The Political Science Program is housed within the Department of Global Humanities. Both a major and minor in Political Science are offered. Political science examines the origins, uses, justification, and distribution of power in society, as well as the relationship between power and other social “goods” such as wealth, rights, and liberties. Political science can be both empirical and normative. When empirical, it investigates how and why power, wealth, and rights are distributed as they are in the real world. When normative, political science explores how they ought to be distributed. Politics, in short, is about how societies are governed, how competing ideas about what is best for society are articulated and resolved, and how decisions in one part of the world affect other parts of the world. As part of a liberal arts education, the study of politics helps students develop critical thinking, research, analytical and communicative skills. It enables them to understand ideas and practices of citizenship, social justice, and human values. Political science prepares students for graduate studies as well as for a wide range of careers, including those in teaching, law, government, public service, public policy and administration, foreign and military service, business, international organizations, NGOs and the nonprofit sector, interest-group advocacy, and journalism.
Contact Information
historypolitics@css.edu
Learning Outcomes
Students completing a baccalaureate degree in political science should be able to:
- Demonstrate specialized knowledge of political science, both across the discipline and in each of the four subfields.
- Critically evaluate public policy issues, political power, and law through both disciplinary theoretical analysis and empirical research.
- Critically evaluate political and public policy issues in terms of their bearing on foundational values such as human dignity, human rights, peace, and justice.
- Critically assess public policies from community-based perspectives.
- Actively participate in their civic communities (locally, nationally, and/or globally) to work on behalf of human values, justice, and the fuller realization of human potential.
Requirements
Students must achieve the following program requirements for all courses listed under "Program Required Courses" for the Political Science major.
Program Requirements
Major Credits: 40**
Major Residency Credits: 20
Minimum GPA: 2.0
Political Science majors have the option of declaring a concentration in one of four areas: American Politics, International Politics,* Comparative Politics,* or Political Theory.
Program Required Courses
Course List
Code |
Title |
Credits |
PHL 2223 | Political Philosophy | 4 |
POL/GSJ 2001 | Introduction to Political Science | 4 |
POL 3777 | Topics in Political Science (Introduction to International Politics/Relations) | 4 |
POL 3777 | Topics in Political Science (Introduction to Comparative Politics) | 4 |
POL 4999 | Independent Study (Capstone) | 0-8 |
PSY 3331 | Statistics | 4 |
or MTH 2442 | Introduction to Data Analysis and Applied Statistics |
| 16 |
| Mass Media Law and Ethics | |
| Community Nonprofits | |
| Indigenous Peoples of North America | |
| American Government | |
| Understanding Systems of Privilege and Oppression | |
| American Social Welfare Policy | |
| 16 |
| Introduction to Mexico | |
| Popular Music and Political Movements | |
| The Other Americas | |
| Contemporary Africa | |
| Russia: Revolution and Empire | |
| Islam and the Modern World | |
| Water and Politics | |
| 16 |
| Migration, Diaspora, Identity | |
| Peaceful Resolution of International Conflicts | |
| Human Rights | |
| Europe Today | |
| The World Since 1945 | |
| United States Foreign Relations | |
| Feminism and Globalization: Women, Religion, and the Body | |
| Rethinking Religion and Culture after 9/11 | |
| Globalization of Food and Agriculture | |
| Water and Politics | |
| 16 |
| Introductory Ethics | |
| Contemporary Ethical Issues | |
| Philosophies of Feminism | |
| Theologies of Peace and Justice | |
| Advanced Social and Cultural Theory | |
| Religion and Politics of Compassion | |
*Concentrations in International Politics or Comparative Politics complete one year of language study at the intermediate level (8 credits beyond the College’s world language requirement). Concentrations in American Politics and Political Theory, or Political Science majors who do not declare a concentration, are not required to study a language and culture at the intermediate level, but they are strongly encouraged to do so.
**Of the 40 credits required for the major, 20 must be upper division (3000-4999).
Degree Requirements
To graduate from The College of St. Scholastica, baccalaureate students must meet the following minimum degree requirements.
Total Credits: 120
Upper Division Credits: 40
Residency Requirement: 30
Minimum GPA: 2.0