Mar 29, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin 
    
2020-2021 Undergraduate Bulletin [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Political Science, B.S.


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120 hours (minimum)

Any student earning a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree must complete a minimum of 60 hours in natural, physical, mathematical, and computer science. Please note: courses with a PS prefix are not accepted towards fulfilling this 60-hour requirement. Therefore, be sure to keep this requirement in mind as you choose your course work for the major. See the complete description of College requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree , including a specific listing of courses applicable to the 60-hour requirement.

UK Core Requirements


See the UK Core section of this Bulletin for the complete UK Core requirements . The courses listed below are (a) recommended by the college, or (b) required courses that also fulfill UK Core areas. Students should work closely with their advisor to complete the UK Core requirements.

I. Intellectual Inquiry in Arts and Creativity


II. Intellectual Inquiry in the Humanities


III. Intellectual Inquiry in the Social Sciences


IV. Intellectual Inquiry in the Natural, Physical, and Mathematical Sciences


V. Composition and Communication I


VI. Composition and Communication II


VII. Quantitative Foundations


VIII. Statistical Inferential Reasoning


IX. Community, Culture and Citizenship in the USA


X. Global Dynamics


UK Core hours: 30


Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement (GCCR)


Subtotal: Graduation Composition and Communication Requirement hours (GCCR): 3


College Requirements


I. Foreign Language: 0-14


(placement exam recommended)

II. Disciplinary Requirements


a. Natural Science: 3


b. Social Science


(completed by Premajor Requirements)

c. Humanities: 3


III. Laboratory or Field Work


(completed by PS 372 )

IV. Electives: 6


College Requirement hours: 12-26


Premajor/Introductory Requirements


*Course used towards completion of a UK Core Requirement.

Field One - American Politics


Field Two - Comparative Politics


Field Three - International Relations


Field Four - Theory/Methodology


Premajor/Intro hours: 12


Major/Core Requirements


After being introduced to each undergraduate field, Political Science majors must take an additional 39 hours of course work that combines both (1) courses within the discipline and (2) courses covering topics related to the discipline but offered by other programs. These 39 hours, of which 24 must be at the 300+ level, are divided as follows.

Disciplinary Courses

Students must take 18 additional credit hours of political science course work, of which at least 15 hours must be at the 300+ level. Note that PS 399  may not be counted toward this requirement. Eligible courses span all four undergraduate fields:

Field One - American Politics


Field Four - Theory/Methodology


Other Courses


  • Choose 6 hours of PS courses (including 1-6 hours of PS 399 ) or approved courses from outside political science (see list below) Credit(s): 6

From Outside the Major Department


Choose 15 hours outside political science from the list below. Other course offerings may be substituted, subject to the approval of the Director of Undergraduate Studies Credit(s): 15

  • Any course numbered 200 or above from the following prefixes: AAS, ANT, APP, CLD, ECO, ENS, GWS, GEO, HIS, IS, LAS, MAS, PCE, PHI, PSY, SOC, STA, and WRD.
  • Any course numbered 300 or above from the following prefixes: AEC, AIS, CHI, CLA, EPE, FR, GER, SPA, INT, IT, HJS, JPN, MCL, and RUS.

Major/Core hours: 39


Electives


Choose electives to lead to the minimum total of 120 hours required for graduation.

Total Minimum Hours Required for Degree: 120


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