Political Science, BA

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Department of Political Science, College of Humanities and Social Sciences

60 credits

Introduction

Political Science is one of the oldest fields of academic inquiry. Social ideals and their realization through law were systematically studied in ancient Greece. In an increasingly interdependent world, the study of politics and government has flourished as the relations between persons, groups and nations have become more complex, and questions of freedom and authority have challenged every citizen. Modern Political Science is equally concerned with questions of political philosophy and with the pursuit of social scientific research. These concerns are reflected in a broad and diverse curriculum.

The Political Science faculty is committed to the belief that understanding politics and government is essential to a well-educated person, vital to democratic citizenship, indispensable to effective public service, and critical to the maintenance and ethical progress of a free society.

Why Consider a Political Science Major?

The Political Science curriculum prepares students for careers in public service-related occupations in both government and business. Many students majoring in Political Science go on to law school, graduate school and into related professions.

Contact Information

Political Science Department Chair
Amir Abedi
Arntzen Hall 415
360-650-2912
Amir.Abedi@wwu.edu

Department Manager
Joan Blackwell
Arntzen Hall 415
360-650-3469
Joan.Blackwell@wwu.edu

Program Coordinator
Peggy Warner
Arntzen Hall 415
360-650-3469
Peggy.Warner@wwu.edu

Sample Careers

Major/Career Resources

http://www.wwu.edu/careers/students_choosingamajor.shtml

How to Declare (Admission and Declaration Process):

Students are eligible to declare the political science major and any of the majors combined with political science if they have completed any two of the following core courses with an average grade of 2.7 or above: PLSC 250, 261, 271, 291, or the equivalent course(s) at another college or university. Due to high student demand and limited capacity, immediate access to specific courses cannot be guaranteed. Priority is given to seniors and juniors who need courses to graduate. Students who have no transfer credits for political science course work, stop by the political science department office, Arntzen Hall 415, with an unofficial Western Washington University transcript showing the two completed courses from the list above. If you have transfer credits for political science coursework from another institution, also bring an unofficial transcript from that institution showing the political science courses completed.

Grade Requirements

A grade of C- or better is required for a student’s major or minor courses, and supporting courses for majors and minors. For more information go to the

Requirements

PLSC 101, 435, 443, 444, 447, 448, and 491 credits apply toward the major but do not count in any field. No more than 10 credits of internship or independent study may be counted toward the major.

Students select a first, second and third field of study from the three fields listed below
- American Politics and Public Policy
- Political Theory
- International and Comparative Politics
Core courses in each of the three fields are required. They are:
- PLSC 250 for American Politics and Public Policy
- PLSC 261 for Political Theory
- PLSC 271 or PLSC 291 for International and Comparative Politics
In the three fields, the students must complete:
- 15 credits in the first field plus required core course
- 10 credits in the second field plus required core course
- 4 credits in the third field plus required core course
- One course from:
  PLSC 431, PLSC 432, PLSC 433, PLSC 434

Courses in the three fields are organized as follows:

Departmental Honors

Entrance requirements

Students must satisfy the following eligibility requirements prior to registration for PLSC 496 Honors Tutorial. The student must:

Be a declared political science major with senior standing
Have a 3.50 GPA in all upper-division political science courses
Have completed both of the following:
Core requirements for the major (PLSC 250, PLSC 261, and PLSC 271 or 291)
Credit requirements in the area most closely related to the thesis topic
Have completed one of the following:
Two years of foreign language with a B (3.0) or better GPA; the Honors advisor, at his or her discretion, may choose to waive this requirement for students who demonstrate a satisfactory reading knowledge of the language
PLSC 366 Research in Politics, or an equivalent class in social statistics under advisement, and earn a grade of B (3.0) or better
Submit the completed Honors Contract to the political science department office with proper faculty signatures

Completion Requirements

To graduate with honors in political science the student must:

Maintain a 3.50 grade point average in all upper-division political science courses
Complete 4-10 credits of PLSC 496 Honors Tutorial over two quarters under the supervision of a faculty thesis advisor
Give an oral presentation of the thesis in arrangement with the faculty thesis advisor
Submit a copy of the honors thesis to the political science department office before the final grade is assigned

University Graduation Requirements

General University Requirements (GURS)
Writing Proficiency Requirement (WP)
180 Minimum Total Credits
60 Minimum Upper Division Credits
Residency Requirement
Minimum Grade Requirements
Final Quarter Requirement