Political Science Major (BA)
College: College of Social Sciences & Professional Studies
This department offers options for the major: the traditional major in political science and the major in political science with a concentration in law. Students need to complete the requirements for one of these options. For example, a student choosing to major in political science with a concentration in law needs to meet the requirements listed under the concentration in law.
- We seek to help our students attain a practical and theoretical knowledge of politics and the law, assisting them to become conversant in a broad-range of concepts in the areas of political theory, international politics, comparative politics, American government, and the law.
- We seek to help our students to become critical thinkers; thinkers that are able to question the assumptions that underwrite claims or positions and make reasoned determinations about the truth and strength of various arguments.\\n
- We seek to help our students to become independent researchers, capable of identifying and articulating hypotheses, seeking information and inputs relevant to the topic, evaluating the credibility of sources and information, applying the appropriate methods and tools for testing or exploring a hypothesis, and drawing proper conclusions based on their findings.\\n
- We seek to help our students become global citizens in the sense that they have civically-oriented consciousness, a respect for diversity, pluralism and inclusiveness, and a moral and ethical sense of responsibility and moral disposition regarding their place in local, state, national, and international communities.\\n
Requirements for the Political Science Major
A student must be in good academic standing at the time of declaring the major.
All students must complete their degree program within 10 years of declaring a major or minor in political science, or the concentration in law, or completing their first course in political science, whichever is earlier. Credits earned at UW-Parkside or at any other institution that are more than 10 years old cannot be used to complete any major, minor or concentration offered by this department. A student who has been inactive for three or more years must reapply for admission to the major. The department reserves the right to require additional credits or course work.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory Courses | ||
| Select three of the following: | 9 | |
| American Politics | ||
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| Introduction to Politics | ||
| Public Policy | ||
| Required Research Course | ||
| POLS 200 | Research Methods and Sources 1 | 4 |
| Advanced Courses | ||
| Select three of the following, one course from at least three different sub-groups, at least 6 credits must be upper-division: 2 | 9 | |
| American Politics | ||
| Introduction to Law | ||
| Legislative Politics | ||
| Political Parties and Interest Groups | ||
| Elections and Political Participation | ||
| Women, Power and Politics | ||
| World Politics | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| European Politics | ||
| The Politics of Developing Nations | ||
| Socialist Thought and Practice | ||
| Popular Music, Human Rights and Democratization | ||
| Fascism, Nazism, and the Contemporary Radical Right | ||
| The Latin American Left | ||
| International Conflict and Cooperation | ||
| African Politics | ||
| Women, Power and Politics | ||
| International Law | ||
| Political Theory | ||
| Classical Political Philosophy | ||
| Modern Political Philosophy | ||
| Contemporary Political Thought | ||
| Socialist Thought and Practice | ||
| Fascism, Nazism, and the Contemporary Radical Right | ||
| Public Policy | ||
| Public Policy | ||
| Tactical Decision Making | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Introduction to Global Warming Policy and Governance | ||
| Diversity Law: African Americans | ||
| Strategic Decision Making | ||
| Latinos(as) and the Law | ||
| Additional Upper Level Courses | ||
| Select at least three additional courses numbered 300 or above 3 | 9 | |
| Required Senior Seminar | ||
| POLS 445 | Senior Seminar in Political Science | 3 |
| Total Credits | 34 | |
- 1
This course is required even if another research methods course has been taken.
- 2
Note: Courses offered in more than one category can satisfy either category, but not both.
- 3
The political science internship (POLS 494 Internship in Political Science) and independent study (POLS 490 Special Topics in Political Science) are recommended options but are not required.
No more than 6 credits of internship and 3 credits of independent study can be counted toward meeting the credit-hour requirements for the major.
Requirements for the Political Science Major with a Concentration in Law
This department offers a concentration in law for political science majors interested in pursuing a career in law or legal studies (practicing law, teaching law, court administration, and government agencies). The concentration in law brings together the most significant perspectives and tools required for a thorough preparation in law and legal studies, grounded in democratic theory and practice.
