Political Science
This is an archived copy of the 2020-21 catalog. To access the most recent version of the catalog, please visit http://bulletin.ndsu.edu.
Major Requirements
Major: Political Science - Standard
Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 120
University Degree Requirements
- Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
- Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework. Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
- Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
- A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
- At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
- Transfer Students: Must earn a minimum of 60 credits from a baccalaureate-degree granting or professional institution.
- Of these 60, at least 36 must be NDSU resident credits as defined in #7.
- Within the 36 resident credits, a minimum of 15 must be in courses numbered 300 or higher and 15 credits in the major field of study.
- At least 36 credits must be NDSU resident credits. Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.
For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.
University General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review major requirements to determine if specific courses can also satisfy these general education categories. |
- A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree – The completion of a minor program of study, a second major, or a second degree is required.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree – Second year language proficiency at college level required.
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences College Requirements
An additional 9 credits are required by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for all Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree programs of study, except the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the Bachelor of Music degree, the Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree, and the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Environmental Design:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AH&SS College Requirements | ||
Courses used to satisfy any general education requirement cannot be used to also count toward the AH&SS College Requirements. A minimum of three credits is required in each of the 3 following areas for a total of 9 credits. Choose only those courses with the prefixes listed for each area. A course with the WGS prefix can only be used in one area. | ||
| Area One: Humanities | 3 | |
ARB, ENGL, FREN, GERM, HIST, HUM, PHIL, RELS, SPAN, or WGS | ||
| Area Two: Social Sciences | 3 | |
ANTH, CJ, COMM, EMGT, POLS, SOC, or WGS | ||
| Area Three: Fine Arts | 3 | |
ARCH, ART, ENVD, LA, MUSC, or THEA | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| POLS 110 | Introduction to Political Science (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| or POLS 115 | American Government | |
| POLS 220 | International Politics | 3 |
| or POLS 225 | Comparative Politics | |
| POLS 240 | Political Ideologies | 3 |
| POLS 325 | Applied Research Methods | 4 |
| or CJ 325 | Applied Research Methods | |
| POLS 489 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R) | 3 |
| Select a minimum of one course from each of the four areas listed below: | 12 | |
Area 1: | ||
| Political Behavior-Executive-Legislative Process | ||
| Political Behavior-Political Parties | ||
| State and Local Politics | ||
| Public Policy Analysis | ||
Area 2: | ||
| Constitutional Law-Civil Liberties | ||
| Constitutional Law-Criminal Justice | ||
Area 3: | ||
| Global Policy Issues | ||
| International Law | ||
| Ethnic Conflicts | ||
| Environmental Policy and Politics | ||
| International Criminal Law | ||
Area 4: | ||
| Global Policy Issues | ||
| Politics of the Developing Countries | ||
| Politics of the Industrialized Countries | ||
| Comparative Political Economy | ||
| Environmental Policy and Politics | ||
| Political Science Electives: At least 9 credits must be from permanently numbered courses. | 9 | |
| Courses which are eligible to fulfill this requirement may come from any of the following courses, or from Special Topic classes offered by the Political Science department (requires a substitution form to be submitted to the Office of Registration and Records signed by dept. chairperson), or from classes not selected to meet area requirements. | ||
| Terrorism | ||
| Current Politics | ||
| Problems and Policies In American Government | ||
| Campaigns and Elections | ||
| Judicial Process | ||
| Gender Issues and the Law | ||
| Women and Politics | ||
| Principles of Public Administration | ||
| Total Credits | 40 | |
Degree Requirements and Notes
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 required in courses with the POLS prefix.
Major Requirements
Major: Political Science - Pre-Law Option
Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 120
University Degree Requirements
- Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
- Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework. Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
- Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
- A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
- At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
- Transfer Students: Must earn a minimum of 60 credits from a baccalaureate-degree granting or professional institution.
- Of these 60, at least 36 must be NDSU resident credits as defined in #7.
- Within the 36 resident credits, a minimum of 15 must be in courses numbered 300 or higher and 15 credits in the major field of study.
- At least 36 credits must be NDSU resident credits. Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.
For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.
University General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review major requirements to determine if specific courses can also satisfy these general education categories. |
- A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree – The completion of a minor program of study, a second major, or a second degree is required.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree – Second year language proficiency at college level required.
