Requirements for Political Science Majors

These requirements are effective Fall 2021.

33 hours of political science courses
18 of the 33 hours at the 3000-level and above
POLI 2051 American Government / or POLI 2052 Honors: American Government
At least 1 course in each of the other traditional fields of study (Comparative Politics, International Politics and Political Theory)

Concentrations

Majors may, but are not required to, designate 1 or 2 concentrations (which consist of four (4) courses within the any of the "Fields of Study" or "groupings") from the list of nine concentrations below. A student may count the same course towards two concentrations, but may count only one (1) course outside Political Science towards a concentration (and counting a course from another department towards a concentration in Political Science does not reduce the 33-hour minimum in Political Science).

Four (4) Traditional Fields of Study

(1) American Government & Politics

General: POLI 2051, POLI 2052, POLI 4000*
Political Behavior: POLI 2030, POLI 4026, POLI 4028, POLI 4029, POLI 4030, POLI 4031, POLI 4032, POLI 4034, POLI 4035, POLI 4036,
Public Law and Jurisprudence: POLI 4020, POLI 4021, POLI 4023
Public Administration: POLI 2070, POLI 4011, POLI 4017
State, Urban, and Local Government: POLI 2056, POLI 4015, POLI 4039

(2) Comparative Government & Politics

General: POLI 2053, POLI 4060*, POLI 4062, POLI 4063, POLI 4064
Western Europe: POLI 4074, POLI 4075, POLI 4076, POLI 4077
Latin America: POLI 4065
Russia and Eastern Europe: POLI 4070, POLI 4072
Asia: POLI 4067, POLI 4079
Africa: POLI 4078
Middle East: POLI 4061

(3) International Politics & Law

International Politics: POLI 2057, POLI 4040*, POLI 4044, POLI 4045, POLI 4046, POLI 4047, POLI 4048, POLI 4050, POLI 4059
International Law & Organizations: POLI 4041, POLI 4042
Foreign Policy: POLI 4043

(4) Political Theory

Political Theory, General: POLI 2060, POLI 4090*, POLI 4234
History of Political Thought: POLI 4080, POLI 4081, POLI 4082
Contemporary Political Thought: POLI 4096, POLI 4097, POLI 4098

Additional Fields of Study

(5) Law & Legal Systems

American Constitutional Law: POLI 4020, POLI 4021
Judicial Politics: POLI 4023
International Law: POLI 4041
Sociology of Law: SOCL 3371, SOCL 4471
Mass Media Law: MC 3080, MC 3081
Legal Writing: ENGL 3101

(6) Public Policy & Political Analysis

Research Methods (Required): POLI 3001 or POLI 4001
Public Policy, General: POLI 2070, POLI 4035
Topics in Public Policy: POLI 4011, POLI 4015, POLI 4017
Political Economy: POLI 4046, POLI 4062
Foreign Policy: POLI 4043
Research Analysis: POLI 4998*, 4999*

(7) Race, Ethnicity & Gender

Politics & Elections: POLI 4039
Constitutional & Political Thought: POLI 4021, POLI 4080
Gender & American Politics: POLI 4028
Politics & Poverty Policy: POLI 4017
Race and the Media: MC 3333, MC 3505
Cross-disciplinary Perspectives: HIST 2061, SOCL 2511

*Each field has a special topics course available that may be taken for up to 6 hours of credit when topics vary. These courses are POLI 4000 (American Government and Politics); POLI 4040 (International Politics and Law); POLI 4060 (Comparative Government and Politics): and POLI 4090 (Political Theory). In addition, POLI 4996, 4997, 4998, 4999, may count toward a Political Science field with approval of the departmental advisor.