Requirements for the Political Science Major

The Curriculum Requirements to complete a major in political science:

10 courses, including Political Philosophy (101), American Government (120), International Relations (170);

any course in Comparative Politics (150, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 255, 256, 270 and, when appropriate, 275, 276, 190, 290); and

a 390 seminar

No course in the major may be taken Pass/Fail. Normally five courses must be taken in residence. All ten members of the department teach both introductory and advanced courses. No teaching assistants are used. See the list of specific courses offered at the end of this document.

Minor

Six courses. Course work submitted for the minor must be from at least four of the subfields: political theory, American politics, comparative politics, and international relations. Normally three courses must be taken in residence.

Honors in the Major

The honors in the major option involves one semester of independent research in the spring of the senior year leading to a defense of a major project before the political science faculty at the end of the spring semester. Candidates interested in pursuing honors in political science must obtain a faculty supervisor during the fall semester and submit an annotated bibliography and a well-developed thesis statement explaining the project's goal by December 1. A grade point average of 3.50 in the major and 3.25 overall are required to undertake an honors project. Students who plan to complete the honors option are strongly encouraged to take POLSC 239: Research Methods, in their junior year.

Departmental Honorees since 1977

2007 – Peter Backof

2007 – Alexander L. Stout

2006 – Robert S. Dauses

2006 – Sarah Eckels

2006 – Andrew B. Ferguson
2004 – Jared Michael Mellott
2004 – Andrew P. Miller
2004 – Amie Elizabeth Schaadt
1999 – Heather Lynn Weaver
1998 – Christopher Peter Zubowicz
1997 – Derekh D.F. Cornwell
1996 – Lawrence James Olson
1995 – Allison Lynn Ankerbrand
1994 – Frank Timothy Grieco
1983 – Nina Rae Ledis
1982 – Donald Jeffrey Cambell
1982 – David MacFeat Frees III
1981 – John W. Frommer III
1979 – William Minshall Rogers Jr.
1978 – Douglas B. Marcello
1977 – Matthew Joseph Crane Jr.