Political Science

Students fulfilling the social science requirement are advised that any course in this department may be used to fulfill that requirement.

Major in political science: Political science is a critical engagement with the competing values and interests that guide and orient politics. It analyzes concepts and principles that deal with the nature, purpose, and characteristics of government and political change. Political science encompasses the theoretical and empirical study of government institutions, leadership, conflict resolution between and within states, political ideas and ideologies, political culture and discourse, political economy, and the politics of gender, race, and class. The political science department offers a wide range of courses that address these topics of study.

Students majoring in political science are expected to take a minimum of ten courses, including Comparative Politics (103); at least one course each in Political Theory, American Politics, and International Politics; and a seminar at the 400 level. Comprehensive examinations are offered in three subfields: 1) Political Theory; 2) International Politics/Comparative Politics; and 3) American Politics/Public Law (also including relevant political theory courses such as American Political Thought). Students answer questions in both a major subfield and a minor subfield. For the major subfields, four courses each are required, and five recommended. For the minor subfield three courses are required. The public affairs internship course (PolS 445) is excluded from coverage on the comprehensive examination and counts as a course outside the major.

Below, courses are coded by subfield, listed at the end of the course description: A = American, L = Law, T = Theory, W = World Politics, and C = Comparative.

Minor in political science: A minor in political science consists of five courses, at least three of which must be above the 100 level. There is no comprehensive examination for the minor.

Honors in Political Science: Students who have taken a minimum of six political science courses with a departmental average of at least 3.4 may request enrollment during the first semester of their senior year in the Honors Tutorial (Political Science 450). As a condition for enrollment, a preliminary research proposal must first be approved by the intended faculty supervisor of the project. Except in unusual circumstances students are to take their comprehensives and write their honors paper in different semesters. Departmental honors are awarded to a student who maintains an average of 3.4 or higher in departmental courses, submits an honors paper of at least B+ quality and receives distinction on the comprehensives. Candidates for honors also make an oral presentation of their honors paper to an audience of departmental faculty and students.

Other Expectations:
Students contemplating professional careers in international affairs are encouraged to take several upper-level economics courses (for example, microeconomics, macroeconomics, international economics).

Students considering graduate work in political science are encouraged to take Political Behavior (407), several economics courses, and at least one semester of upper-level Political Theory.

Students interested in prelaw are strongly urged to take courses in Anglo-American history and constitutional development, political theory, economics, and logic. The Law School Admissions Test is required by all law schools and should be taken early in the senior year.