Political Science Major (B.A.)

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Major code BA4201

Universitywide Graduation Requirements

To complete this program, students must meet all Universitywide graduation requirements .

College-Level Requirements for the College of Arts and Sciences

View the A&S - College Level Requirements (A&S CLR) .

Political Science Major Requirements

Complete a minimum of 52 hours with a 2.0 or higher GPA. This includes the requirements listed below, two additional 200-level courses, and Option I–General Politics–or Option II–any four-course track–as described below:

Complete the three courses listed below:
POLS 101 - American National Government Credit Hours: 4
POLS 150 - Current World Problems Credit Hours: 4
POLS 270 - Political Theory Credit Hours: 4
Complete two out of the three courses listed below:
POLS 210 - Principles of Public Administration Credit Hours: 4
POLS 230 - Comparative Politics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 250 - International Relations Credit Hours: 4

Option I or Option II

Option I - Complete one course from each of the following three tracks (a course can only count for one track)

Option II - Complete at least four 300- and 400-level courses in one of the following tracks:

American Politics

POLS 301 - The Politics of Law Credit Hours: 5
POLS 304 - State Politics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 306 - Politics of Appalachia Credit Hours: 5
POLS 310 - American Domestic Policy Credit Hours: 4
POLS 319 - Gay and Lesbian Politics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 323 - Black Politics in the United States Credit Hours: 4
POLS 401 - American Constitutional Law Credit Hours: 4
POLS 402 - American Constitutional Law Credit Hours: 4
POLS 405 - American Political Parties Credit Hours: 4
POLS 406 - Elections and Campaigns Credit Hours: 4
POLS 407 - Politics of Urban Development Credit Hours: 4
POLS 415 - The American Presidency Credit Hours: 4
POLS 416 - Legislative Processes Credit Hours: 4
POLS 418 - Interest Groups in American Politics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 420 - Women, Law, and Politics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 424 - American Intergovernmental Relations Credit Hours: 4
POLS 425 - Environmental and Natural Resource Politics and Policy Credit Hours: 4
POLS 426 - Politics of Contemporary Environmental Movement Credit Hours: 4
POLS 476A - American Political Thought Credit Hours: 4
POLS 476B - American Political Thought Credit Hours: 4
POLS 488 - Environmental and Public Policy Dispute Resolution Credit Hours: 4

World Politics

POLS 331 - Politics in Western Europe Credit Hours: 4
POLS 333 - Politics in Russia and Former Soviet Union Credit Hours: 4
POLS 334 - British Political Culture Credit Hours: 4
POLS 340 - The Politics of Developing Areas Credit Hours: 4
POLS 354 - American Foreign Policy Credit Hours: 4
POLS 427 - Formulation of American Foreign Policy Credit Hours: 4
POLS 429 - Comparative Public Administration Credit Hours: 4
POLS 431 - Politics of Eastern Europe Credit Hours: 4
POLS 432 - Policy Making in Russia Credit Hours: 4
POLS 433 - Russian Foreign Policy Credit Hours: 4
POLS 434 - Government and Politics of Latin America Credit Hours: 4
POLS 435 - Revolution in Latin America Credit Hours: 4
POLS 438 - Government and Politics of Germany Credit Hours: 4
POLS 439 - Politics in France Credit Hours: 4
POLS 441 - African Politics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 442 - Middle East Politics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 445 - Government and Politics of Japan Credit Hours: 4
POLS 446 - Government and Politics of China Credit Hours: 4
POLS 447A - Government and Politics of Southeast Asia Credit Hours: 4
POLS 447B - Government and Politics of Southeast Asia Credit Hours: 4
POLS 449 - Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict Credit Hours: 4
POLS 455 - International Law Credit Hours: 4
POLS 456 - International Organizations Credit Hours: 4
POLS 457 - National Security in the Post-Cold War World Credit Hours: 4
POLS 458 - War And Its Causes Credit Hours: 4
POLS 460 - International Political Economy Credit Hours: 4
POLS 463 - The United States and Africa Credit Hours: 5
POLS 496 - International Internship Credit Hours: 5 - 12
POLS 496Y - Internatl Internship Sem Credit Hours: 1 - 3

Law, Justice, and Political Thought

Complete 4 courses from the following, including POLS 301:

POLS 301 - The Politics of Law Credit Hours: 5
POLS 319 - Gay and Lesbian Politics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 371 - Plato, Aristotle, and Pre-Modern Political Thought Credit Hours: 4
POLS 372 - Modern Political Thought Credit Hours: 4
POLS 373 - Contemporary Political Thought Credit Hours: 4
POLS 401 - American Constitutional Law Credit Hours: 4
POLS 402 - American Constitutional Law Credit Hours: 4
POLS 404 - Civil Liberties Credit Hours: 4
POLS 409 - Criminal Procedure Credit Hours: 5
POLS 413 - Administrative Law Credit Hours: 4
POLS 420 - Women, Law, and Politics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 421 - The Politics of Law and Sexuality Credit Hours: 4
POLS 455 - International Law Credit Hours: 4
POLS 476A - American Political Thought Credit Hours: 4
POLS 476B - American Political Thought Credit Hours: 4
POLS 477 - Legal Theory and Social Problems Credit Hours: 4
POLS 478 - Feminist Political Theories and Movements Credit Hours: 5
POLS 488 - Environmental and Public Policy Dispute Resolution Credit Hours: 4

Suggested Courses

All majors are encouraged to take additional courses designed to develop skills, including:

POLS 305J - Writing on Political Science Topics Credit Hours: 4
POLS 390 - Political Workshop Credit Hours: 1 - 15
POLS 481 - Modern Political Analysis Credit Hours: 4
POLS 482 - Quantitative Political Analysis Credit Hours: 5
POLS 483 - Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Credit Hours: 4
LPA 484 - Management Skills for Public Administration Credit Hours: 5
POLS 495 - Public Affairs Internship Credit Hours: 1 - 15

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