Degree Requirements

Political Science Major

(All colleges, excluding Teacher Certification programs) - 33 credits - POL 101, 361, 494 (9 credits); and electives, of which 18 credits must be at the 300/400level. A maximum of nine credits from courses from numbers 370-377 may be counted toward the major.  Students are required to take at least one course in three of the following subfields of the discipline:

  1. American Politics - POL 102, 201, 205, 300, 301, 302, 303, 304, 305, 307, 342, 365, 410, 472
  2. Legal Studies - POL 221, 222, 306, 326, 329, 370, 371, 372, 373, 374, 375, 376, 377
  3. International Relations - POL 202, 246, 340, 341, 344, 345, 443
  4. Comparative Politics - POL 234, 330, 332, 333, 336, 337, 338, 339
  5. Political Philosophy - POL 251, 350, 351, 353, 354, 355, 356
  6. Public Policy/Public Administration - POL 211, 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, 316, 317, 318, 416, 420.

Each student majoring in political science should consult the current advising handbook and a faculty member before selecting a course of study.

Political Science Major

(Teacher Certification programs) - 33 credits - POL 101, 102, 201, 202, 300, 353 or 354, 371 or 372 or 375, 495 (three credits) and electives in political science. GEO 200, EFN 200 and CI 381 also are required.

Political Science Minor

(All colleges, excluding Teacher Certification programs) - 21 credits - POL 101 and either 361 or 495 (three credits) and electives of which nine credits must be at the 300/400 level. A maximum of nine credits from courses from numbers 370-377 may be counted toward the minor.  Each student minoring in political science should consult the current advising handbook and a faculty member before selecting a course of study.

Political Science Minor

(Teacher Certification programs) - 21 credits - POL 101 or 102, 201, POL 202 or 234, 495 (three credits); one course from: POL 302, 305, 371, 372, or 375; and electives in political science. (GEO 200, EFN 200 and CI 381 are statutory/ administrative code requirements that must be taken in addition to the courses required for the minor.)

Public Administration Major

(All colleges) - 36 credits -

  1. Required Core (18 credits): POL 211, 312, 450 (six credits), 494; ECO 120 or 110.
  2. Managerial and Organizational Skills Group (three credits): one course from POL 311, 316 MGT 303, 308, 385, PSY 376, ECO 310, 402.
  3. Policy Analysis Group (3 credits): one course from POL 300, 313, 314.
  4. Research Tool Group (3 credits): POL 361.
  5. Areas of Specialization Group (9 credits): three courses required.** Students may specialize in one area or take upper division courses in two or three different areas. Specialization courses are in addition to courses taken in sections A , B, C, or D above.
  1. Financial Administration: FIN 355, ACC 435, ECO 310, 402, 447
  2. Urban Management/Planning: POL 300, 314, 315, 410, GEO 307, 309, PSY 341, SOC 311
  3. Health Administration: POL 317, 420, ECO 471, FIN 465, CHE 340, 453, 460, HED 486, SOC 325, 420
  4. Personnel: POL 311, MGT 303, 385, 386, 486, PSY 341, 343, 376
  5. American Policy/Implementation/ Evaluation: POL 301, 302, 303, 313, 316, 318, 342, 376, 400, 410, 416, 495*, 499*
  6. Highly recommended General Education and elective courses: ACC 221 or 235, CS 101, MTH 145, ENG 303, 307, CST 210, 260, 360, ECO 110, 120, PSY 100, SOC 110, IS 220.

Note:

Students must possess a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 or above to declare and remain a PA major, and to graduate. Public Administration majors in CLS and CSH will be able to complete at most 30 credit hours in the College of Business Administration (accounting, information systems, management, marketing and finance courses). Prerequisite for College of Business Administration upper division courses is junior standing. However, students are strongly encouraged to take either ECO 110 or 120 prior to enrolling in those upper division courses. Some of the above courses require prerequisites not included as part of the major. A course can only be used in one category.

*POL 495 and POL 499 must be PA courses consistent with the category used in. Permission is required to take POL 495/499 in PA major.

**The CLS program option allows students to design their own upper division course work outside of POL courses.  Specifically, students take 18 credits of upper division courses (300 level or above) in two or more departments.   See faculty adviser to plan your specialization.

Public Administration Minor

(All colleges) - 21 credits - POL 102, 211 and 450 (six credits); nine credits from ECO 402; POL 300 or 314, 311, 312, 313, 315, 317, 318, 376. POL 101 is a prerequisite to the minor. POL 300, 311, 312, 313, 314, 317, 318, 376 and 450 (six credits) may not be counted toward a major in political science if they are included as electives for this minor.

Social Studies Major (Broadfield)

(Teacher Certification programs) - See description of this broadfield major here.

Pre-Law

Law school counselors are practically unanimous in suggesting that the best "prelaw" majors are those in which students are highly interested and prepared to devote themselves wholeheartedly. Beyond that, there are several guides: first, select a major which is intellectually rigorous, demanding and substantial. Second, there are a number of courses which are of special benefit in subsequent law school work. Accounting will be useful when encountering courses in corporations, taxes and other business areas. Courses in mathematics or statistics will acquaint students with quantitative measurement. Logic is recommended for developing powers of imaginative and incisive reasoning. History courses will provide valuable backgrounds and content as well as analytical training. Any and all English courses will improve the ability to read and write, and speech and debate will improve verbal skills. Third, a choice of a major may depend upon the kind of law practice envisioned, if such a decision can be made.

Thus, business and economics obviously provide an excellent background for those entering corporate practice; sociology, criminology, and social work relate well to criminal justice work; and political science and/or public administration (perhaps the most common major) will especially serve the needs of those who contemplate public service, elected or otherwise. Applicants must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) which covers a broad range of disciplines and gives no advantage to candidates with particular specializations.

Criminal Justice Minor

(All colleges) - 21 credits - SOC 324; six credits from: SOC 313, 321, 322, SOC 330 or PSY 341, SOC 325, 326, 429; six credits from: POL 211, 221, 222, 306, 311, 326, 373, 374, 375. 376, 377; three credits from: GEO/ESC 385, PHL 201, 337, PSY 304, 357, 330, PSY 341 or SOC 330, PSY 417, 426, WS 320; the remaining three credits are electives and may be selected from any of the courses listed above, or three credits from SOC 451 or POL 451.

Note:

A maximum of three credits may be counted toward fulfillment of the criminal justice minor and another major, minor or emphasis.