2025-2026 Academic Catalog
Political Science, BA (POLISCI-BA)
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CIP Code: 451001
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:
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American politics, including legislative and executive institutions, political parties and interest groups, public administration, public opinion and elections, and state and urban government.
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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;
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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.
Program Admission Requirements
This academic program does not have admission requirements beyond regular admission to Wright State University. Any student is eligible to declare this academic program.
Program Learning Objectives
Students enrolled in this 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 this 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.
Honors Program
Political Science majors may earn departmental honors by completing the following requirements:
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Achieve a minimum GPA of 3.50 in all Political Science course work and a 3.00 in cumulative GPA overall in all course work,
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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.
Combined Undergraduate and Graduate Program
This program offers two combined-degree programs with master’s degree choices in International and Comparative Politics and Public Administration. A combined-degree program provides an opportunity for an undergraduate student to begin working toward a master’s degree in their senior year. This allows students to complete the bachelor’s and master’s degrees in less combined time than it would take to complete them sequentially.
Students enrolled in a combined-degree program may “double count” a maximum of nine credit hours of graduate-level courses to satisfy both the bachelor’s and the master’s degree requirements. Students must earn at least 141 unique credit hours (any credits that “double-count” toward both degrees are counted only once toward the total number of unique hours) in the combined-degree program.
To participate in a combined-degree program, students must apply through the College of Graduate Programs and Honors Studies and meet all admission qualifications. Learn more about combined programs in Policy 5330.
For More Information
Program Requirements
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I. Wright State Core: 36 Credit Hours
As a part of the requirements for a bachelor’s degree at Wright State University, all students must complete the Wright State Core, a general education curriculum. Most programs require 36 hours in the Core, some programs may require additional hours. Specific Core classes in some of the Elements may be required by some majors. When this occurs, the specific Core courses required will be listed below. In Elements where a specific course is not required, students can choose any course from the Wright State Core Program Requirements. First-Year Seminar: 3 Credit Hours
All students must successfully complete a First-Year Seminar during their first year. Transfer students who transfer 24 or more credit hours (post high school graduation) are exempt from this requirement and will need to satisfy three additional credit hours in the Additional Core Courses category. Element A - English Composition: 6 Credit Hours
Element B - Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic: 3 Credit Hours
Students will select one Element B course from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements list. Based on Math Placement Level, students may need additional prerequisite or corequisite coursework in mathematics prior to enrollment in the course chosen. Element C - Arts and Humanities: 6 Credit Hours
Students will select two Arts and Humanities courses, with different course prefixes from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements. One course must fulfill the History requirement. Element D - Social and Behavorial Sciences: 6 Credit Hours
Students will select two Social and Behavioral Sciences courses, with different course prefixes from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements. Required: Element E - Natural Sciences: 7 Credit Hours
Students will select two Natural Science courses, from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements. At least one course must contain a laboratory. Additional Core Courses: 5 Credit Hours
Students will select up to 5 additional credit hours from Elements A-E from the approved Wright State Core Program Requirements to reach the 36 minimum hours required in the Core. Unless specified by the student’s major, these are selected by the student. When a major has required courses in this area, the specific Core course(s) required will be listed below. Additional Core Requirements
Within the 36 credit hours of the Wright State Core students must successfully complete the following: Students who do not make choices within the 36 required hours of the Core to fulfill the GI, IE, and IW requirements will take additional Core hours beyond the minimum of 36. II. Major Core Requirements: 6 Credit Hours
III. Major Area Requirements: 18 Credit Hours
Student are required to select six credit hours from each of the three areas listed below for a total of 18 credit hours. Area I - American Government & Politics (6 Credit hours)
Area II - International and Comparative Politics (6 Credit hours)
Area III - Law, Courts, and Political Theory (6 Credit hours)
IV. Major Elective Requirement: 18 Credit Hours
Students are required to select 18 credit hours of upper-level PLS courses with a minimum of 3 credit 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). V. College Requirements: 18-22 Credit Hours
Foreign Language: 12-16 Credit Hours
Through 2020 level (1010, 1020, 2010, 2020) of one foreign language: American Sign Language (ASL)*, Arabic, Chinese, French, German, Japanese, Latin, Spanish, or other foreign language. *Note: all language classes above are 3 credit hours each, except for the ASL classes which are 4 credit hours each. Methods of Inquiry: 6 Credit Hours
VI. Electives: 20-24 Credit Hours
Students must earn a minimum of 120 credit hours for a baccalaureate degree. If the total number of credit hours in the WSU Core (general education program) and the major requirements do not total at least 120 credits, students will choose additional courses (general electives) to meet the minimum required 120 credit hours. Students may choose from any undergraduate course in the Academic Catalog for which they meet the course prerequisites and for which they do not already have earned credit. Students are encouraged to consider adding a minor, certificate, or microcredential. Graduation Planning Strategy
A Graduation Planning Strategy (GPS), also known as a four-year guide, is an academic tool showing one example of how a program can be completed in a certain amount of time. All Wright State undergraduate majors can be completed in four years with careful planning. Some programs may require summer coursework. Time to degree is dependent on many factors including student placement in mathematics and writing courses, CCP and AP coursework, transfer coursework, and other variables. These guides are valid for this year’s Academic Catalog only and are subject to change. These guides are a recommendation only and your actual program may vary. Students should consult with their academic advisor on a regular basis and create a personalized plan to degree completion. |
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