Selected Educational Outcomes
- Political science majors will demonstrate the requisite knowledge of the US Constitution and the American political system, including an understanding of the structure and workings of the federal as well as state governments (including Georgia), enabling them to become informed and responsible citizens.
- Political science majors will exhibit an understanding of the fundamental concepts of politics and gain significant knowledge of global political issues and interrelationships between nations.
- Political science majors will show competence in various methods of political analysis and become capable of conducting and presenting original, empirical political science research.
- Political science majors will demonstrate the ability to engage in critical analysis and to communicate research findings to an audience.
Examples of Outcome Assessments
- Mastery of the material in all required and elective courses in the political science major. As each level serves as a foundation for higher levels, mastery of the core material is requisite to mastery of the major. Outcome #1 is met by successful completion of these courses.
- Completion of the capstone experience certifies that a major has met outcomes #2, #3, and #4.
- Information from published surveys of students’ opinions and alumni perceptions of VSU programs and services, as well as information from alumni surveys conducted by the Department of Political Science.
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Political Science
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | 60 | |
| Core Curriculum Areas A-E (See VSU Core Curriculum) | 42 | |
| Core Curriculum Area F | ||
| Principles of Logic and Argumentation | ||
| Introduction to Political Science and Introduction to Global Issues | ||
Foreign Language and Culture | ||
If a student has taken any of the above courses to meet requirements in other areas of the Core Curriculum, credit hours must be taken from the following list of courses: PHIL 2010, all other Area E Courses | ||
| Senior College Curriculum | 60 | |
| Courses required for the Major 1 | ||
| POLS 3100 & POLS 4100 & ENGL 3030 | Scope and Methods of Political Science and Political Science Capstone Course and Writing for the Legal and Social Science Professions | 9 |
| Select one of the following; | 3 | |
| Social and Political Philosophy | ||
| Ethics and Public Policy | ||
| Ethics and Public Administration | ||
| Political Science Courses--Select 27 hours from the following; at least 12 hours must be in one Concentration Area | 27 | |
| American Government | ||
| American State and Local Government and Politics | ||
| United States Congress | ||
| Elections, Voting Behavior, and Political Parties | ||
| Political Psychology | ||
| Public Opinion and Political Socialization | ||
| African American Politics | ||
| The American Presidency | ||
| Separation of Powers in the American Political System | ||
| Southern Politics | ||
| Directed Study in Political Science | ||
| Special Topics in U.S. Government and Politics | ||
| Internship in Political Science | ||
| Comparative Politics | ||
| Comparative Politics | ||
| European Politics | ||
| Politics in Russia | ||
| Latin American Politics | ||
| African Politics | ||
| Politics in Developing Nations | ||
| Comparative Constitutional Law and Judicial Politics | ||
| Constitutional Law and Judicial Politics of the European Union | ||
| Comparative Environmental Politics and Policy | ||
| Directed Study in Political Science | ||
| Special Topics in Comparative Politics | ||
| Special Topics in EU Politics | ||
| International Relations | ||
| International Relations | ||
| European Politics | ||
| The European Union | ||
| International Organization and Law | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Global Security Policy | ||
| National Security Administration and Policy | ||
| Model United Nations | ||
| Model UN II: Negotiation and Diplomacy | ||
| Directed Study in Political Science | ||
| Special Topics in EU Politics | ||
| Special Topics in International Politics | ||
| Public Law | ||
| American Judicial Process and Behavior | ||
| American Constitutional Law I | ||
| American Constitutional Law II | ||
| American Constitutional Law III | ||
| Administrative Law and Government | ||
| Politics and the Supreme Court | ||
| Trial Advocacy | ||
| Trail Advocacy II | ||
| Alternative Dispute Resolution | ||
| Directed Study in Political Science | ||
| Political Theory | ||
| Modern Political Ideologies | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Directed Study in Political Science | ||
| Special Topics in Political Theory | ||
| Public Administration | ||
| Introduction to Public Administration | ||
| Public Administration and Public Policy Formation | ||
| National Security Administration and Policy | ||
| Comparative Environmental Politics and Policy | ||
| Government Organization and Administrative Theory | ||
| Public Personnel Administration | ||
| Public Finance Administration | ||
| Urban Politics and Administration | ||
| Intergovernmental Relations | ||
| Quality Management in Public Administration | ||
| Directed Study in Political Science | ||
| Special Topics in Public Administration | ||
| Minor and/or Elective Courses | 21 | |
| Must include at least 6 hours of courses numbered 3000 or above in a single discipline outside of political science. | ||
| Total hours required for the degree | 120 | |
