Political Science BA Degree Requirements (120 hours)

Degree Plan

General Education Curriculum (30 hours)

All majors contain the same General Education Curriculum Requirements . Programs may require specific GEC courses, indicated in the Degree Plan (DEG 01, etc.).

University Requirements (4 hours)

First Year Experience (1 hour)

Must be taken first semester.

Select 1 course:

UNV 100 - First Year Experience 1 hr. (FYE)
Select any First Year Experience (FYE) designated course approved by advisor.

Writing-Intensive (Major Area)

Select any writing-intensive (WI) designated PS course. (See DEG 01.)

Speaking-Intensive (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

CMS 111 - Public Speaking 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 305 - Interpersonal Communication 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 320 - Professional Communication 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 330 - Small-Group Communication 3 hrs. (SI)

Capstone (Major Area)

Must be Senior Year.

PS 491 - Proseminar in Political Science 3 hrs. (Capstone)

Program Curriculum

DEG 01. Major Area of Study Requirements (33 hours)

PS 101 - American Government 3 hrs. *
PS 201 - Great Issues of Politics 3 hrs.
PS 491 - Proseminar in Political Science 3 hrs. (Capstone)

Theory Elective

Select 1 course:

PS 321 - American Political Theory 3 hrs.
PS 420 - Political Theory Plato to Machiavelli 3 hrs. (WI)
PS 421 - Political Theory Hobbes to Nietzche 3 hrs.
PS 426 - 20th-Century Political Theory 3 hrs.
PS 428 - Topics in Political Theory 3 hrs.

American Politics Elective

Select 1 course:

PS 301 - State and Local Politics 3 hrs.
PS 303 - American Political Movements 3 hrs.
PS 304 - Politics of Popular Culture 3 hrs.
PS 305 - Religion and Politics 3 hrs.
PS 306 - Race and Ethnic Politics 3 hrs.
PS 401 - Political Socialization 3 hrs.
PS 402 - Urban Politics 3 hrs.
PS 403 - Politics and Environment 3 hrs.
PS 404 - The Legislative Process 3 hrs.
PS 405 - Women and Politics 3 hrs. (WI)
PS 406 - Political Parties 3 hrs. (WI)
PS 408 - The American Presidency 3 hrs.
PS 409 - Southern Politics 3 hrs.

Global Politics Elective

Select 1 course:

PS 330 - United States Foreign Policy 3 hrs.
PS 331 - World Politics 3 hrs.
PS 350 - Political Systems of the Modern World 3 hrs.
PS 431 - International Law and Organization 3 hrs.
PS 432 - Foreign Policies of the Major Powers 3 hrs.
PS 435 - Comparative Foreign Policy 3 hrs.
PS 450 - Comparative Studies in European Politics 3 hrs.
PS 451 - Governments of Eastern Europe 3 hrs.
PS 452 - The Political Systems of Great Britain and the Commonwealth 3 hrs.
PS 453 - People Power: Politics and Protests 3 hrs.
PS 454 - African Politics and Culture 3 hrs.
PS 455 - Women and Human Rights 3 hrs.
PS 456 - Revolutions and Democracy in Latin America 3 hrs. (WI)
PS 457 - Political Development and Global Justice 3 hrs.
PS 459 - Human Rights 3 hrs.

Public Law and Administration Elective

Select 1 course:

PS 370 - Introduction to Public Administration 3 hrs.
PS 375 - Government and Economics 3 hrs.
PS 380 - Introduction to Law in American Society 3 hrs.
PS 470 - Science, Technology and Politics 3 hrs.
PS 471 - Politics and Business 3 hrs.
PS 473 - Public Policy 3 hrs.
PS 480 - United States Constitutional Law 3 hrs. (WI)
PS 481 - The American Judicial Process 3 hrs.
PS 484 - Administrative Law 3 hrs.
PS 485 - International Law 3 hrs.
PS 488 - Women and the Law 3 hrs.
PS 489 - U. S. Supreme Court and Civil Liberties 3 hrs.

Political Science Electives

Select 4 courses:

PS 493 - Political Science Internship 3 hrs.
PS 494 - Washington Internship or Practicum 3-6 hrs.
PS 495 - Washington Experience 3 hrs.
PS 496 - Washington Leadership Forum 3 hrs.
PS 499 - Study Abroad in Political Science 3-6 hrs.
SSGS 401 - Data Analysis and Statistics in the Social Sciences 3 hrs.
Select any additional PS course with advisor’s approval.

DEG 02. Additional Requirements (39-54 hours)

SSGS 400 - Conducting Research in the Social Sciences 3 hrs.
Select 12 hours in a single world language. Fewer hours may suffice, but course level 202 must be completed.
Select one minor in another discipline. 18-21 hrs.

Social Science Electives

Select 2 courses:

Select any ANT**, ECO**, GHY** (no more than one may count), HHS** (no more than one may count), LGL, PSY** (no more than one may count), or SOC** course.

Humanities Electives

Select 4 courses:

AIS 301 - Contemporary Issues in Indian Country 3 hrs.
BLKS 301 - Introduction to Black Studies 3 hrs.
FLM 170 - Introduction to Film Studies 3 hrs.
WGS 301 - Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies 3 hrs.
Select any ENG**, HIS**, PHI**, REL** course (except ENG 101 , ENG 102 , or ENG 110 ).

DEG 03. Electives

Select electives as needed with adviser’s approval. See Hours to Degree below.

Note:

* This course satisfies both the GEC requirement and a program requirement for this major.

** This course may satisfy both a GEC requirement and a program requirement for this major. See General Education Curriculum Requirements .

Hours to Degree

120 hours are needed to graduate with a BA in Political Science. Of the total hours applied to this degree, 30 hours must be in courses numbered at the 300 level or above. The student must earn at least 21 of the last 30 hours of course work and at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss. See Residence Hour Requirements for more information.