Undergraduate Programs – Major
Requirements
Please click here to download a Major requirement worksheet 
Mandatory Global Education Requirements
The Department of Political Science requires its majors to complete a minimum of eleven (11) three-credit political science courses plus the Junior Year Writing requirement. No fewer than two of the eleven courses must be taken at the 100 (introductory)-level and no fewer than eight must be taken at the 200-level or above. All courses counted toward the political science major must be taken for a letter grade, and no fewer than six of the eleven required political science courses must be taken within the Department. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA within the major and overall to graduate.
Introductory Requirement
All Political Science majors must complete at least two 100-level Political Science courses with grades of C or better, one which must be chosen from among the following: 101 American Politics; 111 Comparative Politics; 121 World Politics; or 171 Introduction to Political Theory. If a third introductory course is taken to satisfy the major requirements, it must be selected from these courses.
Distribution Requirement
Majors are required to take American Politics and one course at the 200-level or above in each of the general fields of International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory. Courses that may be taken to satisfy these requirements are listed under “Political Science Course Offerings.” None of these requirements may be satisfied by an internship or independent study or by Honors research, thesis or project courses.
Electives
In addition to the courses taken to satisfy the introductory and distribution requirements, majors must take four (if three 100-level courses are selected) or five (if two 100-level courses are selected) other Political Science courses at the 200-level or above. Not more than one of these courses can be an independent study course or a graded internship. Honors research, Honors Project, and Honors Thesis courses (POLSCI 499Y, POLSCI 499P, POLSCI 499T) are in addition to the 11-course requirement for the major.
Junior Year Writing Requirement*
*(Double majors may fulfill this requirement in either major department.)
Students may also fulfill major requirements by pursuing one of four “OPTIONS”: Law, Global Political Studies, American Political Management or Social Science Education. See details on information sheets. Political Science Course Offerings
(1) REGULAR COURSES. The following courses may be taken to satisfy the distribution requirement under which they are listed. In addition, any of them may be taken to satisfy department elective requirements. None of these courses, however, may be used to satisfy more than one requirement. Courses marked with an asterisk are given irregularly. Others are normally given at least once every four semesters.
American Politics |
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| 201 – American Politics Through Film 203 - American Political Thought 208 - Political Parties & Elections 214 - Urban Gov't. & Politics 219 - State & Local Gov’t. 220 – Public Administration 280 - Public Policy 302 - American Presidency 305 - Congress & the Legislative Process 307 - Black Politics 308 - Public Opinion in Politics* 317 – Massachusetts Politics 321 –Public Human Resources Management 360 - Constitutional Law |
361 - Civil Liberties 362 - Politics, Law & Judicial Behavior 363 - The Politics of Law 365 - Bill of Rights & Equal Protection 366 - The First Amendment 367 - The Supreme Court 380 – Social Welfare Policy 381 – Health, Education and Arts Policy 382 - Environmental Policy 383 – Land and Resource Policy 386 – Criminal Justice Policy |
Comparative Politics |
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| 236 - Russian Politics 239 – Gov’t. & Politics of West Europe 245 - Gov’t & Politics of English-Speaking Caribbean 249 – Canadian Politics 331 - Political Development. & Modernization 332 - Gov't. & Politics of Scandinavia 333 - Gov't & Politics of the Middle East 335 - Gov'ts of East Central Europe 336 - After Communism 338 – Nationalism, Ethncty & Identity in Politics |
340 - Gov't. & Politics of Latin America 341 - Gov't. & Politics of Central America & Hispanic Caribbean 343 - Gov't. & Politics of East Africa 344 – Political Systems of Spain & Portugal 345 – Revolutionary Nationalism & Imperialism in the Caribbean 346 – Gov’t. & Politics of West Africa 385 – Comparative Public Policy |
International Relations |
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| 250 - Russian Foreign Policy 252 – Globalization, Governance & World Order 253 - Int. Environmental Politics & Policy 255 - American Foreign Policy 258 - International Relations of Asia 259 - European Foreign Policy* 351 - International Security Policy 352 - Inter-American Relations |
353 - Representations of War & Peace 354 - International Relations 355 - North/South International Relations 356 - International Law 357 - International Organizations 359 - International Political Economy |
Political Theory |
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The distribution requirement in Political Theory may be satisfied only by taking a course in the 270-375 range. Other theory courses may be counted toward meeting the elective requirements, but they do not fulfill the distribution requirement in Political Theory. |
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| 270 - Ancient & Medieval Thought 271 - Modern Political Thought 373 - Contemporary Political Theory |
374 - Issues in Political Theory |
University Graduation Requirements |
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1. 120 credits 2. A cumulative average of at least 2.0, overall and in the major 3. General Education requirements 4. College requirements 5. An approved major |
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