The recommended four-year plan is designed to provide a blueprint for students to complete their degrees within four years. Students must meet with their Major Advisor to develop a more individualized plan to complete their degree. This plan assumes that no developmental courses are required. If developmental courses are needed, students may have additional requirements to fulfill which are not listed in the plan and may extend degree completion.
NOTE: This recommended Four-Year Plan is applicable to students admitted into the major during the 2023-2024 academic year.
First Year
Fall Semester
- Major: POLI 223 - AMERICAN GOVERNMENT+ (double counts as Distribution Category: - SYSTEMS, SUSTAINABILITY AND SOCIETY) (HRS 4)
- Gen Ed: CRWT 102 - CRITICAL READING AND WRITING II (HRS 4)
- Gen Ed: - SOCIAL SCIENCE INQUIRY (HRS 4)
- Gen Ed: INTD 101 - FIRST YEAR SEMINAR (HRS 4)
- Career Pathways: PATH HG1 - CAREER PATHWAYS MODULE 1 FOR HUMANITIES & GLOBAL STUDIES
- Total: (HRS 16)
Spring Semester
- Major: POLI 205 - COMPARATIVE POLITICS (HRS 4)
- Gen Ed: - STUDIES IN THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES formerly known as - STUDIES IN THE ARTS AND HUMANITIES AIID 201 - STUDIES IN THE ARTS & HUMANITIES (HRS 4)
- Gen Ed: - HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVES (HRS 4)
- Gen Ed: - QUANTITATIVE REASONING (HRS 4)
- Total: (HRS 16)
Second Year
Fall Semester
- Major: POLI 206 - POLITICAL THEORY+ (HRS 4)
- Major: POLI 235 - INTERNATIONAL POLITICS (HRS 4)
- School Core: Language I#* (some languages may fulfill Gen Ed: Global Awareness) (HRS 4)
- Elective or Gen Ed: - GLOBAL AWARENESS (if not fulfilled by Language)# (HRS 4)
- Career Pathways: PATH HG2 - CAREER PATHWAYS MODULE 2 FOR HUMANITIES & GLOBAL STUDIES
- Total: (HRS 16)
Spring Semester
- Major: 200/300 Level Political Science Elective (HRS 4)
- School Core: Language II* (HRS 4)
- Gen Ed: - SCIENTIFIC REASONING (HRS 4)
- Gen Ed: Distribution Category (choose 1): - CULTURE AND CREATIVITY or - VALUES AND ETHICS** (Must be outside of HGS) (HRS 4)
- Career Pathways: PATH HG3 - CAREER PATHWAYS MODULE 3 FOR HUMANITIES & GLOBAL STUDIES
- Total: (HRS 16)
Third Year
Fall Semester
- Major: POLI 316 - POLITICAL ANALYSIS (HRS 4)
- Major: 300 Level Political Science Elective (HRS 4)
- Major: 300 Level Political Science Elective (HRS 4)
- School Core: Language III* (HRS 4)
- Total: (HRS 16)
Spring Semester
- Study Abroad/Co-Op/DC Internship*** (HRS 4)
- Study Abroad/Co-Op/DC Internship (HRS 4)
- Study Abroad/Co-Op/DC Internship (HRS 4)
- Study Abroad/Co-Op/DC Internship (HRS 4)
- Total: (HRS 16)
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
- Major: 300 Level Political Science Elective (HRS 4)
- Major: 300 Level Political Science Elective (HRS 4)
- Major: 200/300 Level Political Science Elective (HRS 4)
- General Elective: Elective (HRS 4)
- Total: (HRS 16)
Spring Semester
- Major: POLI 405 - POLITICAL SCIENCE SEMINAR (HRS 4)
- General Elective: Elective (HRS 4)
- General Elective: Elective (HRS 4)
- General Elective: Elective (HRS 2)
- Major: AIID 388 - CO-OP/INTERNSHIP AMERICAN/INTERNATIONAL INTERDISCIPLINARY**** (HRS 2)
- Total: (HRS 16)
Total Credits Required: 128 credits
GPA: 2.0
+ May double count in General Education and Major
# Passing any Language class as part of the school core fulfills the General Education Global Awareness requirement. Students testing out of the school core language requirement need to take a class from the General Education Global Awareness list.
* Entering Language courses at the 300 Level indicates fulfillment of the school core Language requirement.
** Students may count up to 2 classes for the major or Unit toward the general education program. POLI 223 American Government is a required class for the major and satisfies the Gen Ed: Systems, Sustainability, and Society distribution category. Students have to take one class in either Gen Ed: Culture & Creativity or Gen Ed: Values and Ethics distribution categories. Students satisfying the Gen Ed: Global Awareness category by completing the school core language requirement are not permitted to double count any courses other than POLI 223 in the general education program. Students who do not use the school core language requirement for the Gen Ed: Global Awareness category may be able to use a second POLI class for the general education program. Please consult with your academic adviser when considering double-counting classes within the major and general education program.
***The Political Science major strongly recommends a Study Abroad but does not require one. Spring Semester of Junior Year is suggested for the Study Abroad.
****Internship Requirement: All students must complete a 120-hour internship/coop for 2 credits (AIID 388) prior to graduation. Alternatively, students can apply for the Washington Internship Institute WII) for a semester-long internship as well as taking classes in Washington DC. Students who are interested in WII should consult with their Major Advisor for greater details.
Writing Intensive Requirement (5 courses): please note that 2 writing intensive courses in the general education curriculum are required: Critical Reading and Writing and Studies in the Arts and Humanities; Within the major, the 3 courses will be Political Science Methodology, Political Science Seminar, and Modern Comparative Politics or International Politics.
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