Political Science Major, BA

Program Description

The undergraduate Political Science program offers a comprehensive curriculum designed to provide students with cultivated knowledge and understanding of political science in a broad liberal learning academic environment. The program emphasizes a General Education component, the Core courses in the discipline, and two areas of specialization, namely, American Institutions, Politics, and Political Behavior; Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Economy. While there is the general Political Science degree program, there is also the Public Administration Concentration both of which prepare students for effective participation in the local, national, and international political process. Furthermore, whether the student is enrolled in the general Political Science degree program or in the Public Administration Concentration the student will graduate with a strong foundation in the discipline that will enable him to pursue meaningful and successful graduate study in Political Science, in Public Administration, in Comparative Politics, in International Affairs, in Public Policy, in Law and its related fields, and in many other disciplines in higher education. And if for career opportunities in the workforce, the Political Science graduate will be in the position to assume complex and challenging positions and contribute to meaningful change whether in the public or private sector. In order to guarantee that the student is well prepared for the workforce, Political Science advisors strongly advise students to acquire at least three hours of supervised internship experience that is related to the discipline. The student is also encouraged to take advantage of the WSSU Study Abroad program for academic credit. The Political Science student can participate in the WSSU Model United Nations program so as to broaden his/her educational horizon in world affairs; and he/she can become a member of the Political Science Majors/Minor Club. Thirty hours of courses in Political Science are required for the degree in Political Science, and 30 hours of courses in Political Science are also required for the Public Administration Concentration. The Political Science student or the Public Administration Concentration student can opt for a second major that is outside the Political Science discipline. Any other student can opt for a second major in Political Science. Thirty hours of course work will be required for the second degree. Advisors will guide the student accordingly in determining the course work required. While the student can declare a major in Political Science or choose a second degree in Political Science at any time, the student is encouraged to declare the major and or choose the second major in Political Science at the early stages of the student’s educational program at WSSU. For a robust and strategic liberal learning outlook, intellectual design, and instructional delivery posture that is consistent with current pedagogies in the Political Science discipline, focus and meaning are strengthened further by dividing the curriculum into three primary theoretical and philosophical segments: foundation, breadth, and depth. The Foundation courses prescribe those courses that all students in the major must take so that they can begin to understand better and establish mastery in the discipline. The Breadth courses are those that provide for focus on the discipline and its related fields; create avenues for interdisciplinary collaboration; and more content enhanced than the foundation courses. Depth courses are more sequentially graduated in content and in levels of analysis, and typically provide more complex and critical levels of thought with the need for sophisticated evaluative judgments.

Student Learning Outcomes

Political Science graduates will be able to: * demonstrate an understanding of the major concepts, principles, and processes of American Government and Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, Law and Politics, and Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methodology. (Content Knowledge) * demonstrate an understanding of the significance and impact of a global community and diversity within the United States. (Content Knowledge) * demonstrate an understanding and mastery of normative and empirical research in political science. (Communications, Content Knowledge, Critical Thinking) * demonstrate the ability to conduct political science research by completion and defense of a senior research thesis. (Communications, Content Knowledge, Critical Thinking) * demonstrate the ability to identify, draw reasoned inferences, devise an appropriate solution to a political problem/issue, and evaluate the feasibility of the solution. (Content Knowledge and Critical Thinking) * demonstrate the ability to explain contemporary political phenomena by employing an understanding of political science concepts and principles. (Content Knowledge, Critical Thinking, Communications)

Requirements for the Major

Foundation Courses

These are courses that all students regardless of specialization must master in order to understand the discipline The Foundation Courses are offered at the 2000 level; and they are open to all students. There are no prerequisites. Each POS Foundation Course counts as a General Education Area of Knowledge. All students in the POS degree program (including those in the Public Administration Concentration) are required to take POS 1302 , POS 2311 , POS 2317 and POS 2341 as core foundation courses in order to satisfy the degree requirements.

Breadth Courses

These are courses that demonstrate the breadth of the discipline. Breadth Courses are offered at the 3000 and 4000 levels so as to justify the Area of Specialization labeled as:

Depth Courses

These are courses that sequentially offer a deeper dive into one of the breadth areas of the discipline. Depth courses, typically, lead to signature work such as research paper, portfolio, or major projects prescribed by the instructors. Depth Courses are offered at the 300 and 4000 levels, and they are open to students upon the basis of effective academic advising. (Each POS Depth Course counts as a General Education Area of Knowledge.) All students in the POS degree program (including those in the Public Administration Concentration) are required to take POS 4382 as a core depth course in order to satisfy the degree requirements. (The student must take the Depth POS 4382: Writing and Research in Political Science II POS Capstone course.) and then: (Three courses from the Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Economy Area of Specialization):

African Politics Concentration 9 hours	Comparative Politics Concentration 9 hours	International Affairs Concentration 9 hours	Pre-Law Concentration 9 hours	Public Administrative and Public Policy Concentration 9 hours	Honors Curriculum 15 hours
Must take Capstone Course - POS 4382 Writing & Research in Political Science II
Choose any two of the following courses:	Choose any two of the following courses:	Choose any two of the following courses:	Choose any two of the following courses:	Choose any two of the following courses:	Choose any two of the following courses:
POS 4316	POS 4301	POS 4301	POS 4323	POS 4310	POS 4310
AAS 4322	POS 4310	POS 4310	POS 4330	POS 4323	POS 4316
POS 4330	POS 4316	POS 4316	POS 4356	POS 4330	POS 4323
POS 4356	POS 4322 /AAS 4322	POS 4322 /AAS 4322	POS 4365	POS 4346	POS 4330
POS 4361	POS 4330	POS 4346	POS 4369	POS 4365	POS 4346
POS 4365	POS 4332	POS 4330	POS 4383	POS 4369	POS 4356
POS 4383	POS 4365	POS 4332	POS 4378	POS 4378	POS 4361
POS 4384	POS 4378	POS 4365	POS 4384	POS 4381	POS 4365
POS 4391 and POS 4392	POS 4384	POS 4378	POS 4391 and POS 4392	POS 4383	POS 4369
	POS 4391 and POS 4392	POS 4384		POS 4384	POS 4381
		POS 4391 and POS 4392		POS 4391 and POS 4392	POS 4383
					POS 4384
					POS 4391 and POS 4392