Upon completion of the program, students should:
- Be able to put contemporary political issues in historical context and to use historical facts in building arguments about politics.
- Be able to demonstrate familiarity with the political institutions and processes of the United States.
Be able to understand and evaluate the international and transnational dimensions of particular problems and policies. - Be able to demonstrate familiarity with several methods and analytical approaches used by political scientists to examine political institutions and processes.
A minimum of 128 credit hours consisting of the following:
- 42 required credit hours
- 3 international language requirement credit hours
- Applicable university global citizenship or general education program hours
- Electives
International Language Requirement: A minimum of 3 credit hours in a non-native language is required in addition to the requirements for the major. Courses used towards the International Language requirement may also be used to fulfill general education requirements or a major/minor in a foreign language. The requirement will be waived for students whose native language is not English and who are studying in English. Their mastery of English as a second language fulfills the requirement.
Students are required to complete at least 42 credit hours within the department, 30 of which must be in political science, including INTL 1500, POLT 2600 or INTL 2700, a research requirement (completed by placing on file with the department a substantial research paper from an upper-level course or a senior thesis), and senior overview. Political science students must take a minimum of 6 credit hours of HIST and at least 12 credit hours of upper-level coursework (3000 or above) in the department, of which a minimum of 6 credit hours must be POLT. At least 18 of the 42 credit hours must be taken at Webster University.
Political science majors must complete at least 30 credit hours in political science including:
| INTL 1500 The World System since 1500 | 3 hours |
| American politics | 3 hours |
| Comparative politics | 3 hours |
| International politics | 3 hours |
| Political theory | 3 hours |
| POLT 2600 Research Methods and Approaches in Political Science (INTL 2700 may be substituted) | 3 hours |
| HIST 4000 Research Requirement (to be taken in conjunction with a designated 3000-level or 4000-level course) | 0 hours |
| Senior overview | 0 hours |
| History | 6 hours |
| Departmental electives (can include courses in POLT or INTL) | 6 hours |
| * "Political science" includes courses labeled POLT (political science) and those labeled INTL (international relations). |
Courses completed with a grade of D+ or below do not count toward fulfilling the specific course requirements of the major.
HIST 1800 may not be used to satisfy the 42-credit-hour requirement in political science. Teacher certification courses (HIST 3800, HIST 3810) may not be used to satisfy the upper-level coursework, methods, or practicum requirements. A maximum of 3 credit hours of individualized learning experiences (INDZ), practicum, or debate may be applied to the total upper-level coursework requirement. A maximum of 6 credit hours of INDZ, practicum, or debate may be applied to the total of 42 credit hours.
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