Political Science Major
The major in Political Science requires the completion of 36 credits, at least 27 of which will take place in the classroom. The balance of credits can be earned through formal coursework or Political Science internships.
Program Requirements
Required Courses
| PO 121 | American Government and Politics | 3 |
| PO 200 | Research Design | 3 |
| PO 201 | Research Applications | 3 |
| PO 203 | Writing in Political Science | 3 |
| PO 239 | International Politics | 3 |
| PO 298 | Democracy | 3 |
| PO 395 | Senior Seminar in Political Science | 3 |
| or | |
| PO 400 | Senior Thesis | 3 |
For those students who wish to write a senior thesis, a 3.4 GPA is required.
The remaining 15 credits in Political Science can be taken as electives.
Students can choose a concentration and take four courses from one of the concentration lists below.
International Law & Global Governance Concentration
Choose four courses
| GS 101 | Introduction to Global Studies | 3 |
| GS 251 | Political Geography | 3 |
| GS 270 | Global Health Systems | 3 |
| GS 275 | Culture & Global Health | 3 |
| PO 123 | Human Rights & Social Justice | 3 |
| PO 230 | Migration and Membership | 3 |
| PO 240 | Armies and Allies | 3 |
| PO 242 | International Organizations | 3 |
| PO 243 | Terrorism and Political Violence | 3 |
| PO 244 | American Foreign Policy | 3 |
| PO 310 | Contemporary Chinese Politics | 3 |
| PO 314 | Middle East Politics | 3 |
| PO 315 | Latin American Politics | 3 |
| PO 316 | South Asian Politics | 3 |
| PO 317 | African Politics | 3 |
| PO 318 | European Politics | 3 |
| PO 319 | Political Psychology | 3 |
| PO 324 | Islamic Political Movements | |
| PO 331 | Model UN | 3 |
| PO 332 | International Political Economy | 3 |
| PO 334 | U.S.-China Relations | 3 |
| PO 341 | International Law | 3 |
Citizenship & Civic Engagement Concentration
Choose four courses
| PO 123 | Human Rights & Social Justice | 3 |
| PO 155 | Intro to Social & Political Philosophy | 3 |
| PO 212 | Federalism and American Politics | 3 |
| PO 215 | American Political Parties | 3 |
| PO 216 | Congress & the Legislative Process | 3 |
| PO 217 | The American Presidency | 3 |
| PO 218 | Campaigns and Elections | 3 |
| PO 219 | Media, Politics & Social Justice | 3 |
| PO 220 | Catholic Perspectives on Law & Justice | 3 |
| PO 230 | Migration and Membership | 3 |
| PO 298 | Democracy | 3 |
| PO 304 | American Political Thought | 3 |
| PO 305 | Ethics and Politics | 3 |
| PO 306 | Progressivism | 3 |
| PO 307 | Conservatism | 3 |
| PO 308 | Theories of Political Economy | 3 |
| PO 314 | Middle East Politics | 3 |
| PO 315 | Latin American Politics | 3 |
| PO 316 | South Asian Politics | 3 |
| PO 317 | African Politics | 3 |
| PO 318 | European Politics | 3 |
| PO 319 | Political Psychology | 3 |
| PO 322 | American Public Policy | 3 |
| PO 323 | American Education Policy | 3 |
| PO 324 | Islamic Political Movements | |
| PO 331 | Model UN | 3 |
| PO 341 | International Law | 3 |
| PO 351 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
| PO 352 | The First Amendment | 3 |
American Institutions and Policies Concentration
Choose four courses
| PO 123 | Human Rights & Social Justice | 3 |
| PO 212 | Federalism and American Politics | 3 |
| PO 215 | American Political Parties | 3 |
| PO 216 | Congress & the Legislative Process | 3 |
| PO 217 | The American Presidency | 3 |
| PO 218 | Campaigns and Elections | 3 |
| PO 219 | Media, Politics & Social Justice | 3 |
| PO 244 | American Foreign Policy | 3 |
| PO 298 | Democracy | 3 |
| PO 304 | American Political Thought | 3 |
| PO 308 | Theories of Political Economy | 3 |
| PO 321 | Public Administration | 3 |
| PO 322 | American Public Policy | 3 |
| PO 323 | American Education Policy | 3 |
| PO 351 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
| PO 352 | The First Amendment | 3 |