Bachelor of Arts Degree Information

Political Science majors are afforded the opportunity to develop programs of study that complement their particular interests and career goals. The major may be used to structure a broad general program or a highly concentrated and specialized one.

The following requirements apply to all Bachelor of Arts majors, regardless of their choice of program.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS. The University's undergraduate admission policies apply. (See a current copy of WSU's Bulletin.) To enter the Bachelor of Arts degree program in Political Science, students must have an honor point average of at least 2.0 and declare the major in accordance with the rules set forth by the College of Liberal Arts, as noted in the Bulletin.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS A minimum of 120 credits is needed to graduate with a B.A. degree in Political Science. At least 32 and no more than 46 of those credits must be Political Science courses.

UNIVERSITY GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS To graduate with a B.A. in Political Science, students must satisfy all University General Education requirements. One of these requirements is the Writing Intensive Course, designated in the department as PS 5993.

COLLEGE GROUP REQUIREMENTS. Students in the Bachelor of Arts program in Political Science must meet all group requirements of the College of Liberal Arts. See the Bulletin for details.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS. A political science major must satisfactorily complete at least thirty-two credits of course work in the department. This work must include:

1. one introductory course in American Government, PS 1010 or 1030;

2. at least one course from the following: PS 2510, 2710, 2810, 2820;

3. at least four courses at the 3000 level or higher; and

4. a distribution of courses in Political Science that includes course work in two or more of the following fields:

• American Government-Public Law (2nd digit course numbers with 0 or 1),
• Urban Politics (second digit of 2),
• Public Administration-Public Policy (second digit of 3 or 4),
• Political Philosophy (second digit of 5),
• Quantitative Political Analysis (second digit of 6),
• Comparative Politics/International Relations (second digit of 7 or 8).

PS 1010, 1030, 2510, 2710, and 2820 do not count toward completing this requirement. This requirement means that if a student chooses, as they may, to concentrate in a single field of study, they must take one course outside that field of concentration.

5. A writing intensive course in political science (PS 5993) with a co-registration in a course 3000-level or higher, except P.S. 3600, 5630, and 6640.

To satisfy the requirement, the student must demonstrate proficiency in writing on disciplinary standards. To use a course for this purpose , the student must obtain approval from the instructor and follow the guidelines established by the instructor for satisfying the requirement in the context of the course. The student must also co-register for P.S. 5993, a zero-credit course for which the student will receive a grade of Satisfactory (S) upon certification by the instructor that the writing requirement has been fulfilled. Students are not permitted to register for PS 5993 until they have passed the English Proficiency Exam which should be scheduled as early as possible.

Recommended Course Work: It is recommended that majors include P.S. 3600- Methods of Political Inquiry in their programs of study, but it is not a required course.

Students wishing to apply transfer credits toward the major should consult the Political Science undergraduate advisor regarding departmental policies and restrictions on use of these credits. Generally, 16 hours in residence are required of transfer students.

MINOR IN POLITICAL SCIENCE.A minor in political science requires twenty hours of coursework as determined by the student.

FIELDS OF CONCENTRATION In developing their specific programs of study, students should consult with the Political Science undergraduate advisor. They may pursue a general program or choose to concentrate in a particular field or sub-field.

The following are fields of concentration in which a student may choose to concentrate. Other fields of concentration and more specialized programs may be developed in consultation with the undergraduate advisor.

• AMERICAN GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS Public opinion, electoral politics, and participation in the political process; the role of political parties and interest groups; the workings of Congress, the Presidency, and other governmental institutions. Courses relevant to this field of concentration include (but are not limited to): PS 3010, 3020, 3040, 3050, 3060, 3430.
  
• PUBLIC LAW/LEGAL STUDIESJudicial interpretation of the Constitutional rights, law enforcement and the operations of the judicial system. Relevant courses include: PS 3030, 3100, 3110, 5030, 5040, 5110, 5120, 5850, 6050, 6070, 6120. 
  
• URBAN POLITICS AND POLICYGoverning cities in a federal system; economic conditions and urban problems; local policy-making and the constraints under which policy is made. Relevant courses include: PS 2000, 2240, 3250, and 6020.
  
• PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONThe nature and functions of public agencies; techniques of public management; public bureaucracy in its social setting. Relevant courses include: PS 2310, 3430, 5560, and 6120.
  
• PUBLIC POLICY How policy is formulated, decided, implemented, and evaluated; moral and political standards for making policy. Relevant courses include: PS 2410, 2420, 2460, 3430, 3450, 3840, 4460, 5560, 6430, and 6440.
  
• POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS The justification and application of ethical standards to politics; history and analysis of authority and rebellion, individualism and community, justice and equality; modern ideologies such as communism, socialism, liberalism, and conservatism. Relevant courses include: PS 2420, 2510, 3510, 3515, 3520, 3530, 5560.
  
• QUANTITATIVE POLITICAL ANALYSIS. Methods of analysis to assess alternatives and evaluate the impact of government policy; methods of empirical political research including data collection, statistical description and inference, and the use of computers to organize and interpret data. Relevant courses include: PS 3600, 4460, 5630, 6640.
  
• COMPARATIVE POLITICS The study of government and politics of western, non-western, and third-world countries in their historical, cultural, and economic settings; problems of comparison across cultural and national boundaries. Relevant courses include: PS 2710, 3710, 3715, 3735, 4710,  4780, 4810, 5560.
  
• INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSConflict and cooperation among nations; causes of war and the pursuit of peace; international governmental and non-governmental organizations, regional organizations, and multi-national corporations; north-south relations and issues of development, imperialism, and dependency; American foreign policy and issues of disarmament, deterrence, and intervention. Relevant courses include: PS 2810, 2820, 3811, 3830, 3840, 4810, 5560, 5740, 5850, and 5820, 6899.
  
• PRE-LAW CURRICULUM Political Science provides a useful major for students who anticipate applying to law school. For students choosing the Bachelor of Arts program, a Public Law/Legal Studies concentration, including PS 3100, 5110, 5120, 5850, and 6110 is recommended along with courses in American government and public policy (numbered with second digits of 0 and 4, respectively). An alternative for students anticipating careers in the legal profession is the Bachelor of Public Affairs and its judicial administration concentration. Specific programs of study under either degree option should be developed in consultation with the Department's pre-law advisor.

1. maintain a 3.3 honor point average;
2. complete a senior honors paper, (PS 4950) under the direction of one or more members of the Department,
3. complete all requirements for the B.A. degree in Political Science.
4. complete one 4000-level Honors seminar offered through the Liberal Arts Honors Program (consult the Liberal Arts section of the Univesity Schedule of Classes under Honors Program, 577-3030).
5. accumulate at least fifteen credits in honors-designated course work, including

P S 4950, and the Honors Program seminar. These honors credits can be obtained from any department within the College, including Political Science.

For information on additional honors-designated course work, consult the undergraduate adviser or the Director of the Honors Program (577-3030).

Students interested in participating in the program should contact the department's undergraduate advisor no later than the second semester of their junior year.