Requirements & Courses
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Major Requirements
Thirty-six credits which must include:
- POL 401
- At least twenty additional upper level credits. (No more than eight credits from POL 226/227 and 328/329 may count toward the major.)
- Successful completion of the departmental comprehensive examination. The exam will require that students demonstrate competency in three of the following four subfields of political science: American politics and public policy (APP), comparative politics (CMP), International Relations (INR) and Political Theory (THE). Students can determine the subfield to which a course belongs by noting the explanatory caption that appears in parentheses at the end of the course description.
- For topics courses designated POL 180, 280, and 380, consult with the instructor or political science chair to determine which subfield the course falls under.
- Departmental honors requires the completion of a senior thesis, successful defense before the department, and public presentation of the thesis
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Minor Requirements
Twenty-four credits which must include:
- At least sixteen upper level credits in POL (No more than eight credits from POL 226/227 and 328/329 may count toward the major.)
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Four credits from POL, with the exception of practicum or independent study courses, count towards the Distributive Requirements in the Social Sciences.
Courses
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POL101.The American Political System4 creditsStudy of institutions and processes of politics and government. Contemporary political problems. Primary focus on federal government with some attention to state and local politics. (APP)
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POL111.Introduction to Comparative Politics4 creditsExamines concepts and approaches to comparative political study, comparative functions, processes and structures. Explores issues and concerns such as political change, democracy, effectiveness and stability. (CMP)
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POL115M.Ethnic Politics Case Studies4 creditsExplore the nature of ethnic identity, its potential for and actualization of political activism and violence, and survey the role political institutions play in mitigating or eliminating ethnopolitical activism. Spring Term only. (CMP)
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POL121.World Conflicts and Problems4 creditsExamines a selection of world conflicts in terms of their causes and prospects for war, control or settlement. Explores world-wide problems, needs and efforts among states to deal cooperatively. (INR)
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POL127M.Presidential Library Research4 creditsIntroduction to normative political theory, both historical and contemporary. Includes analysis of central concepts of politics such as power, freedom, justice, democracy and equality. Explore key modern ideologies, such as liberalism, conservatism, socialism, fascism and political Islam. Spring Term only. (INR)
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POL131.Modern Ideals and Ideologies4 creditsThis course examines the most influential ideologies of the modern era including liberalism, conservatism, socialism, communism, fascism, and liberation ideologies.(Cross-listed as PHL-131) (THE)
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POL141.Intro to Public Mgt & Policy Analysis4 creditsStudy of leadership and administration in public organization, including relationship between bureaucracy and the executive, judicial and legislative branches; development of organizational theory; policy-making and implementation process; bureaucratic ethics; and reconciliation of democracy and bureaucracy. Recommended for those considering careers in public service or jobs affected by public policy. (APP)
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POL180.Topics in Political Science2-4 creditsExamines special political subjects in both the foreign/international and American realms.
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POL211.Western European Politics4 creditsComparative study of the main political systems of Western Europe. Examination of European Union and its policies, processes and outcomes. Comparative analysis of short- and long-term implications of European economic integration for the rest of the world. (CMP)
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POL212.Eastern European Politics4 creditsA survey of contemporary Eastern European politics at a turbulent time that often attracts international attention to that region. Analysis of some of the transformation and continuity in the region’s politics and society. (CMP)
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POL215.Making and Breaking Nations4 creditsRegionalism and nationalism represent two persistent and significant political forces in most countries today. Indeed, for many countries they pose the most significant threat to these state’s continued viability. This course explores these political phenomenon in Europe through hands-on research as students contribute to building a database of European regions, build GIS maps of regional data, and engage in both quantitative and qualitative analyses of these areas. (CMP)
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POL217.Arctic Politics and Science4 creditsSurvey the current state of scientific research examining polar melting. Explore the international legal and strategic implications of polar melting globally, with particular emphases on the five countries claiming polar waters (the U.S., Russia, Canada, Denmark and Norway). (CMP)
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POL221.Analysis of International Politics4 creditsStudy roles of the state, international and non-state actors in international politics; theories of conflict, conflict control and resolution; and prospects for world community. (INR)
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POL225.International Law and Organizations4 creditsAnalyzes historical evolution of international law, its purposes, principles and relationship to the international arena. Study of international organizations and their impact on international legal order. (INR)
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POL226.Model United Nations “A”2 creditsPreparation to represent an assigned country at a Model UN competition through examination of current international issues and UN organizational structures and processes. Course fee. (INR)
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POL227.Model United Nations “B”2 creditsPreparation to represent an assigned country at a Model UN competition through examination of current international issues and UN organizational structures and processes.(INR)
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POL231.American Political Thought4 creditsExplores American political thought from the founding to the present. Key themes considered include majority rule and minority rights, participatory versus elite theories of democracy, the tensions between democracy, freedom and equality, and civil disobedience. (THE)
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POL232.Ancient Political Thought4 creditsExploration of key ideas in ancient and medieval political thought. The works of Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, the Stoics, Epicurus, Augustine and Aquinas are considered. Key questions addressed include: Is democracy superior to rule by the enlightened few? Are humans by nature political creatures? What is the proper relation between the individual and the state? Is the state a natural entity? (Cross-listed as PHL-232.) (THE)
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POL233.Current Controversies U.S. Politics4 creditsExamine the ethical and empirical dimensions of some current political controversies in the U.S., such as the death penalty, gay marriage, torture, terrorism, affirmative action and euthanasia. Introduction to relevant concepts in ethical theory, law, political philosophy and empirical inquiry in order to provide the framework to think knowledgeably and critically about these issues. (APP)
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POL234.Modern Political Thought4 creditsAnalysis of selected original works of Machiavelli, Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, the American founders, Bentham, Mill, Marx and Nietzsche. Emphasis on relevance to contemporary political thought and issues. (Cross-listed s PHL-234.) (THE)
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POL236.Contemporary Political Thought4 creditsPrerequisite: POL-131 or PermissionThis course explores contemporary debates in political theory regarding justice, democracy, freedom, equality, and rights. Do contemporary democracies distribute resources and opportunities fairly? Do they treat all citizens equally? Are they sufficiently democratic? Is capitalism a just economic system? Does it support or undermine democracy, freedom and equality? (THE)
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POL241.U.S. Presidential Elections4 creditsStudies the links of elections and the media, campaign fundraising, electoral strategies, the role of the media in shaping campaigns, and the impact on public policy; offered especially in national election years, where the election can serve as a laboratory to test theories. (APP)
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POL242.Comparative Environmental Health Policy4 creditsComparative analysis of the environmental-health policy process. Emphasis on applied research related to current government or non-governmental organization projects or concerns.
