Program Overview

---

Major in Political Science, Power, Justice, and Democracy Concentration

The Power, Justice, and Democracy concentration is designed to help students develop the knowledge and skills to analyze the connections between power, authority, and democratic processes. It is designed to help students pursue careers in the non-profit sector, legal profession, and political activism. Students will learn about the politics of power, the creation of (in)justice in government and politics, and theories of democracy, among other topics. Power, Justice, and Democracy students are strongly encouraged to complete an internship to gain practical experience working in the field.

Learning Objectives

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

1. Reason through political claims and assertions by political actors.
2. Recognize and respond to diverse ideological perspectives.
3. Locate political issues and controversies within their relevant institutional and historical contexts.
4. Demonstrate familiarity with the institutional processes of politics in numerous global and domestic political arenas.
5. Demonstrate confidence in expressing opinions and presenting analyses of political problems and their solutions.
6. Demonstrate confidence in evaluating the exercise of power in democratic settings.
7. Articulate political science theories of justice and injustice.

Effective Spring 2025

Political science majors must achieve a minimum grade of C (2.000) in each of the political science (POLS) courses counted toward meeting the requirement of the major. Students may enroll in either the standalone major or (at most) one of the concentrations under the Major in Political Science.

Program Requirements

• Freshman:
  • CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2) - 3 credits
  • POLS 101: American Government and Politics (GT-SS1) - 3 credits
  • POLS 272: Politics of Power, Justice, and Democracy (GT-SS1) - 3 credits
  • Arts and Humanities - 3 credits
  • Biological and Physical Sciences - 4 credits
  • Electives - 5 credits
  • Total Credits: 30
• Sophomore:
  • POLS 232: International Relations (GT-SS1) - 3 credits
  • POLS 241: Comparative Government and Politics (GT-SS1) - 3 credits
  • Select one course from the following:
    • CO 300: Writing Arguments (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 301A: Writing in the Disciplines: Arts and Humanities (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 301B: Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 301C: Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 301D: Writing in the Disciplines: Education (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 302: Writing in Digital Environments (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • JTC 300: Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • LB 300: Specialized Professional Writing - 3 credits
  • International Relations, Comparative Politics, Public Policy and Administration/American Politics and Law (300-level courses only) - 3 credits
  • Support Option (see list below) - 3-12 credits
  • Biological and Physical Sciences - 3 credits
  • Electives - 6-15 credits
  • Total Credits: 33
• Junior:
  • Political Theory (select one course from the following):
    • POLS 420: History of Political Thought - 3 credits
    • POLS 421: Contemporary Political Theories - 3 credits
    • POLS 422: Democratic Theory - 3 credits
    • POLS 423: American Political Theories - 3 credits
  • International Relations, Comparative Politics, Public Policy and Administration/American Politics and Law (courses not previously taken) - 3-6 credits
  • Power, Justice, and Democracy Course List (courses not previously taken) - 3-6 credits
  • Support Option (see list below) - 6-12 credits
  • Electives - 3-15 credits
  • Total Credits: 33
• Senior:
  • POLS 492: Capstone Seminar - 3 credits
  • Power, Justice, and Democracy Course List (courses not taken previously) - 3-6 credits
  • Support Option (see list below) - 6-12 credits
  • Electives - 6-15 credits
  • Total Credits: 24
• Program Total Credits: 120

International Relations, Comparative Politics, Public Policy and Administration, American Politics and Law Course List

Code	Title	AUCC	Credits
POLS 331	Politics and Society Along Mexican Border		3
POLS 332/ECON 332	International Political Economy		3
POLS 362	Global Environmental Politics		3
POLS 431	International Law		3
POLS 433	International Organization		3
POLS 435	United States Foreign Policy		3
POLS 436	Comparative Foreign Policy		3
POLS 437	International Security		3
POLS 341	Western European Government and Politics		3
POLS 345	Russian, Central, and East European Politics		3
POLS 347	Comparative Authoritarianism		3
POLS 441	Comparative Indigenous Politics--Americas		3
POLS 442	Environmental Politics in Developing World		3
POLS 443	Comparative Social Movements		3
POLS 444	Comparative African Politics		3
POLS 445	Comparative Asian Politics		3
POLS 446	Latin American Politics		3
POLS 447	Politics in Mexico, Central America, Caribbean		3
POLS 448	Comparative Racial/Ethnic Politics		3
POLS 449	Middle East Politics		3
POLS 302	U.S. Political Parties and Elections		3
POLS 303	Politics of Organized Interests		3
POLS 304	Legislative Politics		3
POLS 305	Judicial Politics		3
POLS 306	Executive Politics		3
POLS 307	Media and Politics		3
POLS 308	Political Psychology		3
POLS 309	Urban Politics		3
POLS 405	Race and Ethnicity in U.S. Politics		3
POLS 409	Urban and Regional Politics		3
POLS 410	American Constitutional Law		3
POLS 413	U.S. Civil Rights and Liberties		3
POLS 351	Public Administration		3
POLS 361	U.S. Environmental Politics and Policy		3
POLS 364	Air, Climate, and Energy Policy Analysis		3
POLS 460	Public Policy Process		3
POLS 462	Globalization, Sustainability, and Justice		3
POLS 463	Urban Policy and Management		3

Power, Justice, and Democracy Course List

Code	Title	AUCC	Credits
POLS 332/ECON 332	International Political Economy		3
POLS 367	Power, Equity and Inclusion in Env Justice		3
POLS 405	Race and Ethnicity in U.S. Politics		3
POLS 413	U.S. Civil Rights and Liberties		3
POLS 421	Contemporary Political Theories		3
POLS 422	Democratic Theory		3
POLS 441	Comparative Indigenous Politics--Americas		3
POLS 443	Comparative Social Movements		3
POLS 462	Globalization, Sustainability, and Justice		3

Support Option

Political Science majors must complete one of the following five Support Options.

