Mar 28, 2024  
2016-2017 University Catalog 
    
2016-2017 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Political Science, BA


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About the Program

Are you interested in American politics? International affairs? Critical issues such as health, the environment, civil rights? Theories concerning the ideal government and how power and resources are allocated in society? Political science is the study of governments, public policies, and political behavior. Political science uses both humanistic and scientific perspectives and skills to examine the United States, all countries and regions of the world. As a political science major, you will hone the writing, communication, and analytical skills that are critical to a liberal arts education. This kind of education will prepare you to think critically and independently, with tolerance for others and concern for current affairs. Students select one area of specialization from five sub-fields: American political systems, processes, and behavior; comparative political systems, processes, and behavior; international relations; political theory and methodology; and public policy and public administration.

Political science training also provides valuable preparation for participating in community organizations, electoral politics, movements on behalf of specific policies, and especially for seeking elective or appointive positions in government.

Please visit Political Science for more information.

Degree Requirements and Supplemental Information

The full Program Requirements for 2016-17 Political Science  include all Supplemental Information and selective lists of those categories which a student must fulfill in order to earn their degree. These are intended to be printer-friendly, but include less descriptive course detail.

Please see below for program requirements and the necessary degree fulfillments.

Political Science-BA
POL
120 Credits

Political Science Majors must earn a “C-” or better in any course used to fulfill a major requirement.

Liberal Arts Core Curriculum


Each liberal arts major is designed as a four-year plan of study and includes three types of courses: Major, Core, and Elective. Most students take five courses per semester, with some of each type.

Professional academic advisors meet individually with each of our students on a regular basis to help with course selection, academic planning, and career development, as well as to help students find additional resources on campus.

For the Liberal Arts Core Curriculum click here .

Departmental/Program Major Requirements (33 credits)


Requirements for the Major


B. The following course in Political Science (3 credits)


C. Two courses chosen from one of the five AREAS of Political Science (6 credits)


(one of these courses must be numbered 40000 or higher)

D. Six (6) other courses in POL, at least three (3) of which shall be numbered 40000 or higher (18 credits)


Students must select at least one (1) course from two (2) areas other than those in Req. C

E. One of the following (3 credits)


Other Departmental/Program Course Requirements (57 credits)


  • or
  •  

  • Other Languages (Proficiency through Level IV in one language) - Credits Hours: 12.00
  • Mathematics - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Statistics - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Western Heritage - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • United States Tradition - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Other Cultures - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Aesthetic Awareness - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Racial and Ethnic Diversity - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Gender Issues - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Social Ethics - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Individual and Society - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Global Perspective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Natural Sciences - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Natural Sciences Lab - Credit Hours: 3.00

Electives (33 credits)


University Core Requirements


  • Human Cultures Humanities
  • Human Cultures Behavioral/Social Science
  • Information Literacy
  • Science #1
  • Science #2
  • Science, Technology, and Society
  • Written Communication
  • Oral Communication
  • Quantitative Reasoning
  • For a complete listing of course selectives, visit the Provost’s Website or click here .

Program Requirements


Fall 1st Year


15 Credits


Spring 1st Year


15 Credits


Fall 2nd Year


15 Credits


Spring 2nd Year


  • SLC 20200 - Credit Hours: 3.00 
  • Natural Science - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Global Perspective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • REQ D - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


Fall 3rd Year


  • Other Cultures - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Natural Science Lab - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Aesthetic Awareness - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • REQ D - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • REQ C (400 Level) - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


Spring 3rd Year


  • Racial and Ethnic Diversity - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Social Ethics - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • REQ D (400 Level) - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


Fall 4th Year


  • REQ D (400 Level) - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • REQ E - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


Spring 4th Year


  • REQ D (400 Level) - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00
  • Elective - Credit Hours: 3.00

15 Credits


The five AREAS of Political Science


For area assignment of courses not listed below contact departmental advisor.

Note


POL 40300 , POL 42900 , POL 49100 , POL 49300 , POL 49500 , and POL 59000  may vary in title and credit depending on course content and may be assigned to different areas. A total of nine (9) hours of POL 40300  and POL 59000  courses may be applied to the major - either two (2) POL 40300  and one (1) POL 59000  or two (2) POL 59000 , and one (1) POL 40300 .

Note


Political Science Majors must earn a “C-” or better in any course used to fulfill a major requirement.

120 semester credits required for Bachelor of Arts degree.

2.0 Graduation GPA required for Bachelor of Arts degree.

32 credit hours at 30000 level or higher required for Bachelor of Arts degree.

Degree Requirements


The student is ultimately responsible for knowing and completing all degree requirements.

The myPurduePlan powered by DegreeWorks is the knowledge source for specific requirements and completion.

Foreign Language Courses


Foreign Language proficiency requirements vary by program.  For acceptable languages and proficiency levels, see your advisor:

American Sign Language, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, (ancient) Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish

Critical Course


The ♦ course is considered critical. A Critical Course is one that a student must be able to pass to persist and succeed in a particular major.

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