DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE
Graduation Requirements
Along with requirements for their major, all students must complete University and College of Arts and Sciences requirements. This explanation is provided for you to track your progress toward completing your degree.
University Requirements
There are two components of University Requirements: Basic Skills and General Education.
Basic Skills: 9-12 Credit Hours
Basic Skills are designed to foster the development of basic competencies in reading, writing, communication, and mathematics.
| Reading and Writing | Communication | Mathematics |
| 3-6 Hours | 3 Hours | 3 Hours |
| Any One of the Following 3 Course Series: | A Series of 3 Communications Courses: |
1 Approved Math Course |
| ENG 101 and 102 | CMM 110 |
(Excluding MTH 102, MTH 204, MTH 205) |
| ENG 114 | CMM 111 OR 112 | |
| ENG 198 | CMM 113 |
General Education: 33 Credit Hours
General Education courses are designed to develop student awareness of intellectual diversity in the various domains of knowledge and an understanding of what it means to be human. There are three parts to General Education Requirements: The Humanities Base, Clusters, and Distribution. Humanities Base Courses provide the foundation for General Education. Clusters allow students to explore a particular issue of the human condition in more detail. Distribution assures that all students are introduced to the various intellectual approaches offered by the different domains of knowledge.
| English | ENG 102 OR ENG 114 OR ENG 198 |
| Arts Study | 1 APPROVED COURSE IN CREATIVE AND PERFORMING ARTS |
| Historical Studies | HST 101 AND/OR HST 102 OR ASI 101 AND ASI 102 |
| Philosophy and Religious Studies | REL 103 AND PHL 103 OR ASI 101 AND ASI 102 |
| Physical and Life Sciences | SCI 190, SCI 220, SCI 240 & 2 ACCOMPANYING LABS OR SCI 190, SCI 210, SCI 230 & 2 ACCOMPANYING LABS |
| Social Sciences | 2 COURSES FROM: ANT 150, ECO 203, PSY 101, SOC 101 AND 1 COURSE IN ONE OF THE SAME DISCIPLINES AT 300/400 LEVEL |
Cluster Requirement: 9 Hours (Within the 33 General Education Hours)
Pick at least nine hours of classes from one of the following categories to fulfill a cluster requirement.
Click on the link for more information regarding each cluster.
The Liberal Studies Curriculum
Students in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete the Liberal Studies Curriculum. Along with ASI 150 (Introduction to the University Experience) and the requirements of their major, students must complete the following requirements:
| Philosophy and Religious Studies (12 hours) | Students complete 12 hours including a course in Philosophy (PHL 103), a course in Religious Studies (REL 103), and 2 additional courses from the approved list of General Education courses in Philosophy and Religious Studies. Students often use one or both of these courses to partially fulfill cluster requirements. |
| Historical Studies (6 hours) | Students complete 6 semester hours, including a Humanities Base course (either HST 101 or 102) and 1 additional course from the list of approved General Education Historical Studies courses. Students often use an upper-level course to fulfill cluster requirements. |
| English or Foreign Language Literature (3 hours) | Students complete 3 semester hours in English Literature or Foreign Language Literature selected from the list of approved courses. Students may use this course to partially fulfill the cluster requirement. |
| Creative and Performing Arts (3 hours) | Students complete 3 semester hours in theory/appreciation/history of visual arts or music/theater selected from the list of approved courses; or, complete 3 semester hours in production and performance selected from the list of approved courses. Students may use this course to complete cluster requirements. |
| Foreign Language and/or Additional Arts and/or Humanities (3-9 hours) | Students may choose to demonstrate proficiency by
examination of basic practical communication proficiency in one foreign
language . Students who meet language proficiency without taking College courses in language must complete at least 3 additional semester hours of study in the Arts, Humanities, and/or Foreign Language beyond basic skills. Students who demonstrate language proficiency by taking 3-9 semester hours of language study take no additional hours in the Arts and Humanities. Courses conducted in English DO NOT satisfy this requirement. Students who choose not to demonstrate language proficiency select 8-9 hours in the Arts and/or Humanities beyond basic skills. Students may use a course in this section to partially fulfill their cluster requirements. |
| Social Sciences (12 hours) | Students complete 12 semester hours by fulfilling
the following sub-requirements: a) Two courses at the introductory level from AT LEAST two different traditional disciplines (ANT 150, ECO 203, PSY 101, SOC 101) b) One course at the 300/400 level in one of the disciplines in which an introductory course was taken c) One additional course from any of the traditional disciplines or from the list of courses approved for General Education Social Sciences. Students can use a course in this section to partially fulfill the cluster requirement. |
| Mathematics (3 hours) | One course from the approved list of courses in mathematics (MTH 102, 204, 205 are excluded). |
| Natural Sciences (11 hours) | Students complete a sequence of three lecture
courses with 2 accompanying labs in the Integrated Natural Sciences
Sequence (INSS).
All students take SCI 190 and then choose either: The Molecular Track (SCI 220 and SCI 240) or The Environmental Track (SCI 210 and SCI 230) Students who wish to study more advanced science may complete 9 hours in approved science courses and 2 semester hours of accompanying labs. |
Political Science Major Requirements: 36 Credit Hours
Students must complete 12 hours of core course work and 24 hours of additional coursework.
At least 18 of the 24 hours of additional coursework must be at the 300/400 level.
Core Required Courses: 12 Credit Hours
| POL 201 | POL 202 OR POL 214 | POL 207 | POL 316 OR POL 317 OR POL 319 |
Additional Courses: 24 Credit Hours
| AT LEAST 6 POLITICAL SCIENCE COURSES (18 CREDIT HOURS) AT THE 300/400 LEVEL | ANY OTHER POLITICAL SCIENCE CLASSES THAT ADD UP TO THE 24 ADDITIONAL HOURS NEEDED |
Political Science Minor Requirements: 15 Credit Hours
Students wishing to complete a minor in Political Science must complete 3 hours of core course work and 12 hours of additional coursework.
The 12 hours of additional coursework must be at the 300/400 level.
Core Required Courses: 3 Credit Hours
|
POL 201 |
Additional Courses: 12 Credit Hours
|
AT LEAST 4 POLITICAL SCIENCE COURSES AT THE 300/400 LEVEL |