| 1 | The grade in each POLS course taken for the major must be a “C” or better. |
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Political Science -- International Studies Track
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Core Curriculum Areas A-E | 42 | |
| Area F | 18 | |
| POLS 2401 | Introduction to Global Issues | 3 |
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Anthropology | ||
| World Regional Geography | ||
| History of Civilization III | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Foreign Languages and Cultures | 9 | |
| Senior College Curriculum | 60 | |
| Required Courses | 15 | |
| POLS 3300 | Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POLS 3400 | International Relations | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| European Politics | ||
| The European Union | ||
| Politics in Russia | ||
| Latin American Politics | ||
| African Politics | ||
| Politics in Developing Nations | ||
| POLS 3100 | Scope and Methods of Political Science | 3 |
| POLS 4100 | Political Science Capstone Course | 3 |
| Additional Courses | 27 | |
| (Students may take three additional international POLS courses and one EURO course. Up to 6 hours can be satisfied through pre-approved study abroad courses.) | ||
| International POLS Courses | 3-9 | |
| International Organization and Law | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Global Security Policy | ||
| Model United Nations | ||
| Model UN II: Negotiation and Diplomacy | ||
| Comparative Environmental Politics and Policy | ||
| EURO Course | 0-3 | |
| Introduction to the EU | ||
| European Union Law and Legal Systems | ||
| Federalism and Multilevel Governance in the EU | ||
| Doing Business in the EU | ||
| European Monetary Union | ||
| European Union Science and Technology Policy | ||
| European Union Environmental Policy | ||
| European Social Policy | ||
| Communications and Media in the European Union | ||
| European Union Foreign Policy | ||
| United States-European Union Relations | ||
| Electives | 18 | |
Select six of the following, but no more than two from the same department: | ||
| Africa: Inequalities Past and Present | ||
| International Economics | ||
| World Literature III: The Development of Modern Thought | ||
| European Geography | ||
| Geography of the Middle East | ||
| Europe Since 1945 | ||
| Slavic Europe Since 1815 | ||
| World Military History Since 1618 | ||
| Modern Latin America | ||
| History of the Middle East Since 1798 | ||
| Buddhism | ||
| Hinduism | ||
| Islam | ||
| Population Problems | ||
| Global Feminism | ||
| General Electives | 18 | |
| Total Hours required for the degree | 120 | |
Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Major in Political Science -- Pre-Law Track
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | 60 | |
| Core Curriculum Areas A-E | 42 | |
| Area F | 18 | |
| PHIL 2020 | Principles of Logic and Argumentation | 3 |
| POLS 2101 | Introduction to Political Science | 3 |
| POLS 2401 | Introduction to Global Issues | 3 |
| Foreign Languages and Cultures | 9 | |
| Senior College Curriculum | 60 | |
| Required Courses | 15 | |
| POLS 3100 | Scope and Methods of Political Science | 3 |
| POLS 3240 | American Judicial Process and Behavior | 3 |
| POLS 4100 | Political Science Capstone Course | 3 |
| ENGL 3030 | Writing for the Legal and Social Science Professions | 3 |
| Select four of the following courses: | 12 | |
| American Constitutional Law I | ||
| American Constitutional Law II | ||
| American Constitutional Law III | ||
| Administrative Law and Government | ||
| Politics and the Supreme Court | ||
| Constitutional Law and Judicial Politics of the European Union | ||
| International Organization and Law | ||
| Special Topics in U.S. Government and Politics | ||
| Select three of the following courses: | 9 | |
| Criminal Law | ||
| Special Topics in Criminal Justice | ||
| American Legal History | ||
| Business Entities | ||
| Health Care Law | ||
| Select two of the following courses: | 6 | |
| American State and Local Government and Politics | ||
| United States Congress | ||
| Elections, Voting Behavior, and Political Parties | ||
| Political Psychology | ||
| Public Opinion and Political Socialization | ||
| African American Politics | ||
| The American Presidency | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Southern Politics | ||
| Special Topics in U.S. Government and Politics | ||
| Directed Study in Political Science | ||
| Select one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| Comparative Politics | ||
| European Politics | ||
| Politics in Russia | ||
| Latin American Politics | ||
| African Politics | ||
| Politics in Developing Nations | ||
| Comparative Constitutional Law and Judicial Politics | ||
| Constitutional Law and Judicial Politics of the European Union | ||
| Select one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| International Relations | ||
| European Politics | ||
| The European Union | ||
| International Organization and Law | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Global Security Policy | ||
| National Security Administration and Policy | ||
| Model United Nations | ||
| Model UN II: Negotiation and Diplomacy | ||
| Terrorism and Counter-Terrorism | ||
| Special Topics in EU Politics | ||
| Special Topics in International Politics | ||
| Directed Study in Political Science | ||
| Minor / Electives | 12 | |
| Total Hours required for the degree | 120 | |
