We live in a nation whose founding principles were collected from around the globe and throughout history. And today our nation's political practices and gestures of peace and war leave their mark throughout the world and in time. Study these intricate relationships with a concentration in American politics and government, then put theory to practice through local and national internship opportunities.
Major Requirements
View the 2017-2018 Academic Catalog to find course titles, numbers and descriptions.
Requirements for a B.A. in Political Science with a Concentration in American Politics & Government
The six required core courses and five Political Science courses, chosen from the list below, exclusive of internships or directed studies. At least two must be at the 3000-level.
Core Courses (six)
- POLSC1201 Introduction to American Politics and Government
- POLSC1301 Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics
- POLSC1401 Introduction to International Relations
- POLSC1501 Political Theory
- POLSC2701 Research Methods in Political Science
- POLSC4100 Senior Seminar
Additional Political Science Courses (choose five)
- POLSC2203 Political Socialization
- POLSC2207 Politics and the Media
- POLSC2211 Campaign Strategies and Electorial Politics
- POLSC2225 The 1960s
- POLSC2228 Federalism through State and Local Government
- POLSC2232 Parties and Interests in American Politics: Polarized America
- POLSC2401 American Foreign Policy
- POLSC2602 Introduction to Law and the Judicial System
- POLSC2603 Problems of Law and Society
- POLSC2801 Food Policy and Social Justice
- POLSC3160 American Political Thought
- POLSC3201 Congress, Representation and the Legislative Process
- POLSC3202 The American Presidency
- POLSC3209 Public Policy, the Law and Psychology
- POLSC3607 Constitutional Law
Learning Goals & Outcomes
At the completion of Political Science degree, the student will:
- Understand the basic tools and concepts of the discipline of political science and each of its subfields: American Government, Comparative Politics, International Relations and Political Theory
- Understand how the various subfields interact
- Demonstrate a practical application of concepts and theories of the discipline
- Be able to orally communicate effectively
- Develop an understanding of non-Western governments
- Develop an understanding of the interactions in the international arena
