Political Science Minor

The study of government and politics, to which the courses and seminars of the Department of Political Science are devoted, includes the development of knowledge of political behavior by individuals and groups as well as knowledge about governments: their nature and functions; their problems and behaviors; and their interactions across all levels of governance.

Much of the learning offered by the Department of Political Science can also be regarded as essential for good citizenship, since political knowledge helps to explain the formal and informal institutions by which we are governed and the forces which lead to policy decisions, and also seeks to clarify the issues and principles that encourage people toward political involvement. In addition, such learning is especially valuable to students planning to enter local or national government or other public service, including the Foreign Service, and it will be of great help to those who intend to study law and enter the legal profession.

The political science minor consists of five courses (20 credits total).

• These courses may be taken in any combination of the five subfields and levels (400-700) offered. The fields to choose from are: American politics, political thought, comparative politics, international politics and methods.
• The minimum grade requirement is C- per course. Any grade lower than a C- will not count toward the minor.

Students wishing to use transfer credits from abroad or other universities should meet with our political science advisor, Heather Austin, to determine eligibility toward the minor.