Political Science Major

Major Requirements

Degree Type: B.A. or B.S. 
Minimum Credits Required: 120

University Degree Requirements

For complete details on these and other university degree requirements, refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section in the University Catalog.

  1. Minimum of 120 semester credits (some programs may exceed this minimum).
  2. Complete the University General Education requirements.
  3. Minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
  4. Minimum of 30 credits in resident at NDSU.
  5. Minimum of 36 upper level credits (courses numbered 300 or higher).
  6. Students with transfer credit must meet the NDSU 30 credits in residence (#4). Of these 30 credits in residence, a minimum of 15 credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, and 15 credits must be in the student's declared major curricula.

University General Education Requirements

A list of university approved general education courses along with the administrative policies governing the requirement and the categories is available here.

Category C: Communication12
Category R: Quantitative Reasoning3
Category S: Science and Technology10
Category A: Humanities and Fine Arts6
Category B: Social and Behavioral Sciences6
Category W: Wellness2
Category D: Cultural Diversity
Category G: Global Perspectives
Category L: Digital Literacy
Total Credits39

Major Requirements

Core Requirements
POLS 110Introduction to Political Science (May satisfy general education category B)3
or POLS 115 American Government
POLS 220International Politics3
or POLS 225 Comparative Politics
POLS 240Political Ideologies3
POLS 325Applied Research Methods3
POLS 470Quantitative Methods for Political Science and Public Policy3
Select a minimum of five courses from at least three of the four areas listed below (Area 1-4):15
Area 1:
Women and Politics
Political Behavior-Executive-Legislative Process
Political Behavior-Political Parties
State and Local Politics
Public Policy Analysis
Inequality and Public Policy
Area 2:
Inequality and Public Policy
Constitutional Law-Civil Liberties
Constitutional Law-Criminal Justice
Crime and Public Policy
Law and Public Policy
U.S. National Security Law
Area 3:
Global Policy Issues
International Law
Ethnic Conflicts
Environmental Policy and Politics
International Criminal Law
U.S. National Security Law
Area 4:
Global Policy Issues
Politics of the Developing Countries
Politics of the Industrialized Countries
Comparative Political Economy
Environmental Policy and Politics
Comparative Democratic Institutions
Political Science Electives9
Any POLS prefix class (except POLS 397) and no more than 3 credits of POLS 494 and POLS 496.
Total Credits39
Degree Notes:
  • An optional accelerated program in the B.S./B.A. in Political Science degree and the Masters in Public Policy (MPP) is available.
    • Students may apply for admission to the accelerated undergraduate political science program after completing a minimum of 60 undergraduate credits.
    • Students must have a minimum 3.5 cumulative GPA for admission to the MPP graduate program. The GRE is not required for admission to the MPP program in this accelerated option.
    • Students admitted to the MPP program must complete a Accelerated Degree Program Declaration Form upon admission.
    • Students admitted in the accelerated program may count up to 15 graduate credits toward the undergraduate degree. These 15 credits must come from 600 and 700 level classes that fulfill requirements in the MPP program. 
      POLS 623Public Policy Analysis (Use for Area I)3
      POLS 710Global Public Policy (Use for Area IV)3
      POLS 705Policy Design and Evaluation (Use for POLS elective)3
      POLS 724Public Budgeting and Finance (Use for Area I)3
      POLS 726Harm Reduction for Policymakers (Use for POLS elective)3
      POLS 670Quantitative Methods for Political Science and Public Policy (Use for POLS elective)3