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History and Political Science

Majors and Minors

Majors and Minors for History and Political Science

History Major

Requires the bachelor of arts degree and consists of 42 credit hours distributed as follows:

Core Courses (18 credits)

To be completed by the end of sophomore year, except for Senior Seminar:

HIST 105 World History to 1500
HIST 110 World History since 1500
HIST 201 History of the United States to 1877
HIST 202 History of the United States since 1877
HIST 250 Historical Methods
HIST 470 Senior Seminar

United States History (at least 3 credits)

HIST 340 American Indian History
HIST 365 Foundations of American Religion
HIST 366 African American History
HIST 375 Cold War America
HIST 436 Science and American Culture
HIST 460 Readings in the American Civil War
HIST 462 History of the United States South

European History (at least 3 credits)

HIST 301 Medieval Europe
HIST 311 Europe, 1492–1789
HIST 321 Europe since 1789
HIST 325 Modern Britain since 1688
HIST 380 Topics in European History
HIST 424 Topics in French History
HIST 434 Science and Religion in the Early Modern World

Non‑Western History (at least 3 credits)

HIST 330 Histories of Violence
HIST 335 Women’s History in Global Contexts
HIST 356 East Asia
HIST 358 Middle Eastern History since A.D. 600
HIST 360 Modern Africa
HIST 410 Modern India and Pakistan since 1700
HIST 430 European Imperialism

And 15 additional credits from HIST courses numbered 300 or above. One PSCI course numbered 300 or above and one Internship (HIST 480) may substitute for history electives. Honors Project (HIST 499) may substitute as a major elective course. Students may not major in both history and history and political science.

History and Political Science Major

Requires the bachelor of arts degree. Students must complete 21 credits of core history and political science courses and 21 credits from one of the three tracks (liberal arts, social studies history or social studies government). Consists of 42 credit hours distributed as follows:

Core History Courses (12 credits)

HIST 105 World History to 1500
HIST 110 World History since 1500
HIST 201 History of the United States to 1877
HIST 202 History of the United States since 1877

Core Political Science Courses (9 credits)

PSCI 210 Politics and Government in the United States
PSCI 230 Introduction to Global Politics
PSCI 240 Introduction to Comparative Politics

Track 1—Liberal Arts (21 credits)

European History (3 credits)

United States History (3 credits)

Non-Western History (3 credits)

Other Courses (12 credits)

6 credits of a methods/senior seminar sequence, either PSCI 250/470 or HIST 250/470.
6 additional credits from HIST or PSCI courses numbered 300 or above.
An Honors Project (HIST/PSCI 499) or one Internship (HIST/PSCI 480) may be an elective course.

Track 2—Social Studies History (21 credits)

Available only for students accepted into the secondary education program

European History (3 credits)

United States History (3 credits)

Non-Western History (3 credits)

Other Courses (12 credits)

GEOG 340 World Regional Geography
ECON 200 Macroeconomics
HIST 250 Historical Methods
HIST 470 Senior Seminar

Track 3—Social Studies Government Track (21 credits)

Available only for students accepted into the secondary education program

United States History (3 credits)

Other Courses (18 credits)

GEOG 340 World Regional Geography
ECON 200 Macroeconomics
PSCI 250 Methods of Research and Data Analysis
PSCI 470 Senior Seminar

And 6 credits of upper-level PSCI courses.

Political Science Major

May be completed as either a bachelor of arts or bachelor of science degree. Students must complete 21 credits of core courses and 21 credits from one of the three tracks (standard, public policy or pre‑law). Consists of 42 credit hours distributed as follows:

Core Courses (21 credits)

PSCI 210 Politics and Government in the United States
PSCI 220 Introduction to Political Philosophy
PSCI 230 Introduction to Global Politics
PSCI 240 Introduction to Comparative Politics
PSCI 250 Methods of Research and Data Analysis
PSCI 401 Contemporary Political Thought
PSCI 470 Seminar in International Studies and Political Science

Track 1—Standard (21 credits)

United States Politics (9 credits)

PSCI 332 Women and Politics
PSCI 350 Constitutional Law of Federalism and Institutional Powers
PSCI 355 Constitutional Law of Civil Rights and Liberties
PSCI 380 Public Administration
PSCI 390 Public Policy
PSCI 415 Policymaking, Interest Groups and Congress

Global Politics (12 credits, 3 credits may be in HIST courses)