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POL243.Public Opinion and Voting4 creditsThe course explores how Americans form their political beliefs and values, and how those beliefs and values influence their voting behavior. The impact of ideology, economic class, ethnicity, religion, and education are considered. (APP)
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POL245.The Political Experience4 creditsExplores nature of elective and administrative politics in state and local governments. Integrates cognitive and experiential learning. Includes field trips and interviews with state/local leaders in government, interest groups and media. (APP)
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POL280.Topics in Political Science2-4 creditsVariable topics in political analysis.
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POL305.Constitutional Law4 creditsCase law study of the Supreme Court’s interpretations of U.S. Constitution in the areas of the governmental structures and processes and civil rights and liberties. Different approaches to interpreting the Constitution are also considered. (APP)
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POL315M.Ethnic Politics Case Studies4 creditsPrerequisite: POL-215Explore the nature of ethnic identity, its potential for and actualization of political activism and violence, and survey the role political institutions play in mitigating or eliminating ethnopolitical activism. Spring Term only. (CMP)
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POL317.Politics of Fear and Hate4 creditsPrerequisite: One political science course or permission.This course explores the rise of “Radical Right” political parties across Europe in recent years. We explore the large literature on such political movements, which focus primarily on either economic grievance or xenophobia. We build a cross-national dataset to test hypotheses using time-series regression analysis. We will use both Microsoft Excel and SPSS as a central part of the course.
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POL325.U.S. Foreign Policy4 creditsStudy of goals of American foreign policy and U.S. role in changing world; structure, processes and politics of foreign policy-making; and U.S. foreign policy since end of WWII. Analysis of selected current U.S. foreign policy concerns. (INR)
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POL326.U.S. National Security Policy4 creditsAnalyzes emergence and evolution of post- WWII national security state. Assesses impact of changing international environment on conceptions of “national security.” (INR)
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POL327M.Presidential Library Research4 creditsResearch visit to a presidential library. Lower level focuses on primary source investigations on topics of student interest. Upper level is preparation for a substantial research paper potentially leading to a senior thesis and/or published article. Spring Term only. (INR)
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POL328.Advanced Model UN “A”2 creditsPrerequisite: POL-226 and 227Examine in detail the functioning of the central bodies of the UN community, including the General Assembly, Security Council, ECOSOC and specialized agencies. Also address the role of nongovernmental organizations, regional and subregional organizations and individual states. Only four credits may count toward the major. (INR)
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POL329.Advanced Model UN “B”2 creditsPrerequisite: POL-226 and 227Examine in detail the functioning of the central bodies of the UN community, including the General Assembly, Security Council, ECOSOC and specialized agencies. Also address the role of nongovernmental organizations, regional and subregional organizations and individual states. Only four credits may count toward the major. Course fee. (INR)
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POL341.Public Policy Analysis4 creditsStudy of policy process, particularly policy evaluation. Focuses on such policies as educational, environmental, economic and social welfare. Emphasis on learning evaluation methodologies through application to current public policy issues. (APP)
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POL345.Public Administration History & Theory4 creditsStudy of the development of modern public bureaucracies and the relationship of bureaucracy and other governmental institutions, particularly through analysis of original works on public administration from Woodrow Wilson and Max Weber to more recent commentaries. (APP)
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POL380.Topics & Problems in Political Science4 creditsCourses on special political subjects in both the foreign/international and American realms.
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POL381.Washington Semester4 creditsCredit awarded for student participation in seminars and coursework. (American University)
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POL382.Washington Semester4 creditsCredit awarded for student participation in seminars and coursework. (American University)
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POL385.Political Science Practicum1 creditPlacements in government, political institutions and related agencies may be made available by the Department or may be arranged by students in consultation with the Department.
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POL401.Senior Seminar4 creditsComprehensive capstone study of politics within the context of a distinct theme in political science.
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POL499.POL Independent Study: Readings1 creditIndividual study of particular topic or problem area; intensive reading; problem formulated with instructor consent.
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POL500.Senior Thesis4 creditsUnder supervision, student formulates a project topic or research program, conducts research, then prepares and publicly presents a senior thesis. Required for departmental honors.
