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Political Science Major: BA Degree Requirements

Transfer students who wish to graduate from Eastern with a major in Political Science must complete at least 18 credits at Eastern applied to the Political Science Major. Each transfer student’s program must be approved by the student’s Political Science advisor.

All Political Science majors must maintain an overall 2.0 average in major courses and receive no more than two grades below 2.0.

Thirty hours of courses applied toward the major may not be used to satisfy any other university requirement. Hours applied to the major above 30 may also be used to satisfy requirements for a second major or minor. Section IVB of the GER is waived for majors. Six credits of political science courses can double count in the LAC and the Major.

Track I: Political Science

Required Courses

  • PSC 110* American Government and Politics - 3 credits
  • Choose one course:
    • PSC 140* International Relations - 3 credits
    • PSC 220 Democratic Theory - 3 credits
  • PSC 201^ Applied Qualitative Research Methods - 3 credits
  • PSC 202 Applied Quantitative Research Methods - 3 credits
  • PSC 208** Global Politics - 3 credits
  • PSC 460^^ Seminar in Political Science - 3 credits
  • Choose one:
    • Political Science Internship
    • Study Abroad

Electives in U.S. Government and Politics

  • Choose two (2) courses:
    • PSC 200 State and Local Politics and Government - 3 credits
    • PSC 205 Public Administration - 3 credits
    • PSC 215 Political Parties and Elections - 3 credits
    • PSC 216 Interest Group Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 227/WST 227 Women and Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 300 Ideological Divisions in the U.S. - 3 credits
    • PSC 325 Politics and the Mass Media - 3 credits
    • PSC 326/WST 326 Politics of Race, Class and Gender - 3 credits
    • PSC 330 The Presidency - 3 credits
    • PSC 333 Constructing Political Advertisements - 3 credits
    • PSC 335 Legislative Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 339 Constitutional Law I: Powers and Processes - 3 credits
    • PSC 340 Constitutional Law II: Civil Liberties - 3 credits
    • PSC 341 Judicial Process - 3 credits
    • PSC 345 Electoral Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 350 Public Policy and Decision Making - 3 credits
    • PSC 351 Environmental Politics and Policy - 3 credits
    • PSC 353 Natural Resources Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 480 Independent Study (when topically appropriate) - 3-6 credits
    • PSC 490 Municipal Government Internship - 1-15 credits
    • PSC 491 State Government Internship - 1-15 credits
    • PSC 492 Law Internship - 1-15 credits
    • PSC 493 National Government Internship - 3-15 credits
    • PSC 495 State/Local/Law Internship - 3-15 credits
    • PSC 489 Teaching Assistantship - 1-10 credits

Electives in Comparative Politics and International Relations

  • Choose two (2) courses:
    • PSC 140 International Relations - 3 credits
    • PSC 230 Middle Eastern Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 250 Asian Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 270 Former Soviet Union - 3 credits
    • PSC 275 Media and Internet in Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 305/CAS 305 Comparative Public Administration - 3 credits
    • PSC 310 European Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 311 International Development - 3 credits
    • PSC 320 American Foreign Policy - 3 credits
    • PSC 323 Democratization - 3 credits
    • PSC 328/LAS 328 Latin American Politics  - 3 credits
    • PSC 338/GEO 338 Geopolitics - 3 credits
    • PSC 352 Global Environmental Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 355 The Nuclear Threat and Peaceful Change - 3 credits
    • PSC 357 Nationalism and Imperialism - 3 credits
    • PSC 480 Independent Study (when topically appropriate) - 3-6 credits
    • PSC 494 International Internship - 3-15 credits
    • PSC 489 Teaching Assistantship - 1-10 credits

Electives in Methods and Political Theory

  • Choose one (1) course:
    • PSC 209 Democracy, Power and Criticism - 3 credits
    • PSC 212 Political Science Statistics - 3 credits
    • PSC 220 Democratic Theory - 3 credits
    • PSC 225 Organizational Theory - 3 credits
    • PSC 314/PHI 314 Modern Social and Politial Thought - 3 credits
    • PSC 315 American Social and Political Thought - 3 credits
    • PSC 316/PHI 316 Ancient Political Thought - 3 credits
    • PSC 370/PHI 370 Human Rights: Natural and Civil - 3 credits
    • PSC 400 Political Inquiry - 3 credits
    • PSC 480 Independent Study (when topically appropriate) - 3-15 credits
    • PSC 489 Teaching Assistantship - 1-10 credits

Internship or Study Abroad

All students must complete an internship or study abroad. That experience will be fit into the appropriate category and satisfy the requirement for one course in the category.

