Department of Political Science

Degree Requirements

Please note, you cannot declare two political science majors or combine one of the majors with one of the minors. You can only choose a single major (POLS, PSIR or PSDV) or a single minor (Political Science or PSDV).

Political Science Major (POLS) Requirements

Required Course

POLS 2010 (Scope and Methods of Political Science)

Three Courses from the following:

  • POLA 2100 (or AP American Government)
  • POLC 2300 (or AP Comparative Politics)
  • POLI 2500
  • POLT 2700

Choose ONE of the following:

Statistics Component: MATH 1110 or equivalent course (double majors in SOCI or PSYC may have other options for satisfying the statistics requirement and should consult their major advisors)

OR

Foreign Language Component: One additional three-credit course beyond the SLA foreign-language requirements. The course must be taught in the target foreign language.

Electives:

SIX courses, not more than FOUR of which from any single subfield (POLA, POLC, POLI, POLT, or PSDV).

Level of Course Work

  • Students must successfully complete at least three courses at the 4000 or 6000 level.
    • An Honor's thesis in Political Science will count as one 4000-level elective.
    • One Political Science independent study may count as a 4000-level elective but only if it is taken for 3 credits.
  • Students may count one Political Science internship course (POLS 4560 Internship) toward the major requirements, however it will not count toward the three required 4000- or 6000-level electives

Political Science/International Relations Major (PSIR) Requirements

Required Course:

POLS 2010 (Scope and Methods of Political Science)

Three Courses from the following:

  • POLA 2100 (or AP American Government)
  • POLC 2300 (or AP Comparative Politics)
  • POLI 2500
  • POLT 2700
  • PSDV 2400

Economics Component:

PSIR majors must successfully complete ONE of the following courses:

  • ECON 1020 (Macroeconomics)
  • POLI 3540 (International Political Economy)
  • ECON 3370 (The World Economy)
  • POLC 6110 (Comparative Political Economy)

Foreign Language Component:

Students must complete one additional three-credit course beyond the SLA foreign-language requirements. The course must be taught in the target foreign language.

Electives:

SIX courses, at least THREE of which must be in either International Relations (POLI), Comparative Politics (POLC), and/or International Development (PSDV). Not more than FOUR of the electives may be in any single subfield (POLA, POLC, POLI, POLT, or PSDV).

Level of Course Work:

  • Students must successfully complete at least three courses at the 4000 or 6000 level.
    • An Honor's thesis in Political Science will count as one 4000-level elective
    • One Political Science independent study may count as a 4000-level elective but only if it is taken for 3 credits
  • Students may count one Political Science internship course (POLS 4560 Internship) toward the major requirements, however it will not count toward the three required 4000- or 6000-level electives

Political Science/International Development Major (PSDV) Requirements

Required Courses:

POLS 2010 (Scope and Methods of Political Science)
PSDV 2400 (Intro to International Development)
POLI 3540 (International Political Economy)
Any PSDV 3000-level course OR one from this list:

  • POLC 3200: African Politics
  • POLC 3310: Politics of Central America
  • POLC 3350: Politics of Latin America
  • POLC 3380: Asian Government
  • POLC 3340: Middle East Comp Politics

One out of the following two:

  • POLC 2300 (or AP Comparative Politics)
  • POLI 2500 (Intro to International Relations)

Economics Component:

  • ECON 1020 (Macroeconomics)

Foreign Language Component:

Students must complete one additional three-credit course beyond the SLA foreign-language requirements. The course must be taught in the target foreign language.

Electives:

FIVE courses, at least TWO of which must be PSDV classes. At least TWO must come from outside of Political Science (see the approved list of classes in the checklist).

Level of Course Work:

  • Students must successfully complete at least three courses at the 4000 or 6000 level.
    • An Honor's thesis in Political Science will count as one 4000-level elective.
    • One Political Science independent study may count as a 4000-level elective but only if it is taken for 3 credits.
  • Students may count one Political Science internship course (POLS 4560 Internship) toward the major requirements, however it will not count toward the three required 4000- or 6000-level electives

Minor Requirements

Political Science Minor Requirements Checklist

PSDV Minor Requirements Checklist

A minor in political science consists of six courses in political science, in at least two different subfields, with at least three courses at the 3000-level or above.

A minor in international development consists of six courses, including PSDV2400 (Intro to International Development) and either ECON1020 (Macroeconomics) OR POLI3450 (International Political Economy), and four electives. All of the electives must be 3000-level or above, at least one must be PSDV and at least one from the department approved list (see minor checklist).