Political Science, B.A.
The Core Curriculum is designed to foster critical thinking skills and introduce students to basic domains of thinking that transcend disciplines. The Core applies to all majors. Information on specific classes in the Core can be found at https://www.marshall.edu/gened/.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Curriculum | ||
| Core 1: Critical Thinking | ||
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PSC 105 | Fundamentals of Politics (CT) | 3 |
| PSC 104 | American Government (CT) | 3 |
| Core 2 | ||
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| STA 150 | Foundations of Statistics | 3 |
| STA 150L | Foundations of Statistics Lab | 1 |
| Core II Physical/Natural Science | 4 | |
| Core II Humanities | 3 | |
| PSC 104 | American Government (CT) | 3 |
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| Additional University Requirements | ||
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Writing Intensive | 3 | |
| Multicultural or International | 3 | |
| PSC 499 | Capstone Experience | 3 |
| College-Specific | ||
| Foreign Language 101 | 3 | |
| Foreign Language 102 | 3 | |
| Foreign Language 203 or MC, I, or GLC Course | ||
| Foreign Language 204 or MC, I, or GLC Course | 3 | |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| PSC 105 | Fundamentals of Politics (CT) (COLA Social Science) | 3 |
| COLA Social Science (Not PSC) | 3 | |
| COLA Social Science (Not PSC) | 3 | |
| COLA Physical/Natural Science | 4 | |
| Major-Specific | ||
| PSC 105 | Fundamentals of Politics (CT) | 3 |
| PSC 104 | American Government (CT) | 3 |
| PSC 312 | Research in Political Science | 3 |
| PSC 499 | Capstone Experience | 3 |
| Select at least three courses in any one of the five Political Science subfields and at least one course in at least three of the remaining four fields: | 18 | |
| Courses that appear in more than one field may not be counted twice. | ||
| American National, State, and Local Politics | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| City Management | ||
| American Political Parties | ||
| Public Opinion and Propaganda | ||
| Campaigns and Elections | ||
| Black Politics | ||
| The US Congress | ||
| The American Presidency | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Shapers and Definers | ||
| US Court System | ||
| Power in American Society | ||
| Politics of Poverty | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Politics in History | ||
| Civil Rights & Liberties | ||
| Constitutional Law | ||
| Seminar in Public Service | ||
| International and Comparative Politics | ||
| Comparative Politics (CT) | ||
| World Politics (CT) | ||
| Politics of the Undead | ||
| War and Pop Culture | ||
| UN & Global Organizations | ||
| International Relations | ||
| Western Democratic Politics | ||
| Post Soviet Politics | ||
| Latin American Politics | ||
| International Political Econ | ||
| International Law | ||
| Politics of Development | ||
| Issues in World Politics | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| Diplomacy | ||
| Conflict and Revolution | ||
| Global Terrorism | ||
| Intel and Covert Ops | ||
| Politics of Poverty | ||
| Dictatorship & Democracy | ||
| Constitutional Democracy | ||
| Law & Society | ||
| American Political Thought II | ||
| American Political Thought I | ||
| Shapers and Definers | ||
| Conflict and Revolution | ||
| US Court System | ||
| Dictatorship & Democracy | ||
| Politics in History | ||
| Civil Rights & Liberties | ||
| Constitutional Law | ||
| Political Theory | ||
| Models of Politics | ||
| Politics, Media, and Culture | ||
| Politics of the Undead | ||
| War and Pop Culture | ||
| American Political Thought II | ||
| Women and Political Thought | ||
| American Political Thought I | ||
| Classical Political Thought | ||
| Modern Political Thought | ||
| Conflict and Revolution | ||
| Political Ideologies | ||
| Harry Potter and Pol. Theory | ||
| Power in American Society | ||
| Appalachian Politics | ||
| Politics and Video Games | ||
| Public Administration, Public Policy and Urban Politics | ||
| City Management | ||
| Models of Public Policy | ||
| Issues in Public Policy | ||
| Intro to Public Administration | ||
| Nonprofit Management | ||
| Public Policy Development | ||
| Politics of Poverty | ||
| Administrative Law | ||
| Public Personnel Admin | ||
| Government Budgetary Admin | ||
| Politics of the Workplace | ||
| American Cities | ||
| Seminar in Public Service | ||
| Political Science electives | 6 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
Semester Plan
The Political Science curriculum has two objectives: first, to provide a basic understanding of the functioning of government in preparation for democratic citizenship and second, to give a specialized foundation to those planning to enter law school, government service (foreign service, public administration), teaching, research, politics, or business.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| First Semester | Credit Hours | |
| CMM 103 | Fund Speech-Communication | 3 |
| ENG 101 | Beginning Composition | 3 |
| FYS 100 | First Yr Sem Critical Thinking | 3 |
| PSC 104 | American Government (CT) | 3 |
| Core II Fine Arts | 3 | |
| UNI 100 | Freshman First Class | 1 |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| ENG 201 | Advanced Composition | 3 |
| Core II Physical and Natural Science | 4 | |
| STA 150 | Foundations of Statistics | 3 |
| STA 150L | Foundations of Statistics Lab | 1 |
| PSC 105 | Fundamentals of Politics (CT) | 3 |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Second Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| Foreign Language 101 | 3 | |
| PSC 312 | Research in Political Science | 3 |
| COLA Social Science (Not PSC) | 3 | |
| Core II Humanities (WI) | 3 | |
| COLA Physical and Natural Science | 4 | |
| Credit Hours | 16 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Multicultural or International | 3 | |
| Foreign Language 102 | 3 | |
| PSC Elective (3 in 1/1 in 3) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| PSC Elective (3 in 1/1 in 3) | 3 | |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| Foreign Language 203 or MC, I or GLC Course | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| Foreign Language 204 or MC, I or GLC Course | 3 | |
| PSC Elective (3 in 1/1 in 3) | 3 | |
| PSC Elective (3 in 1/1 in 3) | 3 | |
| COLA Social Science (not PSC) | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| First Semester | ||
| PSC 499 | Capstone Experience (WI) | 3 |
| PSC Elective (3 in 1/1 in 3) | 3 | |
| PSC Elective | 3 | |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Credit Hours | 15 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| PSC Elective (3 in 1/1 in 3) | 3 | |
| PSC Elective | 3 | |
| COLA Humanities | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 2 | |
| Credit Hours | 14 | |
| Total Credit Hours | 120 | |