PSCI 310 Latin American Politics
PSCI 335 Peace, War and World Politics
PSCI 336 United Nations
PSCI 356 United States Foreign Policy
PSCI 375 United States and the World
PSCI 420 International Law and Organization
PSCI 440 Global Political Economy
HIST 325 Modern Britain since 1688
HIST 356 East Asia
HIST 360 Modern Africa
HIST 410 Modern India and Pakistan since 1700
HIST 424 Topics in French History
HIST 430 European Imperialism

Track 2—Public Policy (21 credits)

Public Policy (18 credits, 9 credits must be in PSCI courses)

PSCI 332 Women and Politics
PSCI 380 Public Administration
PSCI 390 Public Policy
PSCI 415 Policymaking, Interest Groups and Congress
PSCI 480 Internship
COMM 347 Public Relations in Organizations
COMM 349 Nonprofit Communication
COMM 420 Political Communication
COMM 447 Communicating Science, Environment and Health
ENVR 305 Natural Resources and Environmental Law
SOC 412 Adjudication and Correction: Existing and Alternate Strategies

Global Politics (3 credits)

Track 3—Pre-Law (21 credits)

Pre-Law (18 credits, 9 credits must be in PSCI courses)

PSCI 332 Women and Politics
PSCI 350 Constitutional Law of Federalism and Institutional Powers
PSCI 355 Constitutional Law of Civil Rights and Liberties
PSCI 415 Policymaking, Interest Groups and Congress
PSCI 420 International Law and Organization
PSCI 480 Internship
SOC 312 Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
SOC 330 World Justice Systems
SOC 311 Criminology
SOC 313 Gender, Crime and Justice
COMM/SOC 410 Communication Law
BUS 350 Business Law
PHIL 310 Logic
PHIL 320 Professional Ethics
ENVR 305 Natural Resources and Environmental Law

Global Politics (3 credits)

Honors Project (PSCI 499) may count as an elective. Students may substitute SOC 350 for PSCI 250. Students may not double major in political science and global studies. Political science majors may minor in global studies, but 15 credits from non‑core areas must be taken in disciplines other than political science.

Students interested in law school should consider pursuing the pre-law track or pre-law concentration. Majors who pursue the pre-law track may not add a pre-law concentration, but majors who complete the major using the standard or public policy track may. Up to two courses from the pre-law list may be used for both the political science major and the concentration.

Students interested in careers in public sector bureaucracies or graduate study in programs such as a master’s in public policy or master’s in public administration should consider completing the public policy track or the politics and public policy concentration. Majors who pursue the public policy track may not add a politics and public policy concentration, but majors who complete the major using the standard or pre‑law track may add a politics and public policy concentration. Up to two courses from the public policy list may be used for both the political science major and the concentration.

Political science majors interested in careers or graduate study in international relations or security studies should consider adding the global studies minor and either a foreign language major or minor.

Students interested in pursuing graduate study or careers in environmental policy should consider the public policy track with either a major in biology or environmental science or a minor in environmental science.

Students interested in graduate study or careers in criminal justice or public safety should consider adding a crime and justice minor.

Global Studies Major

Requires the bachelor of arts degree and consists of 42 credit hours distributed as follows:

Core Courses (18 credits)

ECON 200 Macroeconomics
PSCI/SOC 215 Global Identities
PSCI 230 Introduction to Global Politics
PSCI 240 Introduction to Comparative Politics
PSCI 250 Methods of Research and Data Analysis
PSCI 470 Seminar in International Studies and Political Science

Global Processes (12 credits)

COMM 334 Intercultural Communication
ECON 440 International Economics
GEOG 340 World Regional Geography
HIST 330 Histories of Violence
HIST 430 European Imperialism
PSCI 335 Peace, War and World Politics
PSCI 336 United Nations
PSCI 356 United States Foreign Policy
PSCI 375 United States and the World
PSCI 420 International Law and Organization
PSCI 440 Global Political Economy
PSCI 480 Internship
SOC 325 Development and Underdevelopment in the Modern World
SOC 330 World Justice Systems

Comparative and Regional Studies (12 credits)

FREN 300 French Colonial Empire
FREN 325 Modern French Culture
-or-
HIST 424 Topics in French History
HIST 321 Europe since 1789
HIST 325 Modern Britain since 1688
HIST 335 Women’s History in Global Contexts
HIST 356 East Asia
HIST 358 Middle Eastern History since A.D. 600
HIST 360 Modern Africa
HIST 410 Modern India and Pakistan since 1700
PSCI 310 Latin American Politics
PSCI 480 Internship
REL 340 Religions of the Near East
REL 350 Religions of the Far East
SOC 309 Cultures of Africa
SPAN 300 Introduction to Spanish-Speaking Cultures
SPAN 320 Latin American Culture and Civilization
-or-
SPAN 325 Spanish Culture and Civilization

Students may take one Internship (PSCI 480) toward the requirements for the major and apply the credits to either global processes or comparative and regional studies.

