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Political Science Major

This information is part of the .

Major Requirements

Ten courses are required to complete a major in political science. The requirements are as follows:

Political Science Courses

American Politics

Courses fulfilling this requirement have an attribute of POAP in the course offerings.

One of the following:

Comparative Politics

Courses fulfilling this requirement have an attribute of POCP in the course offerings.

One of the following:

International Relations

Courses fulfilling this requirement have an attribute of POIR in the course offerings.

One of the following:

Political Theory

Courses fulfilling this requirement have an attribute of POPT in the course offerings.

One of the following:

Electives
  • One additional political science course at any level
  • Four additional 300- or 400-level political science courses
    • ±·´Ç³Ù±ð:Ìý°¿²Ô±ô²â one of the two honors seminar courses - POSC 498 or POSC 499 - can count as an elective for major credit.
400-level Seminar

One 400-level seminar course. Note that study group courses, , and  do not fulfill this requirement.

Additional Stipulations

  • No course with a grade below C will count for political science major credit.
  • Double counting courses for political science and international relations:
    • For students electing a double major in political science and international relations, no more than two courses may be counted for completion of both majors.
    • For students seeking a major in political science and a minor in international relations, no courses may be double-counted.
  • Transfer credit:
    • For the Geneva and Washington D.C. study groups, up to three course credits may satisfy political science elective requirements. 
    • Normally, no more than two independent study courses or political science courses taken on another ÌÇÐÄvlog¹ÙÍø study group or an approved program may be accepted for major credit. 
    • For more information about transfer credit, refer to the Ìý±è²¹²µ±ð.

Honors and High Honors

Students with outstanding records in political science may pursue honors. To qualify, a student must have, at graduation, an overall GPA of 3.40 and a departmental GPA of 3.60 in the eleven or more courses taken to satisfy the major requirement for honors. A student must enroll in the year-long honors colloquium (Ìý²¹²Ô»åÌý). Both courses are used in determining departmental GPA, but, only one may count toward major requirements.  

Students enrolled in  will complete an in-depth written literature review of their subject of interest. Students enrolled in  will write a lengthy thesis. Each course is graded separately, but enrollment in  is contingent on the successful completion of , and the recommendation of the seminar director and the student's primary adviser. Although these courses are designed for and required of those hoping to stand for honors or high honors at graduation, neither is restricted to them; rising seniors with a strong interest in some area of political science and a proven academic record of accomplishment who would like to explore further a chosen area of research in a collaborative environment should also consider enrolling. It is critically important that juniors interested in doing an honors thesis during their senior year speak with their major adviser before applying to pursue the honors program.

All students who have successfully completed the honors sequence will be eligible for honors or high honors. Whether a student receives honors or high honors ultimately depends upon the outcome of their thesis research. To be awarded honors, a thesis must be judged superior both by the faculty member guiding the student's research and the seminar director of . A thesis judged by these readers to be potentially worthy of high honors will, with the agreement of the student, be submitted to a third reader. An oral defense will then be scheduled at which time the student is examined both on the content of the thesis and their knowledge of the general field of inquiry. The three readers then make the final decision as to whether the student will receive high honors at graduation.

Recommendations for Majors and Other Students

Those interested in studying political science may begin at any course level but are likely to find it most convenient to start with those at the 100 or 200 levels. In consultation with their faculty advisers, students should plan course sequences that fulfill major requirements while allowing them, if so desired, to develop particular interests in some depth while still gaining a well-rounded grounding in the discipline. All majors are encouraged, as well, to take electives in other closely allied social sciences.

The 100-level courses are designed for students likely to major in other fields of study as well as those considering a major or minor in political science. The 200-level courses are intended to serve as gateway courses to the major as well as to particular subfields. Both the 100- and 200-level courses, then, serve as general introductions providing a broad foundation in the discipline and are particularly suitable for first - and second - year students. The 300- and 400-level courses are, in most instances, somewhat more demanding and less general than lower-level courses and allow students to explore a specific topic in greater depth. These courses are generally directed, but not limited, to juniors and seniors. Majors and others interested in one particular area of the discipline, can take up to seven courses, seminars, or independent studies in that area of interest, especially in classes at the 300 and 400 level.

Political Science Department

For more information about the department, including Faculty, transfer credit, awards, etc., please visit the  catalogÌý±è²¹²µ±ð.