2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Dec 30, 2024

2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Political Science, BA

Program Description

Students of Political Science study governments: how they evolve, why they exist, the forms and social functions they assume, why they change, and who controls them. To understand governments, students of Political Science also study politics: how people behave in their relationship to government, what they do to influence government, and how government attempts to influence people's behavior and beliefs about what it does. Students of politics appreciate how cultural, historical, and economic forces affect the evolution of governments and mass political behavior.

The Bachelor of Arts program in Political Science focuses on three areas of instruction:

American politics, including legislative and executive institutions, political parties and interest groups, public administration, public opinion and elections, and state and urban government.
International relations and comparative politics, including American foreign policy, European, Latin American, Middle Eastern, Russian, African, and Asian politics; national security policy, terrorism, human rights, and developing political systems;
Law and the courts, and political theory, including public law, judicial politics, constitutional law, criminal justice, civil liberties, and environmental law, feminist theory, political philosophy, political ideologies, the history of political thought, and political analysis.

Admission Requirements

Currently admitted to Wright State University

Program Learning Objectives

Students enrolled in the Political Science program will learn to

Apply analytical tools to analyze problems relevant to the public sector or the nonprofit sector.
Use critical thinking skills to analyze and evaluate local, national, or global political, legal, or social issues.
Communicate effectively in writing.
Demonstrate an understanding of the value of diversity and multicultural competence in today's global environment.

Program Learning Outcomes

As a result of their learning experience, graduates of the Political Science program can

Apply analytical tools to analyze problems relevant to the public sector or the nonprofit sector.
Use critical thinking skills to analyze and evaluate local, national, or global political, legal, or social issues.
Communicate effectively in writing.
Demonstrate an understanding of the value of diversity and multicultural competence in today's global environment.

Political Science Honors Program

Political Science majors may earn departmental honors by completing the following requirements:

Achieve a minimum GPA of 3.5 in all Political Science course work and a 3.0 in cumulative GPA overall in all course work,
Complete an honors project (20-page minimum) associated with a 4000-level course in Political Science with a grade of A or B (interested students should contact the chair of the School of Social Sciences and International Studies for more information).

By completing these requirements and the eight-course Honors Program requirement, majors may earn the designation “University Honors Scholar” upon graduation. Interested students should contact the University Honors Program for more information.

For More Information

Program Requirements:

I. Wright State Core: 38 Hours

Element 1: Communication: 6 Hours

Element 2: Mathematics: 3 Hours

Element 3: Global Traditions: 6 Hours

Element 4: Arts and Humanities: 3 Hours

Element 5: Social Sciences: 6 Hours

Required

PLS 2000 - Power and Politics Credit Hour(s): 3

Element 6: Natural Sciences: 8 Hours

Additional Core Courses: 6 Hours

LA 1020 - First-Year Seminar in Liberal Arts Credit Hour(s): 3

II. College Requirements: 18-22 Hours

Foreign Language: 12-16 Hours

Through 2020 level (1010, 1020, 2010, 2020) of one language:

Arabic, Spanish, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Chinese, American Sign Language or other.

Methods of Inquiry: 6 Hours

PHL 3000 - Critical Thinking Credit Hour(s): 3
Research Methods - One course from approved list Credit Hour(s): 3

III. Departmental Requirements: 42 Hours

Complete A through C below:

A. Core

Six credit hours required from the following:

PLS 2120 - American National Government Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 2220 - International Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
OR
PLS 2510 - Comparative Nonwestern Social Systems Credit Hour(s): 3

B. Area Requirements

18 credit hours required. Choose six hours from each of the three areas listed below.

C. Major Electives

18 credit hours required. Choose 18 hours of any upper-level PLS courses with a minimum of 3 hours at the 4000-level.

Law & Government Option

Students who want this focus may choose the Law and Government Option (6 hours, plus 12 hours of additional PLS electives).

American Institutions & Politics (3 hours)
PLS 3310 - Political Parties Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3350 - The American Presidency Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3370 - The Legislative Process Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3450 - Public Administration Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4030 - Campaigns and Elections Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4300 - American Government Seminar Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4460 - Public Budgeting Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4820 - State Legislative Internship Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4822 - Congressional District Internship Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4823 - Campaign Internship Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4824 - Local/City Internship Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4825 - Washington, DC Internship Credit Hour(s): 3
Legal System & Perspective (3 hours)
PLS 3400 - Law and Society Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3410 - Fundamentals of Criminal Investigation Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3420 - Civil Liberties I: First Amendment Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3430 - Civil Liberties II: Due Process Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3440 - Police Procedures and Operations Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 3750 - Human Rights in United States Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4040 - Struggles for Civil Rights in America Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4150 - Law, Lawyers and the System Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4160 - Sex and the Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4170 - Appellate Politics and Moot Court Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4210 - American Constitutional Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4260 - Supreme Court in American Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4360 - Criminal Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4370 - Criminal Procedure Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4380 - Environmental Law and Policy Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4390 - Bioethics and Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4400 - Constitutional Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4410 - Natural Resources Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4420 - Criminal Justice System Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4440 - Topics in Criminal Justice Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4480 - Gender Violence & American Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4710 - International Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PLS 4821 - Pre-Law Internship Credit Hour(s): 3

IV. Electives: 18-22 Hours

Total: 120 Hours

Graduation Planning Strategy

The Graduation Planning Strategy (GPS) has been created to illustrate one option to complete degree requirements within a particular time frame. Students are encouraged to meet with their academic advisor to adjust this plan based on credit already earned, individual needs or curricular changes that may not be reflected in this year’s catalog.