Minor or Interdisciplinary Minor Support Option

• Select a minor or interdisciplinary minor in consultation with advisor.

Student-Selected Course Group Support Option

• A program of courses proposed by student and approved by advisor containing a minimum of 21 credits, of which at least 12 must be upper-division (300- to 400-level).

Second Major Support Option

• Select a second major in consultation with advisor. This option may require as much as 36 credits.

Foreign Language Support Option

• A minimum of 5 courses totaling at least 15 credits in a single foreign language, including at least 2 courses of language instruction or in the language at the upper-division level.

Methods Support Option

• Methods Support Option
  • POLS 320: Empirical Political Analysis - 3 credits
  • STAT 301: Introduction to Applied Statistical Methods - 3 credits
  • Select two from the following:
    • PHIL 120: History and Philosophy of Scientific Thought (GT-AH3) - 3 credits
    • PHIL 327: Philosophy of Behavioral Sciences - 3 credits
    • PHIL 415: Logic and Scientific Method - 3 credits
  • Select one from the following:
    • STAT 305: Sampling Techniques - 3 credits
    • STAT 341: Statistical Data Analysis I - 3 credits
    • STAT 342: Statistical Data Analysis II - 3 credits
  • Select two from the following:
    • ANTH 441: Method in Cultural Anthropology - 3 credits
    • AREC 335/ECON 335: Introduction to Econometrics - 3 credits
    • SOC 210: The Power of Numbers--Statistics in Sociology - 3 credits
    • SOC 311: Sociological Research Methods - 3 credits

Major Completion Map

• Semester 1:
  • CO 150: College Composition (GT-CO2) - 3 credits
  • POLS 101: American Government and Politics (GT-SS1) - 3 credits
  • Arts and Humanities - 3 credits
  • Biological and Physical Sciences - 4 credits
  • Elective - 2 credits
  • Total Credits: 15
• Semester 2:
  • POLS 272: Politics of Power, Justice, and Democracy (GT-SS1) - 3 credits
  • 1B - 3 credits
  • Arts and Humanities - 3 credits
  • Historical Perspectives - 3 credits
  • Elective - 3 credits
  • Total Credits: 15
• Semester 3:
  • POLS 232: International Relations (GT-SS1) - 3 credits
  • Support Option (see list below) - 3-12 credits
  • Biological and Physical Sciences - 3 credits
  • Electives - 0-9 credits
  • Total Credits: 18
• Semester 4:
  • POLS 241: Comparative Government and Politics (GT-SS1) - 3 credits
  • Select one course from the following:
    • CO 300: Writing Arguments (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 301A: Writing in the Disciplines: Arts and Humanities (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 301B: Writing in the Disciplines: Sciences (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 301C: Writing in the Disciplines: Social Sciences (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 301D: Writing in the Disciplines: Education (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • CO 302: Writing in Digital Environments (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • JTC 300: Strategic Writing and Communication (GT-CO3) - 3 credits
    • LB 300: Specialized Professional Writing - 3 credits
  • International Relations, Comparative Politics, Public Policy and Administration/American Politics and Law (see list on Concentration Requirements tab) - 3 credits
  • Electives - 6 credits
  • Total Credits: 15
• Semester 5:
  • International Relations, Comparative Politics, Public Policy and Administration/American Politics and Law (courses not previously taken) - 3-6 credits
  • Power, Justice, and Democracy Course List (courses not previously taken) - 3-6 credits
  • Support Option (see list below) - 3-6 credits
  • Elective - 0-9 credits
  • Total Credits: 18
• Semester 6:
  • Political Theory (select one course from the following):
    • POLS 420: History of Political Thought - 3 credits
    • POLS 421: Contemporary Political Theories - 3 credits
    • POLS 422: Democratic Theory - 3 credits
    • POLS 423: American Political Theories - 3 credits
  • Support Option (see list below) - 3-6 credits
  • Electives - 3-6 credits
  • Total Credits: 12
• Semester 7:
  • Power, Justice, and Democracy Course List (courses not taken previously) - 3-6 credits
  • Support Option (see list below) - 3-6 credits
  • Elective - 0-6 credits
  • Total Credits: 12
• Semester 8:
  • POLS 492: Capstone Seminar - 3 credits
  • Support Option (see list below) - 3-6 credits
  • Electives - 6-9 credits
  • Total Credits: 15
• Program Total Credits: 120

Distinctive Requirements for Degree Program

Political science majors must achieve a minimum grade of C (2.000) in each of the political science (POLS) courses counted toward meeting the requirement of the major. Students may enroll in either the standalone major or (at most) one of the concentrations under the Major in Political Science. Upper-Division course in at least four subfields of political science required to register for POLS 492.