Curriculum  

Overview

Classes in the Department of Political Science vary widely in format and size. For those beginning their study of political science the Department offers a range of foundation courses, such as Introduction to Comparative Politics and Western Political Thought. Upper division courses are typically characterized by a combination of lecture and discussion and almost all are small enough to facilitate a good deal of interaction between individual students and instructors. Students can also enroll in courses in two different sets of seminars. Political Science seminars are limited to just 15 undergraduates and rely completely on classroom discussion and analysis of readings and other work. Our sophomore seminars are just that: seminars only enrolling students in their second year. The advanced seminars are designed to be capstone experiences for our undergraduate majors. Students typically take a seminar in an area where they've developed some background in previous courses and are ready to study a topic in depth. These courses are typically filled by seniors but juniors can enroll if space is available.

Current Courses

The Four "Cornerstones" of Political Science

Organization of Courses:
There are 4 cornerstones or subfields of political science: American Politics; Comparative Politics; Political Theory; International Relations. PS majors are required to take at least one course in each of these subfields. Two of these courses must be Foundational or Category I courses, which introduce students to central themes and issues in the study of politics. (See the Major Requirements section for complete information on requirements for the PS major).

  1. AMERICAN POLITICS
    American Politics and Government courses cover the political history, governmental institutions, political parties, political processes and behavior, and public policies of the United States. They also are concerned with American social institutions, the mass media, and interest groups.
     
  2. INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
    International Relations courses deal with the distribution of global power, and the interplay between and among states. They also concern transnational actors and issues.
     
  3. POLITICAL THEORY & PHILOSOPHY
    The study of the history of ancient and modern political philosophy; the analysis of seminal thinkers in that history, such as Plato, Hobbes, Montesquieu, and Rousseau; the assessment of the character of American political thought; and debate & discussion of concepts such as justice, liberty, sovereignty, citizenship, and tyranny.
     
  4. COMPARATIVE POLITICS
    Comparative Politics and Government courses involve the systematic study and comparison of the various political systems of the world. These courses combine regional specialization with a firm theoretical foundation for explaining general political phenomena.
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