Political Science Major, B.A.

Total minimum number of credits for a major in Political Science leading to the B.A. degree - 120
Total minimum number of credits for a minor in Political Science - 18
Total minimum number of credits for a minor in Policy Studies- 18

As a traditional liberal arts discipline, students who choose to major in Political Science are broadly trained and so have a wide variety of career options available. Among the most common fields of employment are government, law, education, social services, media, business, and foreign or international service. See the Pre-Law section of this bulletin for information on law school advising and admissions.

Political Science Major

All Majors Must Take the Following Courses

A major in Political Science requires a minimum of 120 hours.These include 43 hours in the University’s General Education Requirements and 44 hours in Political Science. All majors must take the following courses that comprise the Core in Political Science:

PS 111 - Introduction to American Government Credits: 3
PS 141 - Introduction to International Relations Credits: 3
PS 151 - Introduction to Comparative Politics Credits: 3
PS 260 - Introduction to Political Thinking Credits: 3
PS 261 - Research Methods in Political Science Credits: 3
PS 265 - Quantitative Reasoning for The Social Sciences Credits: 3
PS 309 - Career Mentoring for The Social Sciences Credits: 2
PS 380 - Political Science Senior Project Credits: 3
Students must then choose an additional 21 credits in Political Science with at least 3 courses (9 credits) at the 300-level or higher.

In Conjunction with the Secondary Education Major or Minor

Students interested in becoming secondary teachers in Political Science should make an appointment with the chairperson of the Education Department or the Coordinator of the Secondary Education Program as early as possible in their course of study to plan their professional studies. These students will declare a major in Political Science and as well as a major or minor in Secondary Education. The major in Secondary Education must be taken in conjunction with an approved major; it cannot stand alone as a major. Upon successful completion of the secondary education program, students may become certified in Pennsylvania to teach in grades 7-12 Social Studies.

Students interested in pursuing either the major or the minor in Secondary Education should refer to the Education Department section of this bulletin for complete details of the curriculum and other degree requirements. Students should also consult carefully with their Education program and Political Science program advisors in planning their course of studies.

Total credits required for Secondary Education minor - 40

Total credits required for Secondary Education major - 47

Required Courses for the Major(*) or Minor in Secondary Education are as Follows:

ED 180 - Educational Psychology Credits: 3
ED 190 - Effective Teaching with Field Experience Credits: 3
ED 191 - Integrating Technology into The Classroom Credits: 3
EDSP 210 - Teaching Students with Special Needs Credits: 3
ED 220 - Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners Credits: 3
EDSP 225 - Teaching Students with High Incidence Disabilities with Field Experience Credits: 3
ED 345 - Assessment in Education Credits: 3 *
ED 375 - Middle Level and Secondary Education Methods with Field Experience Credits: 4 *
ED 380 - Content Area Literacy Credits: 3
ED 381 - Teaching Methods in Social Studies Credits: 4
EDSP 388 - Inclusionary Practices Credits: 3
ED 390 - Student Teaching With Seminar [Pk-4], [4-8], [7-12], and [K-12] Credits: 12

To be certified in Social Studies, students also need to take

ANT 101 - Introduction to Anthropology Credits: 3
OR
ANT 102 - Cultural Anthropology Credits: 3
EC 101 - Principles of Economics Credits: 3
OR
EC 102 - Principles of Economics II Credits: 3
PSY 221 - Developmental Psychology Credits: 3
OR
PSY 222 - Adolescent Psychology Credits: 3
HST 125 - American History I Credits: 3
HST 126 - American History II Credits: 3

In Addition

All Teacher Education candidates must apply for admission to the Teacher Education Program in the sophomore or junior year.
To be admitted into the Teacher Education Program, candidates must:
- Attain a 3.0 GPA
- Complete 48 credits including six credits in both Mathematics and English
- Pass a test of basic skills
- Submit required clearances showing ‘no record’
To remain in the Teacher Education Program, candidates must:
- Maintain a 3.0 GPA
- Adhere to the Code of Professionalism and Academic Honesty
To be certified as a teacher in Pennsylvania in grades 7-12, candidates must:
- Successfully complete all required Education courses, including student teaching
- Graduate with a 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Pass the appropriate exit test(s) in their content area
- Apply for certification through the Pennsylvania Teacher Information Management System (TIMS).