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences College Requirements
An additional 9 credits are required by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for all Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree programs of study, except the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the Bachelor of Music degree, the Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree, and the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Environmental Design:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AH&SS College Requirements | ||
Courses used to satisfy any general education requirement cannot be used to also count toward the AH&SS College Requirements. A minimum of three credits is required in each of the 3 following areas for a total of 9 credits. Choose only those courses with the prefixes listed for each area. A course with the WGS prefix can only be used in one area. | ||
| Area One: Humanities | 3 | |
ARB, ENGL, FREN, GERM, HIST, HUM, PHIL, RELS, SPAN, or WGS | ||
| Area Two: Social Sciences | 3 | |
ANTH, CJ, COMM, EMGT, POLS, SOC, or WGS | ||
| Area Three: Fine Arts | 3 | |
ARCH, ART, ENVD, LA, MUSC, or THEA | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| POLS 110 | Introduction to Political Science (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| or POLS 115 | American Government | |
| POLS 220 | International Politics | 3 |
| or POLS 225 | Comparative Politics | |
| POLS 240 | Political Ideologies | 3 |
| POLS 325 | Applied Research Methods | 4 |
| or CJ 325 | Applied Research Methods | |
| POLS 489 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R) | 3 |
| Pre-Law Emphasis Requirements: | ||
| A single International Law course satisfies either a core requirement or an Area 2 requirement, but not both. | ||
| POLS | 100 or 200 level | 3 |
| POLS 230 | Judicial Process | 3 |
| POLS 430 | Constitutional Law-Civil Liberties | 3 |
| POLS 431 | Constitutional Law-Criminal Justice | 3 |
| POLS 444 | International Law | 3 |
| or POLS 446 | International Criminal Law | |
| Additional Program Requirements: Complete requirements as indicated from each of the three professional areas listed below for the Pre-Law Option (I, II, & III) | ||
| Professional Area I: One course from each of the following three areas. | 9 | |
Area One: | ||
| Political Behavior-Executive-Legislative Process | ||
| Political Behavior-Political Parties | ||
| State and Local Politics | ||
| Public Policy Analysis | ||
Area Two: | ||
| Global Policy Issues | ||
| Ethnic Conflicts | ||
| Environmental Policy and Politics | ||
| International Law | ||
or POLS 446 | International Criminal Law | |
Area Three: | ||
| Global Policy Issues | ||
| Politics of the Developing Countries | ||
| Politics of the Industrialized Countries | ||
| Comparative Political Economy | ||
| Environmental Policy and Politics | ||
| Professional Area II: Communciation Component - Select 2 courses from the following: | 6 | |
| Persuasive Speaking | ||
or COMM 308 | Business and Professional Speaking | |
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Argumentation and Advocacy | ||
or COMM 383 | Organizational Communication I | |
| Writing in the Humanities and Social Sciences | ||
| Professional Area III: Law Related Courses - Select 2 courses from the following: | 5-6 | |
| Fraud Examination | ||
| Legal and Social Environment of Business | ||
| Business Law I-Contracts, Property and Torts | ||
| Business Law II-Business Organization and Commercial Transactions | ||
| Introduction to Criminal Justice | ||
| Criminology | ||
| Criminal Law and Procedure | ||
| Legal Communication | ||
| Communication Law | ||
| Total Credits | 54-55 | |
Degree Requirements and Notes
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 required in courses with the POLS prefix.
Major Requirements
Major: Political Science - Public Service Option
Degree Type: B.A. or B.S.
Minimum Degree Credits to Graduate: 120
University Degree Requirements
- Satisfactory completion of all requirements of the curriculum in which one is enrolled.
- Earn a minimum total of 120 credits in approved coursework. Some academic programs exceed this minimum.
- Satisfactory completion of the general education requirements as specified by the university.
- A minimum institutional GPA of 2.00 based on work taken at NDSU.
- At least 36 credits presented for graduation must be in courses numbered 300 or higher.
- Transfer Students: Must earn a minimum of 60 credits from a baccalaureate-degree granting or professional institution.
- Of these 60, at least 36 must be NDSU resident credits as defined in #7.
- Within the 36 resident credits, a minimum of 15 must be in courses numbered 300 or higher and 15 credits in the major field of study.
- At least 36 credits must be NDSU resident credits. Resident credits include credits registered and paid for at NDSU.
For complete information, please refer to the Degree and Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin.