One international travel course (such as ART 307 or BIOL 253) or cultural exploration course (such as COMM 333, ENG 240, FCS 250, FREN 305, SOC 306 or 309, or SPAN 306 or 308) may be used toward the comparative and regional studies requirement.

Students may substitute SOC 350 for PSCI 250.

Students may not double major in political science and global studies. Political science majors may minor in global studies, but the 15 credits from non‑core areas must be taken in disciplines other than political science.

Students pursuing a global studies major are strongly encouraged to study abroad, to explore a minor relevant to their area of interest (foreign language, economics, business, philosophy and religion, etc.), and to participate in an internship. Relevant internships through PSCI 480 earn credit towards the major.

History Minor

Consists of 21 credit hours distributed as follows:

World History Survey Course (3 credits)

HIST 105 World History to 1500
HIST 110 World History since 1500

United States History Survey Course (3 credits)

HIST 201 History of the United States to 1877
HIST 202 History of the United States since 1877

United States History (at least 3 credits)

European History (at least 3 credits)

Non‑Western History (at least 3 credits)

The remaining 6 credits must be selected from HIST courses numbered 300 or above. This minor may not be taken in conjunction with either a major in history and political science or a major in global studies.

Political Science Minor

Consists of 21 credit hours distributed as follows:

PSCI 210 Politics and Government in the United States
-or-
PSCI 220 Introduction to Political Philosophy
PSCI 230 Introduction to Global Politics
-or-
PSCI 240 Introduction to Comparative Politics

And 15 additional credits from PSCI courses numbered 300 or above.

Students may take one internship (PSCI 480) toward these additional credits.

This minor may not be taken in conjunction with either a major in history and political science or a major in global studies.

Global Studies Minor

Consists of 21 credit hour hours distributed as follows:

Core Courses (6 credits)

PSCI/SOC 215 Global Identities
PSCI 230 Introduction to Global Politics
PSCI 240 Introduction to Comparative Politics

Global Processes (9 credits)

COMM 334 Intercultural Communication
ECON 440 International Economics
GEOG 340 World Regional Geography
HIST 330 Histories of Violence
HIST 430 European Imperialism
PSCI 335 Peace, War and World Politics
PSCI 336 United Nations
PSCI 356 United States Foreign Policy
PSCI 375 United States and the World
PSCI 420 International Law and Organization
PSCI 440 Global Political Economy
SOC 325 Development and Underdevelopment in the Modern World
SOC 330 World Justice Systems

Comparative and Regional Studies (6 credits)

Students may take one Internship (PSCI 480) toward the requirements for the minor and apply the credits to either global studies or comparative and regional studies.

Political science majors may minor in global studies, but the 15 credits from non‑core areas must be taken in disciplines other than political science.

Students pursuing a global studies minor are strongly encouraged to study a foreign language, study abroad and participate in internships relevant to the field.

American Civil War Concentration

Consists of 12 credit hours distributed as follows:

HIST 201 History of the United States to 1877
HIST 264 Civil War in the Shenandoah Valley
HIST 460 Readings in the American Civil War
HIST 462 History of the United States South

Politics and Public Policy Concentration

Consists of 18 credit hours chosen from the following (a minimum of 9 credit hours must be in political science):

PSCI 332 Women and Politics
PSCI 380 Public Administration
PSCI 390 Public Policy
PSCI 415 Policymaking, Interest Groups and Congress
PSCI 480 Internship
COMM 347 Public Relations in Organizations
COMM 349 Nonprofit Communication
COMM 420 Political Communication
COMM 447 Communicating Science, Environment, and Health
ENVR 305 Natural Resources and Environmental Law
SOC 412 Adjudication and Correction: Existing and Alternate Strategies

Pre-Law Concentration

Consists of 18 credit hours chosen from the following (a minimum of 9 credit hours must be in political science):

Public History Concentration

Consists of 12 credit hours distributed as follows:

HIST 260 Introduction to Public History
HIST 340 American Indian History
-or-
HIST 375 Cold War America
HIST 480 Internship (in the Alexander Mack Library and/or the Reuel B. Pritchett Museum)

And one course from the following list:

ART 305 Museums and Galleries
ENG 220 American Folklife
ENVR 305 Natural Resource and Environmental Law
HIST 462 History of the United States South
MUS 232 American Music
SOC 238 Introduction to Material Culture Studies