Political Science (BA)

Introductory Courses Requirement

All students must take at least three of the following four 100-level core courses that introduce students to the major sub-fields of political science (American, Comparative, Law and Public Policy, Political Thought).

• POSC 100g Theory and Practice of American Democracy Units: 4
• POSC 110g Ideology and Political Conflict Units: 4
• POSC 120 Comparative Politics Units: 4
• POSC 130g Law, Politics and Public Policy Units: 4

Distribution (Field) Requirement

Students fulfill the distribution requirement by completing one course in three of the four major sub-fields (American, Comparative, Law and Public Policy, Political Thought). No more than one lower division (200 level) course can count toward the Field Requirement. 

American Politics

POSC 311 , POSC 315 , POSC 320 , POSC 321 , POSC 323 , POSC 325 , POSC 328 , POSC 334 , POSC 335 , POSC 418 , POSC 420 , POSC 421 , POSC 422 , POSC 423 , POSC 424m , POSC 425 , POSC 427 , POSC 428 , POSC 437 , POSC 439 , POSC 449  

Comparative Politics

POSC 350 , POSC 351 , POSC 352 , POSC 355 , POSC 356 , POSC 358 , POSC 360 , POSC 363 , POSC 366 , POSC 431 , POSC 451 , POSC 453 , POSC 456 , POSC 463 , POSC 469  

Law and Public Policy

POSC 340 , POSC 345 , POSC 347 , POSC 426 , POSC 432 , POSC 435 , POSC 436 , POSC 441m , POSC 442m , POSC 443 , POSC 444 , POSC 448a , POSC 448b , POSC 452  

Political Thought

POSC 248gw , POSC 265gw , POSC 270 , POSC 370 , POSC 371 , POSC 375 , POSC 380 , POSC 381 , POSC 476 , POSC 479  

Elective Requirement

Students must complete four additional elective courses, two of which must be upper division (300 or 400 level courses). One course (or four units) of the following courses: POSC 395 , POSC 398L  or POSC 490x  may be counted as an elective. In addition, one of the Honors Seminars (4 units of POSC 391 /POSC 392 ) can count as an elective.

Students who have a double major in political science and in another department in the social sciences, may, with prior permission of the department undergraduate adviser, substitute one upper-division course from the second major for one upper-division political science course. In the development of an undergraduate program, students should consult periodically with the political science undergraduate adviser and/or with departmental faculty.