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Department Requirements
requirements for those entering the major on or after august 31, 2013
The Department of Political Science requires majors to complete a minimum of 11 courses in Political Science, including the Junior Year Writing and Integrative Experience requirements. All courses counted toward the major must be taken for a letter grade, and no fewer than 6 of the 11 required Political Science courses must be taken within the Department. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA within the major as well as overall at the University in order to graduate.
Introductory Requirement
All Political Science majors must complete at least three 100-level Political Science courses, with an average grade of C (2.0) or better in the set of courses, as follows (one in each category).
1. American Politics (101), introduction to Constitutional Law (162) or Controversies in Public Policy (181) ___________
2. Comparative Politics (111) or World Politics (121) ___________
3. Introduction to Politial Theory (171)
Students may substitute another 100-level class not listed above for one of these requirements with advance approval from the Chief Undergraduate Advisor.
Upper-Level Requirement
Eight courses at the 200-level or above, at least 4 of which must be 300-level or above. The Junior Year Writing course (399) and the Integrative Experience course may be counted among these eight courses.
Not more than one of these courses can be an independent study course or a graded internship. Honors research, Honors project, and Honors thesis courses (499Y, 499P, 499T) are in addition to the 11-course requirement for the major.
Students considering graduate school should meet with an academic advisor as early as possible to be matched with a faculty mentor to ensure that course selections will appropriately prepare the student for further study at the graduate level.
Requirements for those entering the major PRIOR to august 31, 2013
The Department of Political Science requires its majors to complete a minimum of 11 three-credit courses in political science plus the Junior Year Writing requirement. No fewer than two of the eleven courses must be taken at the 100(introductory)-level and no fewer than eight must be taken at the 200-level or above. All courses counted toward the political science major must be taken for a letter grade, and no fewer than six of the eleven required political science courses must be taken within the Department. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA within the major as well as overall at the University in order to graduate.
Introductory Requirement
All Political Science majors must complete at least two 100-level Political Science courses with grades of C or better, one which must be chosen from among the following: 101 American Politics; 111 Comparative Politics; 121 World Politics; or 171 Introduction to Political Theory. If a third introductory course is taken to satisfy the major requirements, it must be selected from these above-listed courses.
__________________ __________________ (__________________)
Distribution Requirement
Majors are required to take one course at the 200-level or above in each of the general fields of American Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory. Courses that may be taken to satisfy these requirements are listed under "Political Science Course Offerings." None of these requirements may be satisfied by an internship or independent study or by Honors research, thesis or project courses.
American Politics ____________________
Comparative Politics ____________________
International Relations ____________________
Political Theory ____________________
Electives
In addition to the courses taken to satisfy the introductory and distribution requirements, majors must take four (if three 100-level courses are selected) or five (if two 100-level courses are selected) other Political Science courses at the 200-level or above. Not more than one of these courses can be an independent study course or a graded internship. Honors research, Honors Project, and Honors Thesis courses (POLSCI 499Y, POLSCI 499P, POLSCI 499T) are in addition to the 11-course requirement for the major.
___________________ __________________ _________________ ___________________
(____________________)
Junior Year Writing Requirement* ______________________________
*(Double majors may fulfill this requirement in either major department.)
