Major and Minors
Explore and Discover. Politics are everywhere, from small acts of protest to large-scale invasions. Political science studies all levels of politics across the globe. Students studying political science develop the skills they need to carefully answer questions about political life; skills that help them succeed in academia, policy research, law, politics, and the private sector.
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Degrees Offered
The Department of Political Science offers a major in political science and three minors: American politics, political theory, and world politics. Below are the requirements for each specific degree.
Political Science Major
A major in political science provides the skills needed to deeply understand and carefully analyze the political world. It also offers the opportunity to develop a subfield specialty in American politics, comparative politics, international relations, or political theory.
The political science major requires 30 credit hours of coursework:
- 6 credit hours of political science core classes (1100, 1101, 1102, 1103, or 1150)
- 12 total credit hours of electives in all four subfields
- Three credit hours of a 2000- or 3000-level elective in each of American politics, comparative politics, international politics, and political theory
- 12 additional credit hours of electives
At most, 3 credit hours can be from an additional 1000-level course, and up to 6 credit hours can be from individualized instruction courses 3882, 3883, 3841, 3842, 3851, 3852, 4998, and 4999.
In completing these 30 credit hours, students must develop a specialty by taking an intro class (one of the 6 hours of core) and three electives, all from the same subfield.
| Areas of Concentration | Hours Required |
|---|---|
| Political Science Core 1100, 1101, 1102, 1103, or 11503 credit hours | 6 credit hours |
| American Government and Politics 2204W, 2222, 2235, 2240, 2240W, 2241, 2242W, 2243, 2244, 2245, 2251, 2253, 2255, 2256, 2259, 2262, 2265, 2266, 2267, 2270, 3241, 3242, 3244, 3246, 3247, 3249, 3250, 3252, 3253, 3254, 3260, 3268, 3700W, 3893, 4444 | 3 credit hours |
| Comparative Politics 2210, 2212W, 2213, 2214, 2215, 2216, 2217, 2219, 2223, 2224W, 2228W, 2230, 2231, 2236, 2237, 2238, 2239, 2246W, 2249, 2251, 2252, 2254W, 2270, 2278, 2400W, 2405W, 3211, 3217, 3218, 3219, 3228, 3235, 3272W, 3273, 3273W, 3274, 3400, 3894, 4238 | 3 credit hours |
| International Relations 2170, 2171, 2211, 2220, 2221, 2222, 2223, 2225, 2226, 2236, 2263, 2270, 2273, 2274, 2275, 2405W, 3211, 3228, 3229, 3272W, 3273, 3273W, 3275, 3895, 4277 | 3 credit hours |
| Political Theory 2201, 2202, 2203, 2204W, 2205, 2207, 2207W, 2208, 2209, 2263, 3206, 3253, 3258, 3264W, 3265, 3266, 3270, 3271, 3333, 3896, 4257 | 3 credit hours |
| Electives Any 2000- or 3000-level course listed above; 2270, 2279, 2300, 2310, 3891, 3897, 3898; one additional 1000-level course, including 1111; up to six hours of 3882, 3883, 3851, 3852, 3841, 3842, 4998, 4999 combined | 12 credit hours |
| TOTAL | MINIMUM 30 CREDIT HOURS |
Political Science Minors
The three minors offered by the Department of Political Science allow students the chance to gain exposure to the tools needed for analyzing politics by developing a specialty in American politics, political theory, or world politics.
Each minor requires 18 credit hours of coursework: one political science core course and 15 additional credit hours of electives within that specialty.
Minor in American Politics
| Courses | Credit Hours Required |
|---|---|
| PSCI 1100 or 1150 | 3 credit hours |
| Plus any five of the following: PSCI 2204W, 2222, 2235, 2240, 2240W, 2241, 2242W, 2243, 2244, 2245, 2251, 2253, 2255, 2256, 2259, 2262, 2265, 2266, 2267, 2270, 3241, 3242, 3244, 3246, 3247, 3249, 3250, 3252, 3253, 3254, 3260, 3268, 3700W, 3893, 4444 | 15 credit hours |
| TOTAL | MINIMUM 18 CREDIT HOURS |
Minor in Political Theory
| Courses | Credit Hours Required |
|---|---|
| Political Science 1103 | 3 credit hours |
| Plus any five of the following: PSCI 2201, 2202, 2203, 2204W, 2205, 2207, 2207W, 2208, 2209, 2263, 3206, 3253, 3258, 3264W, 3265, 3266, 3270, 3271, 3333, 3896, 4257 | 15 credit hours |
| TOTAL | MINIMUM 18 CREDIT HOURS |
Minor in World Politics
A student may focus on comparative politics or international politics, or may mix the two.
| Courses | Credit Hours Required |
|---|---|
| Political Science 1101 or 1102 | 3 credit hours |
| Plus any five of the following: PSCI 2170, 2171, 2210, 2211, 2212W, 2213, 2214, 2215, 2216, 2217, 2219, 2220, 2221, 2222, 2223, 2224W, 2225, 2226, 2228W, 2230, 2231, 2236, 2237, 2238, 2239, 2246W, 2249, 2251, 2252, 2254W, 2263, 2270, 2273, 2274, 2275, 2278, 2400W, 2405W, 3211, 3217, 3218, 3219, 3228, 3229, 3235, 3272W, 3273, 3273W, 3274, 3475, 3400, 3894, 3895, 4238, 4277 | 15 credit hours |
| TOTAL | MINIMUM 18 CREDIT HOURS |
Declaring a Major or Minor
To declare a major or minor, a student should:
- Email the Director of Undergraduate Studies to request an adviser. In that email, include the subfield that you think is most likely to be your specialty within political science. Advisers will be assigned during fall and spring semesters between the first day of classes and the last day of the exam period.
- Once you have been assigned an adviser, complete the Major/Minor Declaration Form, obtain your adviser’s signature, and submit it by email to both the Undergraduate Coordinator, Riley Eillingson, as well as to the A&S Office of Academic Services.