Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

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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.

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

  • Analyze 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

  • Analyze 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.
  • Analyze the perspectives of political parties and their impact on federal, state, and local government.


Degree Program Requirements

RQ295 / COL 100 Foundations of Online Learning (fomerly Academic and Career Planning) (3 semester hours) - Required as the first course in all undergraduate programs.

General Education Requirements (31 semester hours)
English Composition - 6 semester hours
EN101 / ENG 101 - Proficiency in Writing (Required)
EN102 / ENG 102 - Effectiveness in Writing or
EN202 / ENG 200 - English Composition and Literature

Social Sciences - 6 semester hours
SS101 / ECO 101 - Microeconomics
SS102 / ECO 102 - Macroeconomics (Prerequisite: SS101) 
SS111 / GEO 101 - Introduction to Geography
SS133 / SOC 111 - Introduction to Sociology
SS134 / PSY 101 - Introduction to Psychology 
SS190 / ANT 100 - Introduction to Anthropology
SS210 / CFD 220 - Human Sexuality  
SO220 / SOC 220 - American Popular Culture

Science - 4 semester hours including required 1 hour lab
SC100 / SCI 100 - Introduction to Biology
SC198 / SCI 100 L - Introduction to Biology Lab
SC101 / SCI 110 - Introduction to Chemistry
SC199 / SCI 110 L - Introduction to Chemistry Lab   
SC102 / SCI 102 - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology 
SC122 / SCI 102 L - Introduction to Human Anatomy & Physiology Lab
SC103 / SCI 103 - Introduction to Physics 
SC123 / SCI 103 L - Introduction to Physics Lab
SC104 / SCI 104 - Introduction to Astronomy
SC124 / SCI 104 L - Introduction to Astronomy Lab
SC106 / SCI 106 - Introduction to Oceanography 
SC126 / SCI 106 L - Introduction to Oceanography Lab
SC107 / SCI 107 - Introduction to Meteorology
SC127 / SCI 107 L - Introduction to Meteorology Lab

Mathematics - 3 semester hours
MA110 / MA112 / MAT 110 - Introduction to College Algebra and Trigonometry / College Algebra, or
MA111 / MA113 / MAT 111 College Algebra and Trigonometry / College Trigonometry, or
MA125 / MAT 125 - Math for Liberal Arts Majors, or
MA225 / MAT 225 - Calculus

History - 6 semester hours
HS101 / HIS101 - American History to 1877
HS102 / HIS 102 - American History since 1877
HS111 / HIS 111 - World Civilization I
HS112 / HIS 112 - World Civilization II
HS121 / HIS 121 - Western Civilization Before The Thirty Years War
HS122 / HIS 122 - Western Civilization Since Thirty Years War
HS215 / HIS 223 - History of the American Indian
HS217 / HIS 221 - African-American History before 1877
HS218 / HIS 222 - African-American History since 1877

Humanities - 3 semester hours
HM101 / SPA 100 - Spanish I 
HM102 / SPA 101 - Spanish II (Prerequisite: HM101) - or other foreign language
HM200 / MUS 200 - Music Appreciation
HM230 / REL 201 - Introduction to World Religions  
HM240 / ART 200 - Art Appreciation  
HM277 / PHI 200 - Introduction to Ethics
PH101 / PHI 101 - Introduction to Philosophy

Literature - 3 semester hours
HM201 / LIT 220 - American Literature before the Civil War
HM202 / LIT 221 - American Literature from Civil War to Present
HM221 / LIT 210 - English Literature: Beowulf to 18th Century
HM222 / LIT 211 - English Literature: 18th Century to Present
HM211 / LIT 201 - World Lit through the Renaissance
HM212 / LIT 202 - World Lit since the Renaissance

Core Courses (27 semester hour)
Select nine (9) courses from the following ten:
SS121/ INR 210 - American Government I (Required)
SS122 / INR 211 - American Government II (Required)
MH304 / INR 214 - American Foreign Policy
RQ300 / COL 300- Research, Analysis, and Writing
SO311 / SOC 311 - Political Sociology
SS304 / POL311 - Political Parties and Interest Groups
SS305 / POL213 - Political Theory
SS306 / POL312 - State, Local, and Community Politics
SS411 / INR 300 - Comparative Political Systems
SS460- / POL410 - Public Policy

Major Courses (15 semester hours)
A student enrolled in Political Science will take five (5) courses from the following list.
CJ330 / LST 301 - Constitutional Law
GM311 / PUB 300 - Public Management
GM413 / POL 313 - Non-Governmental Organizations
GM452 / PUB 301 - Public Economics
MH411 / NSS 411 - Introduction to National Security
RQ312 / INT 312 - The U.S. Intelligence Community
SS306 / POL 312 - State, Local, and Community Politics
SS330 / POL 214 - Ethnic Studies
SS491 / POL 491 - Special Topics in Political Science

Capstone Course (3 semester hours)
SS497 / POL 498 - Senior Seminar in Political Science
Prerequisite: Senior Standing and completion of all core and major courses prior to enrollment.

Electives (42 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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