Program: Political Science, B.A.
Politics and Government Option
Program Description
This option offers a variety of courses in domestic and global politics and policy. The curriculum may be selected by students who (a) want a liberal arts education; (b) who desire to pursue graduate education in political science or other fields, such as law; (c) who want to enter government; or (d) who intend to teach in secondary schools.
Social Science Subject Matter Program for the Single Subject Credential
Political Science majors interested in teaching social studies at the middle school or high school level may combine their major program with the Single Subject Social Science Subject Matter Program to meet requirements for entering a Single Subject Credential Program. View Social Science Subject Matter Program for Secondary School Teachers (.pdf) for more information. The Political Science department advisor also can provide assistance in coordinating the completion of both the major and the subject matter program simultaneously. See also the disclosure statement regarding Programs Leading to Licensure and Credentialing.
Program Requirements
1. Basic Requirements (12 units)
POLS 155 American Political Institutions (3)
or POLS 355 American National, State and Local Governments (3)*
POLS 156 European and Comparative Government (3)
or POLS 225 Elements of International Relations (3)
POLS 372 Principles and Methods of Political Science (3)
POLS 350 Great Questions in Politics (3)
or POLS 411 Greek, Roman and Medieval Political Theory (3)
or POLS 412 Modern Western Political Theory (3)
or POLS 413 American Political Thought (3)
or POLS 414 Western Political Theory in the 20th Century (3)
*Students will receive credit for either POLS 155 or POLS 355, but not both.
2. Advanced Upper Division Requirements (36 units)
- Choose three courses in Domestic Politics and Policy (9 units)
- Choose three courses in Global Politics and Policy (9 units)
- Choose six courses in Domestic or Global Politics and Policy or General Electives** (18 units)
**Courses in the Advanced Requirements electives must include two proseminars (POLS 471 A-F) or one proseminar and one internship (POLS 427A/L, POLS 427B/L, POLS 449, POLS 494I/A, or POLS 494J/A).
Advanced Courses
Domestic
POLS 360, POLS 361, POLS 380, POLS 403, POLS 404, POLS 405, POLS 406, POLS 407, POLS 413, POLS 440, POLS 441, POLS 442, POLS 443, POLS 444, POLS 445, POLS 446, POLS 447A, POLS 448, POLS 449, POLS 450, POLS 455, POLS 457A, POLS 457B, POLS 458, POLS 460, POLS 461, POLS 462, POLS 463, POLS 465, POLS 466, POLS 467, POLS 469/L, POLS 471A, POLS 471E and POLS 471F
Global
POLS 310, POLS 321, POLS 330, POLS 332, POLS 410, POLS 420A, POLS 420B, POLS 420C, POLS 420D, POLS 420E, POLS 420F, POLS 420G, POLS 420H, POLS 421, POLS 422, POLS 423, POLS 424, POLS 426, POLS 427A/L, POLS 427B/L, POLS 428, POLS 429, POLS 430, POLS 431, POLS 432A, POLS 432B, POLS 433A, POLS 433C, POLS 434A, POLS 434B, POLS 435A, POLS 435B, POLS 436A, POLS 438, POLS 439A, POLS 439B, POLS 448, POLS 471B, POLS 471C, POLS 480 and POLS 481
General
POLS 303, POLS 321, POLS 350, POLS 411, POLS 412, POLS 414, POLS 415, POLS 471D, POLS 486SOC, POLS 490CA, POLS 494I/A, POLS 494IB, POLS 496A-Z, POLS 498A, POLS 498B, POLS 498C, POLS 499A, POLS 499B, POLS 499C and POLS 499RIA
3. General Education (48 units)
Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog, including 3 units of coursework meeting the Ethnic Studies (ES) graduation requirement.
9 units are satisfied by the following courses in the major: POLS 372 satisfies B5 Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning; POLS 156 or POLS 225 satisfies 3 units of D1 Social Sciences; and POLS 155 or POLS 355 satisfies D3/D4 Constitution of the United States/State and Local Government.
If taken, POLS 310, POLS 350 or POLS 380 satisfies upper division D1 Social Sciences; and POLS 321 and/or POLS 332 satisfies 3-6 units of upper division F Comparative Cultural Studies.
Total Units in the Major/Option: 48
General Education Units: 39
Additional Units: 33
Total Units Required for the B.A. Degree: 120
Contact
Department of Political Science
Chair: Keiko Hirata
Sierra Hall (SH) 210
(818) 677-3488
Program Learning Outcomes
Students receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science will be able to:
- Demonstrate persuasive and rhetorical communication skills for strong oral and written communication in small and large groups.
- Demonstrate knowledge and theories relevant to global politics and policies. This includes knowledge of Western and non-Western political systems, the role of state and nonstate actors, processes, values and models of politics and patterns of interaction among them.
- Demonstrate an understanding and respect for economic, socio-cultural, political and environmental interaction of global life.
- Understand the importance of active citizenship and civic engagement in a democratic society.
- Apply an understanding of historical and contemporary policy issues to problems in the community.
- Demonstrate an ability to apply prior knowledge to their coursework, experiential learning programs, internships or community service projects.
- Demonstrate increasingly sophisticated skills in reading primary and secondary sources critically.
- Identify, present, and support arguments.
- Research and evaluate the models, methods and analyses of others in the field of political science, and critically integrate them in their own work.
- Demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of policy issues and the political institutions through which public policies are formulated, modified, and implemented in national, state, or urban contexts.
- Demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of political elites and the mass public and how they interact in the decision-making process in national, state, or urban settings.
- Demonstrate a working knowledge of research designs, hypothesis formulation, measurement of variables, data collection, and analysis.
- Have an in-depth understanding of historical and contemporary power structures, the effects they have on political outcomes and marginalized groups in society, and be familiar with the struggle for inclusion.
ADT/STAR Act Degree Road Maps
Students who have graduated with a verified Associate Degree for Transfer and have been admitted to a CSUN program that has been deemed similar will be able to complete the baccalaureate degree within 60 semester units. For additional information, see ADT/STAR Act Degree Road Maps.
Political Science/Politics and Government Option - AA-T in Political Science (2023-Present)