| Department: | History, Political Science, & Geography / College of Liberal and Performing Arts |
| Hours Required: | 120 |
| Categories: | Major, Minor, Undergraduate |
| Delivery: | On-Campus |
Political science is the study of governments, public policies and political processes, systems, and political behavior, according to the American Political Science Association. Those earning degrees in political science understand the governing process and its relationship to complex issues arising in a modern society.
Careers
A bachelor’s degree in political science can lead to exciting careers in federal, state and local governments; law; business; international organizations; nonprofit associations and organizations; campaign management and polling; journalism; pre-collegiate education; electoral politics; research and university and college teaching.
Learning Goals
- Our graduates effectively communicate a written political science argument.
- Our graduates examine cultural, social, or political aspects of a nation other than the United States.
- Our graduates plan, organize, and resolve problems, questions, or controversies in the study of politics.
- Our graduates demonstrate familiarity with the sources of information, methods of analysis, digital tools and contextual literature necessary for the research of issues in political science.
- Our graduates demonstrate a broad and sophisticated knowledge of politics and government and of their impact on human life.
The bachelor of arts degree in political science requires a total of 120 hours. A few of the courses in this program include the following:
- American Government: National
- State and Local Government: Arkansas and the U.S.
- International Relations
- American Foreign Policy
- Comparative Public Policy
- American Political Parties
Major in Political Science (BA)
120 hours
University Requirement – 2 hours
GSTD 1002 Freshman Seminar
General Education – 35 hours (Must include 3 hours of U.S. History) PLSC 2003 American Government: National cannot fulfill the social science requirement.
Political Science – 36 hours
PSCI 2003 American Government: National
PSCI 2013 State and Local Government: Arkansas and the U.S.
PSCI 3133 Research Methods
18 hours of upper level political science electives
3 hours selected from the following:
PSCI 3113 Western Thought
PSCI 3213 Eastern Thought
Select 3 hours from the following:
PSCI 3003 International Relations
PSCI 3093 American Foreign Policy
PSCI 3193 Political Geography
PSCI 4013 International Law
PSCI 4053 Comparative Public Policy
PSCI 4083 Global Issues
PSCI 4203 Comparative Politics
Select 3 hours from the following:
PSCI 3033 American Political Parties
PSCI 3053 Introduction to Public Administration
PSCI 3063 Administrative Law
PSCI 3123 Introduction to the Law
PSCI 4033 Legislative Processes
PSCI 4073 American Constitutional Law
Other Requirements (12 Hours)
3 hours of electives in geography
3 hours of upper-level non-creative writing or PSCI 4353 PSCI 4353 – Senior Paper Research (choice should be made in consultation with a faculty advisor)
6 hours of foreign language*
*May be fulfilled by freshman-level courses in the same language or a satisfactory score on a language proficiency exam. Three hours of foreign language may be double counted to meet the general education requirement.
Additional Information
Students may choose to complete a minor area in consultation with their advisor. Depending upon the chosen minor, the student may need additional upper-level hours to complete the required 40 junior/senior hours.
If a student does not choose to complete a minor, the student may need to complete additional elective hours to reach the required 120 total hours.
Minor Requirements:
Minor in Political Science – 18 hours
PSCI 2003 American Government: National
PSCI 2013 State and Local Government: Arkansas and the U.S.
9 hours of political science electives at the junior-senior level
3 hours selected from the following:
PSCI 3113 Western Thought
PSCI 3213 Eastern Thought
PSCI 3133 Research Methods
