Major Requirements, Thesis & Honors

Political Science majors must complete a minimum of ten courses, as specified below.

Four Breadth Requirements

1.  Majors are required to take a course in each of the four fields of political science:
American Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory.

2.  Two of these must be introductory courses (not including University Seminars):

a.  American Politics: POLS 10100 or POLS 20100
b.  International Relations: POLS 10200 or POLS 20200
c.  World Politics (formerly Comparative Politics): POLS 10400 or POLS 20400
d.  Political Theory: POLS 10600 or POLS 20600

3.  The other two breadth requirements can be either introductory or intermediate-level courses.

Four Intermediate-Level Courses

Students can specialize in one field or take a combination of courses tailored to their interests.

Two Writing Seminars

In any combination of sophomore, junior, or senior seminars. One semester of the senior thesis or a graduate level course can also count as a seminar. These courses give students a chance to take an advanced course in a seminar setting, with an emphasis on research skills and discussion.