Students must complete a minimum of 15 credits at UW-Parkside in their major in courses numbered 300 or above. This concentration requires a minimum of 33 credits. These credits are distributed as follows:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| POLS 100 | American Politics | 3 |
| POLS 200 | Research Methods and Sources | 3-4 |
| or PHIL 275 | Techniques of Philosophical Research | |
| POLS 116 | Introduction to Law | 3 |
| POLS 202 | Public Policy | 3 |
| POLS 310 | Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties | 3 |
| POLS 320 | Constitutional Law: The Structure and Power of U.S. Government | 3 |
| POLS 445 | Senior Seminar in Political Science | 3 |
| Required Courses Subtotal | 21-22 | |
| Introductory Course | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Comparative Politics | ||
| Introduction to International Relations | ||
| Introduction to Politics | ||
| Upper Level Electives | ||
| Select three of the following (minimum of one POLS): | 9 | |
| Conflict Mediation | ||
| Practicum in Conflict Intervention | ||
| Criminal Procedure | ||
| Restorative Justice | ||
| Capital Punishment | ||
| Criminal Law | ||
| Environmental Policy | ||
| Introduction to Global Warming Policy and Governance | ||
| Diversity Law: African Americans | ||
| Politics, Law, and Society | ||
| Latinos(as) and the Law | ||
| International Law | ||
| Internship in Political Science 1 | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| Strongly Recommended | ||
| Logic | ||
| Total Credits | 33-34 | |
- 1
A maximum of 3 credits of internship can be applied to the 9 credits required in this category.
Note: Courses in other departments may have course or departmental prerequisites.
General University Degree Requirements (Bachelor's Degree)
In addition to individual program requirements, students must also fulfill the following requirements:
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Skills | 7-8 |
| General Education | 36 |
| Foreign Language** | 6-8 |
| Ethnic Diversity | 3 |
| Total | 52-55 |
** Transfer students in sustainable management, and health information management and technology collaborative, online degree-completion programs, the business management online degree-completion program, and the flexible option degree-completion program will be exempt from the university’s foreign language requirement. See appropriate academic section for further information.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Reading and Writing | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Reading | 3 |
| Computational Skills | ||
| Select one of the following: | 4-5 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Elementary Statistics | ||
| College Mathematics with Applications | ||
| College Algebra I | ||
| Total Credits | 7-8 | |
Degree Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Minimum Total Credits | 120 |
| Upper Level Credits (300 level or above) | 36 |
| Residency | 30 |
Cumulative Degree GPA: 2.0 minimum
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| MATH 104 | College Mathematics with Applications | 4 |
| ENGL 100 | Fundamentals of English | 3 |
| POLS 100 |
American Politics or Introduction to Comparative Politics or Introduction to International Relations or Introduction to Politics or Public Policy |
3 |
| Introductory Language | 4 | |
| General Education (HU) | 3 | |
| Credits | 17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 101 | Composition and Reading | 3 |
| POLS 103 |
Introduction to Comparative Politics or American Politics or Introduction to International Relations or Introduction to Politics or Public Policy |
3 |
| POLS 104 |
Introduction to International Relations or American Politics or Introduction to Comparative Politics or Introduction to Politics or Public Policy |
3 |
| Introductory Language | 4 | |
| General Education (NS) | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Total Credits | 33 | |
| Year 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| POLS 200 | Research Methods and Sources | 4 |
| POLS Advanced Course | 3 | |
| General Education (HU) | 3 | |
| General Education (SS) | 3 | |
| General Education (NS) | 3 | |
| Credits | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| POLS Advanced Course | 3 | |
| POLS Advanced Course | 3 | |
| General Education (SS) | 3 | |
| General Education (HU) | 3 | |
| General Education (NS) | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 31 | |
| Year 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| POLS 300/400 Level Elective | 3 | |
| POLS 300/400 Level Elective | 3 | |
| General Education (HU) | 3 | |
| General Education (NS) | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| POLS 300/400 Level Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 12 | |
| Total Credits | 27 | |
| Year 4 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| 300/400 Level General Elective | 3 | |
| 300/400 Level General Elective | 3 | |
| 300/400 Level General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| POLS 445 | Senior Seminar in Political Science | 3 |
| 300/400 Level General Elective | 3 | |
| 300/400 Level General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| General Elective | 3 | |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 30 | |