BA in Political Science Curriculum
The BA in Political Science requires the completion of courses in the University Curriculum, the CAS curriculum and the political science core curriculum, with a minimum grade of C in all courses. No more than 6 credits of internship (PO 295, PO 395) may count toward the completion of the major. Students majoring in political science must meet the following requirements for graduation:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| University Curriculum 1 | 46 | |
| College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum 2 | 21-24 | |
| Political Science Core Courses | ||
| PO 131 | Introduction to American Government and Politics | 3 |
| PO 211 | Introduction to International Relations | 3 |
| PO 215 | Political Theory | 3 |
| PO 225 | American Political Movements | 3 |
| PO 303 | Political Inquiry | 3 |
| PO 408 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| PO 395 or PO 365 or a Service Learning course or QU in DC course or Study Abroad course in politics or other course approved by the department. | 3-6 | |
| Political Science Track electives or cognate courses (choose a track from the list below) | 15 | |
| Free Electives | 17 | |
| Total Credits | 120-126 | |
Experiential Requirement
At Quinnipiac, political science majors are required to have a for-credit experiential learning course or internship. Students may choose between an advanced internship, a course in the QU in DC program, a political science course taken as part of a Study Abroad semester, or a course where academic learning is integrated with a community service learning project. Students should plan with their academic advisers early to complete this requirement before the start of their senior year. With department approval, this requirement may be completed with one of the following:
- A political science advanced internship PO 395 of 3 or more credits;
- A political science course taken in a study abroad program;
- A political science course taken in the QU in DC program or PO 365;
- A service learning course in any discipline (must have “SL” designation).
Electives: Tracks in Political Science
Students choosing to focus their studies in the politics track, the public policy and leadership track, or the global affairs track, may choose from among the following electives beyond the core required courses:
Politics Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 15 credits of the following political science or cognate courses | 15 | |
| Political Science courses: | ||
| Issues in Politics | ||
| Public Policy and Administration | ||
| Ethics and Public Policy | ||
| Environmental Politics and Policy (ENV 209) | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Feminist Political Thought (WGS 219) | ||
| Introduction to Latin America | ||
| The Politics of Intimacy | ||
| Elections and Political Parties (SL: Service Learning) | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| Actors and Processes in U.S. Foreign Policy | ||
| Congress and the President | ||
| Internship in Political Science | ||
| Simulating International Organizations | ||
| Independent Study in Political Science | ||
| Special Topics | ||
| The Global Civic Dilemma | ||
| Topics in International Relations | ||
| Philosophy of War and Peace (PL 312) | ||
| Development, Globalization and Colonialism | ||
| Democratic Theory and Practice | ||
| International Law (LE 317) | ||
| International Interventions | ||
| Comparative Government | ||
| Political Psychology and Public Opinion | ||
| Politics and Governance in Africa | ||
| Topics in Comparative Government | ||
| European Politics | ||
| Topics in African Politics | ||
| Politics of Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Contemporary Social and Political Philosophy (PL 335) | ||
| Human Rights: Theory and Practice (PL 337) | ||
| Comparative Constitutional Law (LE 342) | ||
| Political Communication (MSS 349) | ||
| American Constitutional Law (LE340) | ||
| Civil Rights and Civil Liberties | ||
| Topics in American Politics | ||
| Presidential Election Campaigns (SL: Service Learning) | ||
| Inside Washington, D.C. | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| Women and Public Policy (WGS 387) | ||
| Urban Public Policy | ||
| Independent Study in Political Science | ||
| Cognate courses: 3 | ||
| Globalization and International Business | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Power and Social Institutions | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Public Policy and Leadership Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 15 credits of the following: | 15 | |
| Public Policy and Administration | ||
| Ethics and Public Policy | ||
| Environmental Politics and Policy (ENV 209) | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| The Politics of Intimacy | ||
| Elections and Political Parties (SL: Service Learning) | ||
| Actors and Processes in U.S. Foreign Policy | ||
| Congress and the President | ||
| Democratic Theory and Practice | ||
| Political Psychology and Public Opinion | ||
| Politics of Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Political Communication (MSS 349) | ||
| American Constitutional Law (LE340) | ||
| Civil Rights and Civil Liberties | ||
| Topics in American Politics | ||
| Presidential Election Campaigns (SL: Service Learning) | ||
| Inside Washington, D.C. | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| Women and Public Policy (WGS 387) | ||
| Cognate courses: 3 | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Power and Social Institutions | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
Global Affairs Track
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Select 15 credits of the following political science or cognate courses: | 15 | |
| Issues in Politics | ||
| Environmental Politics and Policy (ENV 209) | ||
| Introduction to Latin America | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| Actors and Processes in U.S. Foreign Policy | ||
| Topics in International Relations | ||
| Philosophy of War and Peace (PL 312) | ||
| Development, Globalization and Colonialism | ||
| International Law (LE 317) | ||
| International Interventions | ||
| Comparative Government | ||
| Middle Eastern History and Politics | ||
| Topics in African Politics | ||
| Politics of Race and Ethnicity | ||
| Human Rights: Theory and Practice (PL 337) | ||
| Comparative Constitutional Law (LE 342) | ||
| Cognate courses 3 | ||
| Globalization and International Business | ||
| Total Credits | 15 | |
| 1 | All students must complete the University Curriculum requirements. |
| 2 | Students must complete the College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum requirements specific to their major. See details below. |
| 3 | In addition to political science courses, a student may count up to two of the cognate courses toward completion of the political science major. |
College of Arts and Sciences Curriculum
The College of Arts and Sciences offers bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees. As the home of the liberal arts at Quinnipiac, CAS encourages students to pursue a balanced program of study across multiple disciplines. In pursuit of that goal, CAS imposes additional requirements beyond the University Curriculum.
All CAS students (both bachelor of science and bachelor of arts) must complete one foreign language through the 102-level. Foreign language classes may also count toward the UC Personal Inquiry II requirement.
Additionally, students earning a bachelor of arts must fulfill separate requirements for breadth and depth of study:
For the breadth requirement, students must complete at least 3 credits in each of the four CAS disciplinary areas other than the area of the student’s major. These areas are: fine arts, humanities, natural sciences and social sciences. For example, a student majoring in political science—a social science discipline—would complete at least 3 credits each in fine arts, humanities and natural science. A course taken to fulfill the CAS breadth requirement may not simultaneously fulfill any UC requirement.
For the depth requirement, students must complete at least 9 credits within a single subject area other than that of the major. (A “subject area” is identified with a catalog subject code, such as PL, CJ, WS, MA, etc.) CAS depth courses may also count toward UC requirements.
Students pursuing a bachelor of science, a double major, or certain accelerated degree programs are exempt from the CAS breadth and depth requirements, but must complete the foreign language requirement.