General Electives

Choose any two courses from the above three elective courses.

Track II: Political Science and Social Studies

This track is meant to facilitate students seeking certification to teach high school social studies. Student can only choose this option with the permission of the chair of the political science program.

Required Courses

  • PSC 110* Introduction to American Government and Politics - 3 credits
  • PSC 140* Introduction to International Relations - 3 credits
  • Choose one course:
    • PSC 201^ Qualitative Research Methods - 3 credits
    • PSC 202 Quantitative Research Methods - 3 credits
  • PSC 460^^ Seminar in Political Science - 3 credits

Electives in U.S. Government and Politics

  • Choose two (2) courses:
    • PSC 200 State and Local Politics and Government - 3 credits
    • PSC 205 Public Administration - 3 credits
    • PSC 215 Political Parties and Elections - 3 credits
    • PSC 216 Interest Group Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 227/WST 227 Women and Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 300 Ideological Divisions in the U.S. - 3 credits
    • PSC 325 Politics and the Mass Media - 3 credits
    • PSC 326/WST 326 Politics of Race, Class and Gender - 3 credits
    • PSC 330 The Presidency - 3 credits
    • PSC 333 Constructing Political Advertisements - 3 credits
    • PSC 335 Legislative Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 339 Constitutional Law I: Powers and Processes - 3 credits
    • PSC 340 Constitutional Law II: Civil Liberties - 3 credits
    • PSC 341 Judicial Process - 3 credits
    • PSC 350 Public Policy and Decision Making - 3 credits
    • PSC 351 Environmental Politics and Policy - 3 credits
    • PSC 353 Natural Resources Politics - 3 credits

Electives in Comparative Politics and International Relations

  • Choose one (1) course:
    • PSC 230 Middle Eastern Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 250 Asian Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 270 Former Soviet Union - 3 credits
    • PSC 275 Media and Internet in Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 305/CAS Comparative Public Administration - 3 credits
    • PSC 310 European Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 311 International Development - 3 credits
    • PSC 320 American Foreign Policy - 3 credits
    • PSC 323 Democratization - 3 credits
    • PSC 328/LAS 328 Latin American Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 338/GEO 338 Geopolitics - 3 credits
    • PSC 352 Global Environmental Politics - 3 credits
    • PSC 355 The Nuclear Threat and Peaceful Change - 3 credits

Electives in Methods and Political Theory

  • Choose one (1) course:
    • PSC 209 Democracy, Power and Criticism - 3 credits
    • PSC 212 Political Science Statistics - 3 credits
    • PSC 220 Democratic Theory - 3 credits
    • PSC 225 Organizational Theory - 3 credits
    • PSC 314/PHI 314 Modern Social and Politial Thought - 3 credits
    • PSC 315 American Social and Political Thought - 3 credits
    • PSC 316/PHI 316 Ancient Political Thought - 3 credits

Electives in Social Studies Certification Courses

  • Choose four (4) courses:
    • Choose one (1) course:
      • ANT 106 Cultural Anthropology - 3 credits
      • ANT 221 Native Americans - 3 credits
      • ANT 337 Urban Anthropology - 3 credits
    • Choose one (1) course:
      • ECO 100 Political Economy of Social Issues - 3 credits
      • ECO 200 Principles of Macroeconomics - 3 credits
    • GEO 100 Introduction to Geography - 3 credits
    • Choose one (1) course:
      • HIS 121 The Recent American Experience 1877 to Present - 3 credits
      • HIS 221 Native American History - 3 credits
      • HIS 310 Great Issues: Survey in American History - 3 credits
    • HIS 231 Western Civilization Since 1500 - 3 credits
    • PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology - 3 credits
    • SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology - 3 credits

*approved reuse to meet Liberal Arts Core Tier I Social Sciences

**approved reuse to meet Liberal Arts Core Tier II Individuals and Societies

^meets Stage 2 University Writing Requirement

^^meets Stage 3 University Writing Requirement