Major in Political Science 2011-2012

The Political Science department reserves the right to change major requirements at any time. Please check with the Political Science department or the CU Boulder catalog for the most current listing of requirements. You are subject to the requirements in effect at the time you declare your major as an Arts & Sciences degree seeking student.

Students in the Political Science major must complete the general requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences and 36 credit hours in the department, of which 21 must be in upper-division courses. All 36 hours must be completed with a grade of C- or better and an overall grade point average of 2.00. None of the required hours may be taken pass/fail.

Courses required for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science at CU-Boulder and Colorado Community College applicable courses.

CU-Boulder Required Courses Colorado Community College Applicable Courses

12 credit hours are required from the following lower-division fields.

American

  • PSCI 1101 (3) The American Political System
  • POS 111 (3) American Government

International

  • PSCI 2223 (3) Introduction to International Relations
  • POS 205 (3) International Relations

Comparative

  • PSCI 2012 (3) Introduction to Comparative Politics
  • POS 225-3 Comparative Government

Theory

  • PSCI 2004 (3) Survey of Western Political Thought

Of the required 21 upper-division hours, students must take one course in at least four of the primary fields with two courses in one primary field. The primary fields are: American. Comparative, International Relations, Theory, Methodology, and Policy.

Nine hours of Political Science elective credit are required. Six of these hours must be upper-division. Only 3 hours from PSCI 4938 Internship in Government can be used to fulfill the 6 credit hours required for upper-division course work in American politics.

Required courses in addition to Political Science courses:
  • ECON 2010 (4) Principles of Microeconomics
  • ECO 202 (3) Principles of Microeconomics
  • ECON 2020 (4) Principles of Macroeconomics
  • ECO 201 (3) Principles of Macroeconomics

Elective Credit

The following courses may be used to fulfill lower-division elective credit at CU Boulder:
  • Lower-division elective
  • POS 105 (3) Introduction to Political Science
  • Lower-division elective
  • POS 136 (3) The American Presidency
  • Lower-division elective
  • CRJ 135(3) Judicial Function
  • Lower-division elective
  • CRJ 210(3) Constitutional Law
  • Lower-division elective
  • NRE 211(3) Environmental Policies and Economics

Note: All undergraduate transfer students majoring in Political Science must accumulate a minimum of 42 grade points (grade points are equal to credit hours multiplied by letter grade as expressed numerically on a four-point scale) in upper-division Political Science courses at the University of Colorado at Boulder in order to qualify for the B.A. degree.