PS Requirements
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE
To complete a political science major, each student must complete the College’s Core Curriculum. In consultation with a departmental advisor, every student will meet the core requirements. A minimum of 38 credits must be taken in the department including:
| POL104 | American National Politics |
| POL105 | Power and Justice: Perspectives on Political Order |
| POL106 | International Relations |
| POL434 | State, Citizen and Society |
| American Politics: One of the following: | |
| POL213 | Political Communication: Votes, Groups and Media |
| POL214 | American Domestic Policy |
| POL217 | American Constitutional Law |
| POL325 | Congress and the Presidency |
| Comparative Politics: One of the following: | |
| POL210 | Introduction to Comparative Politics |
| POL219 | Politics of the Developing World |
| POL235 | Politics of the Middle East |
| POL240 | Politics of Western Europe |
| POL324 | Politics of Latin America |
| International Politics: One of the following: | |
| POL310 | American Foreign Policy |
| POL320 | Women and Politics |
| POL348 | Theories of International Relations |
| POL416 | International Political Economy |
| Political Theory: One of the following: | |
| POL223 | Theories of Politics |
| POL322 | American Political Thought |
| Internship/Off-Campus Study: One of the following: | |
| POL425 | Internship in Government and Politics (6 credits maximum for major) |
| Approved academic experience outside the United States | |
| American Studies Program, or other C.C.C.U. program, or other approved off-campus academic program inside the U.S. (8 credits maximum applied to major) |
|
In addition to the requirements listed above, students must take sufficient elective credit in political science courses to reach the minimum of 38 credits required for the major.
Students considering graduate study should take a modern language and a course in statistics for social science research.
Requirements for the Minor in Political Science
Students wishing to minor in political science will complete a minimum of 20 hours of coursework in consultation with the department chair.
Honors in Political Science
In exceptional cases, political science majors may earn honors in political science by researching and writing an honors thesis over the course of the senior year. Under the direction of a faculty advisor, candidates will develop a thesis proposal in the spring prior to the senior year and, with approval of the Political Science Department, register for and complete 8 credits of independent research in the senior year (registered as POL471, 472 Research I, II). For honors, the thesis must be of high quality and sufficient scope, and must be defended orally before department faculty toward the end of spring term in senior year. The minimum GPA for honors candidates is 3.50 in the major and 3.00 overall; depending on the topic, substantial cognate coursework may be required junior and senior years. An honors thesis should be considered by students intending to complete advanced degrees in political science. See department faculty for details.
Double Majors
Students with double majors must take a minimum of 34 credits in political science when it is declared as their second major. They may substitute an internship in their first major for the political science requirement. Double majors from philosophy are excused from the internship requirement.