Politics

Department: Politics

Required Politics Core

(4 courses, 15 credits)

Course Number Title Credits Prerequisites Dist. Skills
PS 101 Introduction to American Government
4
  
S
  
PS 102 Introduction to Int'l Politics
4
  
SI
  
PS 222 Western Political Thought
4
 PS 101, PS 102
HI
  
PS 499 Senior Seminar¹
3
 PS 101, PS 102, PS 222 & senior standing
S
  
Politics Electives

[8 courses, 24-35 credits] [13 courses, 38-49 credits total]

  • Students take eight (8) additional (three or more credit) courses in Politics.
  • They must take at least one elective in each subfield: American Politics and Policy; Political Philosophy and Jurisprudence; and International Politics.
  • Internships, regardless of the number of credits, will count as two courses (PS 490, 491, or 492, and PS 495, Internship Seminar).
  • At least 15 credits of course work, excluding internships, must be at the 300 level or above.
Related Fields

[4 courses, 12 credits] [17 courses, 50-61 credits (38-49 in Politics)]

  • Comparative Societies and Culture: Students are required to take two additional courses that provide a significant degree of attention to the operation of society and government in a country other than the United States (e.g., HS/PS 348: Contemporary Latin America), OR to study abroad. (6 credits)
  • Social Sciences: EB 105, International Economic Issues, and one additional “S” course to be chosen in consultation with the student’s advisor. (6 credits)
  • Foreign Language (optional): Regardless of subfield, Politics students are strongly encouraged to develop a proficiency in a foreign language.
Politics Courses by Subfield

American Politics and Policy

  • PS-101 Introduction to American Government
  • PS-132 Public Interest Groups & Political Participation
  • PS-216 State & Local Government
  • PS-218 Public Policy & Administration
  • PS-313 Congress and Presidency
  • PS-318 Parties, Elections and Campaigns
  • PS-323 State Legislative Process
  • PS-330 Topics in Public Policy

Political Philosophy and Jurisprudence

  • PS-122 Politics in Literature
  • PS-221 American Political Thought
  • PS-222 Western Political Thought
  • PS-305 Politics in Film
  • PS-311 Constitutional Interpretation: Powers of Government
  • PS-312 Constitutional Interpretation: Civil Rights
  • PS-320 Political Philosophy/Jurisprudence

International Politics

  • PS-102 Introduction to International Politics
  • PS-241 European Politics
  • PS-243 U.S. Foreign Policy
  • PS-332 International Law & Human Rights
  • PS-333 Theories of International Politics
  • PS-340 Topics in International Politics
Secondary Emphasis in Politics

Students take PS 101, 102, 222 and any three (three or more credit) additional Politics courses at the 200 level or above.

More Information

updated 8.12