University General Education Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Communication (C) | 12 | |
| College Composition I | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Speaking | ||
Upper Division Writing † | ||
| Quantitative Reasoning (R) † | 3 | |
| Science and Technology (S) † | 10 | |
| Humanities and Fine Arts (A) † | 6 | |
| Social and Behavioral Sciences (B) † | 6 | |
| Wellness (W) † | 2 | |
| Cultural Diversity (D) *† | ||
| Global Perspectives (G) *† | ||
| Total Credits | 39 | |
| * | May be satisfied by completing courses in another General Education category. |
| † | General education courses may be used to satisfy requirements for both general education and the major, minor, and program emphases, where applicable. Students should carefully review major requirements to determine if specific courses can also satisfy these general education categories. |
- A list of university approved general education courses and administrative policies are available here.
Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences
Degree Requirements
Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Degree – The completion of a minor program of study, a second major, or a second degree is required.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Degree – Second year language proficiency at college level required.
Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences College Requirements
An additional 9 credits are required by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences for all Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Arts degree programs of study, except the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, the Bachelor of Music degree, the Bachelor of Science in Architecture degree, and the Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Environmental Design:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| AH&SS College Requirements | ||
Courses used to satisfy any general education requirement cannot be used to also count toward the AH&SS College Requirements. A minimum of three credits is required in each of the 3 following areas for a total of 9 credits. Choose only those courses with the prefixes listed for each area. A course with the WGS prefix can only be used in one area. | ||
| Area One: Humanities | 3 | |
ARB, ENGL, FREN, GERM, HIST, HUM, PHIL, RELS, SPAN, or WGS | ||
| Area Two: Social Sciences | 3 | |
ANTH, CJ, COMM, EMGT, POLS, SOC, or WGS | ||
| Area Three: Fine Arts | 3 | |
ARCH, ART, ENVD, LA, MUSC, or THEA | ||
| Total Credits | 9 | |
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements | ||
| POLS 110 | Introduction to Political Science (May satisfy general education category B) | 3 |
| or POLS 115 | American Government | |
| POLS 220 | International Politics | 3 |
| or POLS 225 | Comparative Politics | |
| POLS 240 | Political Ideologies | 3 |
| POLS Elective | 100 or 200 level | 3 |
| STAT 330 | Introductory Statistics (May satisfy general education category R) | 3 |
| Political Science - Public Service Emphasis: | ||
| POLS 215 | Problems and Policies In American Government | 3 |
| POLS 325 | Applied Research Methods | 4 |
| or CJ 325 | Applied Research Methods | |
| POLS 420 | Political Behavior-Executive-Legislative Process | 3 |
| POLS 422 | State and Local Politics | 3 |
| POLS 423 | Public Policy Analysis | 3 |
| POLS 430 | Constitutional Law-Civil Liberties | 3 |
| or POLS 431 | Constitutional Law-Criminal Justice | |
| POLS 442 | Global Policy Issues | 3 |
| or POLS 444 | International Law | |
| or POLS 446 | International Criminal Law | |
| POLS 450 | Politics of the Developing Countries | 3 |
| or POLS 451 | Politics of the Industrialized Countries | |
| or POLS 452 | Comparative Political Economy | |
| POLS 489 | Senior Seminar | 3 |
| POLS 496 | Field Experience | 9 |
| Supplemental Requirements: Pre-requisites apply to all courses. Select 5 courses from the following: | 15 | |
| Elements of Accounting I | ||
| Elements of Accounting II | ||
| Foundations of Management | ||
| Organizational Communication I | ||
| Principles of Macroeconomics | ||
| Emergencies, Disasters, and Catastrophes | ||
| Business and Professional Writing | ||
| Social Problems | ||
| Children, Families and Public Policy | ||
| Total Credits | 67 | |
Degree Requirements and Notes
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 required in courses with the POLS prefix.
Minor Requirements
Minor: Political Science
Required Credits: 21
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| POLS 110 | Introduction to Political Science | 3 |
| or POLS 115 | American Government | |
| POLS 220 | International Politics | 3 |
| or POLS 225 | Comparative Politics | |
| POLS 240 | Political Ideologies | 3 |
| Electives: Areas of law, behavior, international relations or comparative politics (at 400 level) | 6 | |
| Additional Electives: Selected in consultation with adviser | 6 | |
| Total Credits | 21 | |
Minor Requirements and Notes
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 required in courses with the POLS prefix.