Bachelor of Arts - Political Science

The School of Liberal Arts offers the Bachelors of Arts degree with a major in Political Science. The B.A. degree in Political Science is for students interested in a wide range of career choices, including government service, advocacy, legislative assistance, international non-government organizations, non-profit management, education, law school and graduate school. The Political Science major consists of two tracks: Political Science with Teacher Certification and General Political Science. Students pursuing the Teacher Certification track will take a combination of comprehensive education and political science courses designed to prepare graduates for careers as teachers. Students pursuing the General Political Science track will take upper-level courses that provide a broad foundation for the study of political science, including advanced study in one of the five concentrations: American Government, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Legal Studies and General. The General Political Science track also allows students to take additional political science courses or to take electives in another discipline.

Curriculum

General Education Requirements (60 hours)

The primary objective of the general education requirements is to guarantee that all students seeking a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science (BA) degree will share a common body of knowledge drawn from a broad spectrum of subject areas.

Additional Requirements (3 hours)

The physical education requirement is comprised of one credit hour of Wellness and two credit hours of additional Physical Education courses.

Legislative Requirements

Georgia law requires that each candidate for a degree demonstrate knowledge of the history and constitutions of the United States and Georgia. These requirements may be met by receiving a passing grade in certain courses, or by passing the appropriate examination. The courses and the requirement(s) each course satisfies are as follows:

1. HIST 2111  or HIST 2112  satisfies the Georgia and U.S. history requirement (if taken at a University System of Georgia institution).
2. POLS 1101 satisfies the Georgia and US Constitution requirement (if taken at a University System of Georgia institution).
3. Students with transfer credit (HIST 2111 , HIST 2112  or POLS 1101 ) from outside the University System of Georgia will need to contact the Testing Center regarding the legislative exams requirement.

Major Requirements (60 hours)

The major requirements consist of four areas of study: Political Science Required Courses, Concentrations, Additional Political Science/Outside Discipline electives and General Electives. The Political Science Core is designed to ensure that students receiving the BA degree in Political Science will share a common body of knowledge needed for a wide range of private and public sector organizations. Concentration courses allow students to delve further into areas of specialization. Additional Political Science/Outside Discipline electives and General Electives give students an opportunity to explore topics of interest at an advanced level.

Program Outcome Goals

Bachelor of Arts - Political Science Major

Concentrations: American Government, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Legal Studies, Public Administration, and General Political Science.

Students in the Political Science Major (General Political Science Track) will be able to:

1. Skills in critical analysis, ability to synthesize information , and the ability to present logical arguments leading to creative solutions of various political problems;
2. Knowledge of different political systems, including the US/GA government, enabling them to become informed and responsible citizens and preparing them for careers in related fields;
3. International/multicultural awareness: Political science majors will demonstrate the ability to analyze a variety of current global issues, including international development and global security and comprehend the roles played by various international actors, including international organizations
4. The ability to explore a variety of approaches to politics and the study of government.

Learning outcomes

1. Apply critical thinking, research, and communicatio skills as applied to the public and private sectors.
2. Identify major issues in today’s public and private institutions.
3. Apply the integrative knowledge and skills necessary for responsible administrative, management and leadership positions.
4. Apply analytical and research skills to the study of public organizations and policy.
5. Apply proficiency in communicating ideas and perspectives about policy matters.
6. Explain the roles of relevant actors in the policy process.

General Education: (60 semester hours)

Additional Requirement (3 semester hours)

Program of Study (60 semester hours)