SS305 / POLS213 - Political Theory
- SS306 / POLS312 - State, Local, and Community Politics
- SS411 / IRLS300 - Comparative Political Systems
- SS460 / POLS410 - Public Policy
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| Major Courses (15 semester hours) | | | | | A student enrolled in Political Science will take five (5) courses from the following list. - CJ330 / LSTD301 - Constitutional Law
- GM311 / PADM300 - Public Management
- GM413 / POLS313 - Non-Governmental Organizations
- GM452 / PADM301 - Public Economics
- RQ312 / INTL301 - The U.S. Intelligence Community
- SS306 / POLS312 - State, Local, and Community Politics
- SS330 / POLS214 - Ethnic Studies
- SS491 / POLS497 - Special Topics in Political Science
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| Capstone Course (3 semester hours) | | | | | - SS497 / POLS498 - Senior Seminar in Political Science
Prerequisite: Senior Standing and completion of all core and major courses prior to enrollment.
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| Electives (39 semester hours) | | | | | | Select any courses that have not been used to fulfill core or major requirements. Credits applied toward a minor or certificate in an unrelated field may be used to fulfill elective credit for the major. | | | | |
Total = 121 semester hours |
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