Mar 28, 2024  
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

Political Science, B.A.


Program Description


Majors in the Department of Political Science

The Department of Political Science offers the B. A. degree with a major in political science, the B.S. degree with a major in public policy and administration and the B.A. degree with a major in international affairs.

Coordinator: Scott Hammond
Location: Miller Hall, Room 2127
Email: hammonsj@jmu.edu
Phone: (540) 568-6313

For a major in political science, the student must satisfactorily complete a minimum of 39 credit hours, including:

  • A 17-hour core introducing students to the conduct of political inquiry in the major areas of the discipline, an awareness of global issues and cultural diversity, and the techniques of original research.
  • An 18-hour depth requirement in which students take at least one course from three of the major areas of political inquiry and acquire additional experience in the application of research techniques.
  • A four-hour capstone experience designed to bring together knowledge gained in different courses into a coherent whole, to foster a capacity for lifelong learning, to connect the major to experiences outside the university and to provide the opportunity to work individually with a faculty member.

Degree and Major Requirements


Degree Requirements
Credit Hours
41
Foreign Language classes (intermediate level required) 2
0-14
Philosophy course (in addition to General Education  courses)
3
University electives
23-38
Major requirements (listed below)

Total
38-39

120

Footnotes


1 The General Education  program contains a set of requirements each student must fulfill. Some requirements may be fulfilled by courses within the major.
2 The foreign language requirement may be satisfied by successful completion of the second semester of the intermediate level of the student’s chosen language (typically 232) or by placing out of that language through the Department of Foreign Language’s placement test.

Major Requirements


Core Requirements: 17 Credit Hours

Footnote


1 MATH 220 POSC 225  and one of the following: POSC 230 , POSC 240 , PPA 200 , or PPA 265  are prerequisites for POSC 295 .

Electives


In addition to the core requirements, political science majors must elect 18 hours of approved courses as shown, including at least one upper-level course from each of the four major areas of political inquiry. Students are encouraged to complete the core requirements before taking elective courses. A political science major may seek permission to count a completed Senior Honors Project as a three-credit elective within the major. Students must consult with the political science program coordinator prior to conducting an honors project to clarify the specific nature of its potential applicability to the major’s elective options.

Elective Courses

Choose one course from each of the four areas: 12 Credit Hours

Two additional electives chosen from the 300 or 400 level: 6 Credit Hours

Major Requirements Total: 38-39 Credit Hours


Senior Capstone: 3-4 Credit Hours


Students should fulfill the senior capstone requirement for each major and minor separately. This means that senior experiences completed for one major or minor cannot normally be counted for another. Students who have questions about a particular situation should see the academic unit head or appropriate academic unit coordinator for clarification.

Footnote


2 This course fulfills the College of Arts and Letters  writing-intensive requirement for the major.

Program Total: 120 Credit Hours