Political Science, BA/BS

The political science program provides a solid liberal arts curriculum that prepares students for active engagement in public and private settings with a keen understanding of political institutions and processes.

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Political Science – Bachelor of Arts / Bachelor of Science

Political Science, BA/BS

Offered as a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Major

Through service-learning and internship programs, the program offers students experiences in politics, government, law, and social research. The political science faculty provides active mentorship to students seeking academic challenge and community involvement.

See Required Courses

In addition to the core major curriculum, the Political Science program has 4 concentrations within the major. These concentrations allow students to focus their degree on a portion of political science that interests them most. The concentrations are as follows:

Political Institutions

In this concentration students study American politics and processes, public law, transnational and comparative politics and topics in political philosophy. This concentration is a great fit for those interested in careers in law, politics or government – locally, nationally and globally.

Global & Strategic Studies

In this concentration students study global politics through courses such as International Law, US Foreign Relations, Terrorism, Comparative Politics and more. Additionally, students explore political strategy through courses such as Collective Action, Grand Strategy, Twentieth Century Revolutions, the Politics of Mass Media, War in the Modern World, and more! This concentration is a great fit for students who are interested in the strategic nature of politics as well as international politics.

Civic Engagement

This concentration prepares students to become engaged in many aspects of civic life, enabling them to be advocates and responsible participants in public discourse and debate. Students are immersed politics, contemporary history, communication, and public policy. Their learning is set against a background of the integration of cultures, markets and policy challenges that cut across the boundaries of nation states.

The challenging interdisciplinary curriculum is both intellectually stimulating and career-oriented, engaging students in collaborative learning. Completion of the Civic Engagement curriculum prepares students for careers as journalists, communications specialists, political campaign organizers, nonprofit and NGO entrepreneurs, policy analysts, and other cutting edge careers that harness and coordinate the aspirations of people to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Political Philosophy

This concentration is the only opportunity for SOU students to receive a bachelor’s degree which includes the study of philosophy. Through the combination of philosophy and politics, students in this concentration explore western philosophy, intellectual history, and the intersection of philosophy and political science. This program prepares students to ask big questions regarding morals and ethics in politics.

Degree Fit

Program Preparation

Students interested in becoming actively engaged in public and private settings with a keen understanding of political institutions and processes, as well as experiences in politics, government, law, and social research will find an intellectual home in SOU’s Political Science program.

Degree Roadmap

The SOU Political Science program provides a solid liberal arts curriculum that prepares students for active engagement in public and private settings with a keen understanding of political institutions and processes.Through service-learning and internship programs, the program offers students experiences in politics, government, law, and social research. The political science faculty provides active mentorship to students seeking academic challenge and community involvement. The Political Science Major requires students to complete one of four concentrations in addition to the core major courses.

Capstone

All senior political science majors are required to complete a senior capstone project: PS 498 – Senior Seminar. This course enables students to apply the concepts, principles, and theories of political science to a practical simulation of political action.