Mar 29, 2024  
2010-2011 Academic Catalog 
    
2010-2011 Academic Catalog [Published Catalog]

Political Science (B.A.)


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Bachelor of Arts

Political Science at AUC is taught as a humanistic discipline with the overall objectives of fostering understanding of the contemporary world and developing knowledge about, and an appreciation of, the complex mechanisms, authoritative structures, and the allocation of values, which characterize contemporary human communities. Political Science at AUC requires students to develop abilities of comprehension and analysis, and skills for oral and written presentations. The graduate of Political Science is thus well equipped for life in the modern world, and to follow those professions and lines of work that require independence of thought, initiative, creativity in solving problems, and continuing self development. AUC graduates of Political Science are presently found in business, journalism, research, analytic writing, and public contact work. They occupy positions in public, private, development agencies, the diplomatic service, governmental ministries and agencies, and university teaching. A significant number of past graduates have subsequently completed M.A. and Ph.D. degrees.

For students to declare a major in Political Science, they must take either POLS 101 or POLS 202. POLS 101 may only be taken in the Freshman Year  which will fulfill the Social Science requirement at the primary level of the Core Curriculum and will not be counted as part of the 45 credits required for the Political Science major. POLS 202 must be taken after the Freshman Year and for those who have not taken POLS 101. Students wishing to transfer from another major after their sophomore year will be considered on a case by case basis. Junior-year (300-level) courses are required in four subfields and are prerequisite to the more advanced courses and seminars (400-level). Each semester a selection of 300 and 400 level courses and seminars is offered from which students may choose courses to complete the requirements of the major.

A total of 120 credits is required for the bachelor’s degree in Political Science:

Core Curriculum (34-46 credits)
Political Science Requirements (45 credits) to be taken as follows:
  1. if POLS 101 has already been taken in the Freshman Year:
    21 credits (7 courses) in the concentration plus 24 credits (8 courses) as electives.
  2. if POLS 101 has not been taken in the Freshman Year:
    24 credits (8 courses) in the concentration plus 21 credits (7 courses) as electives.
Collateral requirements: (6 or 9 credits)
General Electives: (20-35 credits)

All Political Science major and minor students must abide with the following English regulations:

  • ENGL 100   May be taken concurrently with POLS 101

  • RHET 101   Is a prerequisite to POLS 202 and all 300 level POLS courses

  • RHET 102   May be taken concurrently with POLS 202 and 300 level POLS courses

  • RHET 201   Is prerequisite to all 400 level POLS courses

For all Political Science students:


Political Science concentration requirements (21 or 24 credits)


Collateral requirements


  • HIST - One Modern History course Credits: (3 cr.)
    (not to be taken as an independent study) in addition to:

General Electives


Students may use 15 hours of elective credit to minor in a discipline of their choice. Minoring is optional. Courses taken as collateral requirements may count towards the minor.

Students have the choice to use the 24 elective credits in Political Science (or 21 elective credits if they had to take POLS 202 to fulfill their concentration requirements) to obtain BA in Political Science in:

  1. General field in Political Science
  2. Specialization in International Relations
  3. Specialization in Middle East Politics
  4. Specialization in Political Economy
  5. Specialization in Public and International Law

Three courses are required for each specialization as specified below. Three of the five (or four) additional required Political Science elective courses may be used for a second specialization.

1. Requirements for the General Political Science field:


Students must take seven or eight Political Science courses, including four courses at the 400 level and one of the four must be a seminar.

Collateral Requirements (6 credits)
General Electives (23-35 credits)
Depending on the number core curriculum credits taken to make up 120 credits total.

2. Requirements for the Specialization in International Relations


To specialize in International Relations, Political Science majors must, as a minimum, take the following three courses:

Options:


To further their understanding in this specialization, students have the option to take a number of recommended courses including:

Collateral Requirements (9 credits)


Electives (20-32 credits)


Depending upon the number of core curriculum credits taken.

3. Requirements for the Specialization in Middle East Politics


To specialize in Middle East Politics, Political Science majors must, as a minimum, take the following three courses:

Collateral Requirements (6 credits)


  • Modern Middle East History at 300 or 400 level Credits: (3 cr.)

General Electives (23-35 credits)


Depending on the number of core curriculum credits taken.

4. Requirements for the Specialization in Political Economy


To specialize in Political Economy, Political Science majors must, as a minimum, take the following three courses:

Options:


To further their understanding in this specialization, students have the option to take a number of recommended courses including:

Collateral Requirements (6 credits)


  • One Modern History course (not to be taken as an independent study)
    in addition to:

General Electives (23-35 credits)


Depending on the number of core curriculum credits taken.

5. Requirements for the Specialization in Public & International Law


To specialize in Public and International Law, Political Science majors must, as a minimum, take the following three courses:

Options:


To further their understanding in this specialization, students have the option to take a number of recommended courses including:

A number of Special Topics courses that are taught each academic year under course number POLS 473 (Special Topics in Public Law) and POLS 474 (Special Topics in International Law), and/or a choice of one course at the graduate level in the specialization International Human Rights Law-among which are included:

Note:


* IHRL 516 and 517 require the permission of the IHRL department; IHRL 518 requires the permission of the instructor.

Collateral Requirements (6 credits)


One Modern History course (not to be taken as an independent study) in addition to:

General Electives (23-35 credits)


Depending upon number of core curriculum credits taken.

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