Political Science Minor
Department: Political Science and Law
The minor is to provide students with a flexible, coherent, and guided study of political science as it relates to their specific academic major or personal interests. The minor requires a minimum of 15 hours in political science of which 9 hours must be taken in junior-senior level courses. A maximum of 3 hours of junior-senior level courses may be used to satisfy the requirements of another major or minor.
All minors must take PLS 105 Introduction to American Government. Minors must also take one of the following courses: PLS 205 Governments Around the Globe; PLS 207 Introduction to Political Thought; or PLS 208 Fundamentals of International Relations. Minors must also take 9 hours of junior-senior level courses. The department’s policy is that coursework used to complete the minor must be drawn from its regularly scheduled, subfield-specific course offerings; use of internship, reading, or research courses (PLS 380 Washington Center Seminar, PLS 480 Internship in Political Science, PLS 483 Reading in Political Science, PLS 485 Research) to complete the minor requires prior approval by both the student's Political Science Department faculty advisor and department chairperson.
Suggested Programs of Study
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-Law | ||
| PLS 105 | Introduction to American Government | 3.0 |
| PLS 300 | Topics in Political Thought | 3.0 |
| PLS 360 | Judicial Politics | 3.0 |
| PLS 419 | Introduction to Public Administration | 3.0 |
| PLS 459 | Constitutional Law: Institutional Powers and Constraints | 3.0 |
| PLS 460 | Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties | 3.0 |
| PLS 494 | Seminar in American Politics | 3.0 |
| Public Administration | ||
| PLS 105 | Introduction to American Government | 3.0 |
| PLS 419 | Introduction to Public Administration | 3.0 |
| PLS 420 | ||
| PLS 422 | ||
| PLS 494 | Seminar in American Politics | 3.0 |
| Communications and Politics | ||
| PLS 105 | Introduction to American Government | 3.0 |
| PLS 301 | Topics in American Politics | 3.0 |
| PLS 310 | Political Behavior | 3.0 |
| PLS 314 | The U.S. Congress | 3.0 |
| PLS 315 | The U.S. Presidency | 3.0 |
| PLS 419 | Introduction to Public Administration | 3.0 |
| PLS 494 | Seminar in American Politics | 3.0 |
| Applied Politics | ||
| PLS 105 | Introduction to American Government | 3.0 |
| PLS 301 | Topics in American Politics | 3.0 |
| PLS 310 | Political Behavior | 3.0 |
| PLS 311 | Political Parties | 3.0 |
| PLS 314 | The U.S. Congress | 3.0 |
| PLS 315 | The U.S. Presidency | 3.0 |
| PLS 494 | Seminar in American Politics | 3.0 |
| Behavioral Politics | ||
| PLS 105 | Introduction to American Government | 3.0 |
| PLS 301 | Topics in American Politics | 3.0 |
| PLS 310 | Political Behavior | 3.0 |
| PLS 311 | Political Parties | 3.0 |
| PLS 360 | Judicial Politics | 3.0 |
| PLS 422 | ||
| PLS 494 | Seminar in American Politics | 3.0 |
| International and Comparative Politics | ||
| PLS 105 | Introduction to American Government | 3.0 |
| PLS 205 | Governments Around the Globe | 3.0 |
| or PLS 208 | Fundamentals of International Relations | |
| PLS 302 | Topics in International Relations | 3.0 |
| PLS 303 | Sub-Saharan African Politics | 3.0 |
| PLS 304 | Politics of Europe | 3.0 |
| PLS 305 | Topics in Comparative Government | 3.0 |
| PLS 306 | Intelligence in International Affairs | 3.0 |
| PLS 317 | International Law | 3.0 |
| PLS 318 | International Organization | 3.0 |
| PLS 319 | International Political Economy | 3.0 |
| PLS 342 | American Foreign Policy | 3.0 |
| PLS 410 | Globalization in World Affairs | 3.0 |
| PLS 491 | Seminar in Comparative Politics | 3.0 |
| or PLS 492 | Seminar in International Relations | |
| Urban Poltiics | ||
| PLS 105 | Introduction to American Government | 3.0 |
| PLS 419 | Introduction to Public Administration | 3.0 |
| PLS 420 | ||
| PLS 422 | ||
| PLS 494 | Seminar in American Politics | 3.0 |
| Political Philosophy | ||
| PLS 105 | Introduction to American Government | 3.0 |
| PLS 207 | Introduction to Political Thought | 3.0 |
| PLS 300 | Topics in Political Thought | 3.0 |
| PLS 307 | Classical Political Philosophy | 3.0 |
| PLS 308 | Modern Political Philosophy | 3.0 |
| PLS 407 | American Political Thought | 3.0 |
| PLS 493 | Seminar in Political Theory | 3.0 |