Overview
A major in political science comprises 33 political science semester hours with the requirement that the student complete:
- a minimum of two courses in American Government
- a minimum of two courses from Comparative Government and International Relations
- one Political Thought course
- a capstone course
This degree may be earned in eight semesters if students enroll in 16 hours per semester.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST YEAR REQUIREMENT -STUDENT SUCCESS | ||
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar | 1-2 |
| or YSU 1500S | Youngstown State University Success Seminar | |
| or HONR 1500 | Intro to Honors | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3-4 |
| or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| Mathematics Requirement | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities (6 s.h.) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences (2 courses, 1 with lab) (6-7 s.h.) | 7 | |
| Social Science (6 s.h.) | ||
| 3 s.h. are fulfilled with POL 1560 (required for the major) | ||
| Social Science elective | 3 | |
| General Education Electives (9 s.h.) | 9 | |
| Foreign Language Requirement | ||
| FNLG 1501 | Conversational Foreign Language 1 | 3 |
| FNLG 1502 | Conversational Foreign Language 2 | 3 |
| Major Requirements | ||
| POL 1560 | American Government | 3 |
| American Government | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| American Presidency | ||
| American Legislative Process | ||
| Law and Society | ||
| American Political Parties and Elections | ||
| Moot Court 1 | ||
| African-American Politics | ||
| Health Care Policy | ||
| American Public Policy and Policy Analysis | ||
| Public Management | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| American Constitutional Law 1: Government Power, Structure, and Limits | ||
| American Constitutional Law 2: Civil Rights and Liberties | ||
| Public Budgeting | ||
| Individualized Study | ||
| Aging and Social Policy | ||
| Urban Internship Seminar | ||
| Select Problems, American Government | ||
| Political Thought | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Political Thought 1 | ||
| Political Thought 2 | ||
| Political Thought 3 | ||
| Select Problems, Political Thought | ||
| Contemporary and International | 6 | |
select two of the following | ||
| Contemporary World Governments (Social Science/Social and Personal Awareness) | ||
| International Relations (Social Science/Social and Personal Awareness) | ||
| Russia and China: From Revolution to Reform | ||
| European Politics | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| United States Foreign Policy | ||
| International Law | ||
| International Organizations | ||
| Israeli Politics | ||
| Asian Politics | ||
| Select Problems of Global Affairs | ||
| Capstone Course | ||
| POL 4801 | Senior Research Seminar | 3 |
| Additional Required Hours | ||
| Select a minimum of 15 s.h. (total 33 s.h. in Political Science). | 15 | |
| Electives | 28 | |
| Minor Requirements | 18 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-122 | |
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar or Youngstown State University Success Seminar or Intro to Honors | 1-2 |
| POL 1560 | American Government | 3 |
| ENGL 1550 or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 or Writing 1 with Support | 3-4 |
| MATH 2623 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| FNLG 1501 | Conversational Foreign Language 1 | 3 |
| Semester Hours | 13-15 | |
| Spring | ||
| POL 2640 | Contemporary World Governments | 3 |
| POL 2660 | International Relations | 3 |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| FNLG 1502 | Conversational Foreign Language 2 | 3 |
| GER Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| POL 37XX Domestic Politics | 3 | |
| POL 37XX Dom. or Intl. | 3 | |
| Minor 15XX/26XX | 3 | |
| Natural Science 15XX/26XX | 3 | |
| Social Science 15XX/26XX | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| POL 37XX Dom. or Intl | 3 | |
| POL 37XX Dom. or Intl | 3 | |
| Minor 15XX/26XX | 3 | |
| Natural Science + Lab 15XX/2600 | 4 | |
| GER Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| POL 3785 | Political Thought 1 or Political Thought 2 or Political Thought 3 | 3 |
| POL 37XX Dom. or Intl | 3 | |
| Minor 37XX | 3 | |
| Minor 37XX | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities 15XX/26XX | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| POL 37XX Dom or Intl | 3 | |
| POL 37XX Dom on Intl | 3 | |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities 15XX/26XX | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| POL 37XX | 3 | |
| Minor 37XX | 3 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 4 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 17 | |
| Spring | ||
| POL 4801 | Senior Research Seminar | 3 |
| Elective 37XX | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 5 | |
| Semester Hours | 14 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-122 | |
Learning Outcomes
The department's learning outcomes for political science majors are as follows:
- Students will be able to summarize fundamental components of knowledge that have developed in relation to areas of political theory, American government, comparative politics, and international relations.
- Students will recognize and explain the fundamental ideas and constitutional principles that have shaped the American Republic, as well as the institutions and behaviors that provide the setting and substance of American politics.
- Students will recognize and explain the basic ideas, problems and processes of comparative politics and international relations relative to issues of Western and non-Western political development, different forms of national government, and foreign policy behaviors relative to a global economy.
- Students will use and apply the Style Manual of the American Political Science Association (APSA) in conjunction with their research and writing skills associated with the creation of credible political science projects.