This is an archive of the 2020-2021 University Catalog.
To access the most recent version, please visit catalog.csun.edu.

This is an archive of the 2020-2021 University Catalog.
To access the most recent version, please visit catalog.csun.edu.

UNIVERSITY CATALOG: 2020-2021

Program: B.A., Political Science

Public Policy and Management

Program Description

This option offers a variety of courses in Public Policy and Management and allows students to form a thorough understanding of the political institutions through which public plans are formulated and implemented. The option may be selected by students who wish to prepare for careers in government, politics and public offices within public and nonprofit organizations or the private sector.

Program Requirements

1. Basic Requirements (15 units)

2. Advanced Requirements in Upper Division (33 units)

a. Choose three courses in Domestic Politics and Policy (9 units)

Domestic:

POLS 360POLS 361POLS 380POLS 403POLS 404POLS 405POLS 406POLS 407POLS 413POLS 440, POLS 441POLS 441A, POLS 443POLS 444POLS 445POLS 446, POLS 447APOLS 448, POLS 449, POLS 450POLS 455POLS 457APOLS 457BPOLS 460POLS 461POLS 462, POLS 463, POLS 465POLS 466POLS 467, POLS 469/L, POLS 471APOLS 471EPOLS 471F

b. Choose three courses in Global Politics and Policy (9 units)

Global:

POLS 310, POLS 321, 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 426, POLS 427A/L, POLS 428, POLS 429, POLS 432A, POLS 432B, POLS 433A, POLS 434A, POLS 434B, POLS 435B, POLS 436A, POLS 438, POLS 439A, POLS 448, POLS 471B, POLS 471C, POLS 480POLS 481

c. Choose two Proseminars (6 units)

POLS 471A-F Proseminar*

*Internship (POLS 494I/A), Judicial Internship (POLS 494J/A), Model United Nations (POLS 427A/L or POLS 427B/L) or The Politics of Community Actions (POLS 449) may be substituted for 3 units of POLS 471.

d. Choose two courses on the following list (6 units)

POLS 405 Policy Framing and Agenda Setting (3)
POLS 406 Analyzing Policy Problems (3)
POLS 407 Policy Implementation and Program Evaluation (3)
POLS 429 United States Foreign Policy (3)
POLS 443 Congress and the Legislative Process (3)
POLS 461 Environmental Policy (3)
POLS 464 Comparative Public Policy (3)

e. Choose one upper division course in any area of POLS (3 units)

3. General Education (48 units)

Undergraduate students must complete 48 units of General Education as described in this Catalog.
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: Tom Hogen-Esch
Sierra Hall (SH) 210
(818) 677-3488

Student Learning Outcomes

Completion of a bachelor’s degree in Political Science will provide the student with:

  1. The basic concepts, theories, research methodology and empirical findings within the discipline of political science.
  2. A knowledge of Western and non-Western political systems, processes, values and patterns of interaction among these systems.
  3. An understanding of the political institutions through which public plans are formulated and implemented.
  4. A working knowledge of research designs, measurement, computer-assisted data analyses, use of the Internet and the ability to interpret the result of using these tools.