Undergraduate Major in Political Science

• Students pursing a B.A. degree must have 39 hours of Political Sicence Classes including:
  
  I. CORE COURSES
  (15 hours, take all five courses)
  
  PLS 101 American National Government
  PLS 201 Introduction to Political Science Methods
  PLS 220 Introduction to International Relations
  PLS 230 Introduction to Comparative Government and Politics
  PLS 401 Senior Seminar (need to have taken all other core classes, 30 hours completed in the major, plus senior status)
  
  II. POLITICAL THEORY REQUIREMENT
  (3 hours, take one course)
             Students must complete one of the following courses in
  Political Theory  
  PLS 212 - Introduction to Political Theory
  PLS 310 - Legal Philosophy and Jurisprudence
  PLS 312 - Scope and Methods of Political Science
  PLS 313 - Early Political Thought
  PLS 314 - Modern Political Thought
  PLS 315 - Contemporary Political Ideologies
  PLS 317 - Political Thought of Asia
  PLS 415 - American Political Thought
  
  III. UPPER-LEVEL REQUIREMENT
  (18 hours, take six courses)
  
• MINIMUM UPPER-LEVEL REQUIREMENT
• A total of 18 hours must be at the 300-400 levels.
• PLS 401 counts toward the 300-400 level requirement, as do upper-level distribution courses listed below.
• UPPER-LEVEL DISTRIBUTION REQUIREMENT
  (9 hours, take three courses):
  
• Upper-level courses must include one of the following courses in American Political Behavior or Political Institutions.
  PLS 300 - American Constitutional Law I
  PLS 301 - American Constitutional Law II
  PLS 302 - Public Opinion and Democracy
  PLS 303 - Elections and Voting Behavior
  PLS 306 - Congress and the Presidency
  PLS 307 - The American Legislature
  PLS 308 - Public Administration
  PLS 309 - The American Chief Executive
  PLS 316 - Women in Politics
  PLS 340 - Blacks in American Politics
  PLS 405 - American Parties and Pressure Groups
  PLS 406 - Contemporary Southern Politics
  PLS 422 - Contemporary American Foreign Policy
• Upper-level courses must include one of the following courses in International Relations.
  PLS 421 - Model United Nations II
  PLS 423 - National Security Policy
  PLS 424 - International Security
  PLS 425 - International Politics
  PLS 426 - International Law
  PLS 427 - International Organizations
  PLS 428 - Global Terrorism
  PLS 429 - International Political Economy.
• Upper-level courses must include one of the following courses in Comparative Politics:
  PLS 330 - Political Systems of Africa
  PLS 331 - Politics in Developing Nations
  PLS 332 - Politics of Central America and the Caribbean
  PLS 333 - Politics of South America
  PLS 334 - Revolutionary Movements
  PLS 335 - European Political Systems
  PLS 336 - Russian and Post-Soviet Political Systems
  PLS 338 - Political Systems of the Middle East
  PLS 339 - Asian Politics.

  IV. IMPORTANT NOTES

• Only course grades C- or better will count toward the major.
• The overall major GPA must be 2.0 or higher.

  V. TEACHER LICENSURE

In addition to completing requirements for the major, political science majors seeking teaching licensure in social studies must complete the Teacher Education Program requirements at the Watson College of Education and a minimum of 21 collateral hours including HST 101, HST 102, HST 104, HST 105 and HST 106, and at least one course in each of the following areas: economics, geography, and sociology or anthropology.

For information on the Teacher Education Program admissions criteria and the courses required for licensure in North Carolina, see the Watson College of Education. Students planning to pursue teaching licensure should apply to the Watson College of Education as soon as admissions requirements are met (typically in the sophomore year) and plan their programs in regular consultation with their advisors. Note: Teacher licensure requirements are established at the state level and may be changed by the state at any time.

Students planning to do graduate work are encouraged to study a modern foreign language and to acquire a basic knowledge of computer science, statistics, and calculus.

Please see the University Catalogue (PDF) for additional information.