Offered by Department of Political Science

Political Science Major

Political Science
Bachelor of Arts

• General Studies Program Hours = 45
  including General Studies coursework required by major
  • Foundational Core (Written, Math, Oral, Democracy) = 12 including:
    • Take 1 course from:
      • PSCI 140GS, Democracies around the World - 3 hours
      • PSCI 170GS, Democracy as a Political Idea - 3 hours
  • Portal = 3
  • Distribution = 27
    • Aesthetics minimum = 3
    • Humanities minimum = 6
    • Social Sciences minimum = 6 including:
      • PSCI 110GS, Introduction to American Politics - 3 hours
    • Natural Sciences minimum = 7
    • Analytical and Quantitative Thought minimum = 0
    • Wellness minimum = 0
  • Capstone = 3
• BA Language requirement = a minimum of 6
• For specific language requirements see #2 of Bachelor of Arts Degree requirements.
• Major Option = 36
• Minor or 2nd Major = 24
• For specific requirements see #3 of Bachelor of Arts Degree requirements. Selecting a minor or second major less than or greater than 24 hours will alter the number of unrestricted electives.
• Minimum total hours required coursework = 111
• Unrestricted electives in 120 hour program = 9
• Minimum total hours required for BA in Political Science = 120
• All UNK degrees require a minimum of 120 hours. Forty (40) of the hours required for all UNK degrees must be upper division hours, which are courses numbered 300 or above taken at a 4-year college or university.

1. Political Science Core (12 hours required)
   • Take all of the following:
     • PSCI 168GS, Introduction to International Relations - 3 hours
     • PSCI 381, Introduction to Political Inquiry - 3 hours
     • PSCI 489, Senior Seminar - 3 hours
   • Take one of the following:
     • PSCI 373, Ancient Political Thought - 3 hours
     • PSCI 374, Modern Political Thought - 3 hours
     • PSCI 375, Democratic Political Thought - 3 hours
     • PSCI 376, 20th & 21st Century Political Thought - 3 hours
     • PSCI 378, Feminist Political Thought - 3 hours
2. Political Science Requirements (12 hours required)
   • Take 12 hours from four separate subfields:
     • American Government
       • PSCI 252, The Courts and the Judicial Process - 3 hours
       • PSCI 351, The American Congress - 3 hours
       • PSCI 352, The American Presidency - 3 hours
     • Political Behavior
       • PSCI 365, Campaigns and Elections - 3 hours
       • PSCI 366, Political Parties and Interest Groups - 3 hours
       • PSCI 382, Public Opinion and Political Problems - 3 hours
     • Public Policy Administration
       • PSCI 212, Politics of the Federal Executive Branch - 3 hours
       • PSCI 361, State and Local Government - 3 hours
       • PSCI 385, Foundations of Public Policy - 3 hours
       • PSCI 400, Public Administration - 3 hours
     • Comparative Politics
       • PSCI 344, Politics of the Developed World - 3 hours
       • PSCI 345, Politics of the Developing World - 3 hours
       • PSCI 346, Latin American Politics - 3 hours
       • PSCI 390, Politics & Culture of Asia - 3 hours
     • International Relations
       • PSCI 342, Politics of Globalization - 3 hours
       • PSCI 368, International Law and Organization - 3 hours
       • PSCI 369, International Political Economy - 3 hours
       • PSCI 370, American Foreign Policy - 3 hours
3. Political Science Electives (12 hours required)
   • Take 12 hours from the following:
     • PSCI 212, Politics of the Federal Executive Branch - 3 hours
     • PSCI 252, The Courts and the Judicial Process - 3 hours
     • PSCI 300, American Constitutional Law - 3 hours
     • PSCI 325, Individual Liberties and Civil Rights - 3 hours (Prereq: PSCI 300 or permission of instructor)
     • PSCI 340, Topics in Comparative Politics - 3-6 hours
       (may be repeated once with different topic)
     • PSCI 341, Politics of the Drug War - 3 hours
     • PSCI 342, Politics of Globalization - 3 hours
     • PSCI 344, Politics of the Developed World - 3 hours
     • PSCI 345, Politics of the Developing World - 3 hours
     • PSCI 346, Latin American Politics - 3 hours
     • PSCI 351, The American Congress - 3 hours
     • PSCI 352, The American Presidency - 3 hours
     • PSCI 353, Race & Politics - 3 hours
     • PSCI 360, Topics in American Politics - 3-6 hours
       (may be repeated once with different topic)
     • PSCI 361, State and Local Government - 3 hours
     • PSCI 365, Campaigns and Elections - 3 hours
     • PSCI 366, Political Parties and Interest Groups - 3 hours
     • PSCI 368, International Law and Organization - 3 hours
     • PSCI 369, International Political Economy - 3 hours
     • PSCI 370, American Foreign Policy - 3 hours
     • PSCI 373, Ancient Political Thought - 3 hours
     • PSCI 374, Modern Political Thought - 3 hours
     • PSCI 375, Democratic Political Thought - 3 hours
     • PSCI 376, 20th & 21st Century Political Thought - 3 hours
     • PSCI 377, Topics in Political Thought - 3-6 hours
       (may be repeated once with different topic)
     • PSCI 378, Feminist Political Thought - 3 hours
     • PSCI 380, Topics in International Relations - 3-6 hours
       (may be repeated once with different topic)
     • PSCI 382, Public Opinion and Political Problems - 3 hours
     • PSCI 385, Foundations of Public Policy - 3 hours
     • PSCI 390, Politics & Culture of Asia - 3 hours
     • PSCI 400, Public Administration - 3 hours
     • PSCI 410, Advanced Study in American Government: Special Topics - 3 hours
     • PSCI 420, Advanced Study in Political Behavior: Special Topics - 3 hours
     • PSCI 440, Advanced Study in Comparative Politics: Special Topics - 3 hours
     • PSCI 450, Nations in Transition - 3 hours
     • PSCI 456, Field Study - 1-3 hours
       (repeatable up to 6 hours with different topic)
     • PSCI 468, War in World Politics - 3 hours
     • PSCI 475, Internship in Political Science - 1-6 hours
     • PSCI 486, Policy Analysis - 3 hours (Prereq:  PSCI 381 and PSCI 385)
     • PSCI 490, Directed Research - 1-3 hours
     • PSCI 499, Readings in Political Science - 1-3 hours
   • Subject to approval by the Department Chair, up to 6 hours of relevant coursework in the student's second major or minor may count toward the 12 hours of Political Science electives.