Dec 11, 2025

2025-2026 Academic Catalog

Political Science, with specializations in General Political Science, International Relations, Comparative Politics, Political Economy and Public and International Law (B.A.)

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 that 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.

Declaration Policy

A minimum GPA of 2.7.
A minimum grade of B average in POLS 1001 or POLS 2003 and POLS 2104 or POLS 2405 with a minimum grade of C+ in each of the two courses taken towards declaration.
Students substituting POLS 1001 with transferred credits are required to achieve a B+ average in POLS 2104 and POLS 2405 with a minimum grade of B in each of the two courses.
A minimum grade of B in the RHET 1020 course.
If POLS 1001 is not taken in the freshman year to fulfill the Pathways Two: Cultural Explorations requirement, then POLS 2003 must be taken after the freshman year by those wishing to major in Political Science.

Degree Requirements

A total of 120 credits is required for the bachelor’s degree in Political Science in the following areas: I. Core Curriculum (37 credits), II. Political Science Major Requirements (30-33 credits), III. Specialization Requirements (12-15 credits), IV. Collateral Requirements (6 credits), V. General Electives (32 credits).

I. Core Curriculum (37 credits)

The remaining 3 credit hours required to satisfy the Core Curriculum are fulfilled by completing the Political Science major capstone course chosen out of the following:

II. Political Science Major Requirements (30-33 credits)

Students must complete the following courses:

POLS 2003 - Introduction to Political Science II (3 cr.)
This course must be taken if, and only if, the student is ineligible to register in POLS 1001 . (Only students who are not eligible to register in POLS 1001 can take POLS 2003 during their freshman year.).
POLS 2104 - Introduction to Research Methods in Political Science (3 cr.)
POLS 2405 - History and International Politics (3 cr.)
POLS 3201 - History of Political Theory l (3 cr.)
POLS 3202 - History of Political Theory II (3 cr.)
POLS 3401 - Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 cr.)
POLS 3408 - Comparative Politics of the Middle East (3 cr.)
POLS 3510 - Introduction to Development (3 cr.)
Students double majoring in Political Science and Economics may fulfill their degree requirements by taking either POLS 3510 or ECON 3053 .
POLS 3550 - Introduction to Political Economy (3 cr.)
POLS 3620 - Introduction to International Relations Theories (3 cr.)
POLS 4030 - Seminar: Special Topics in Political Science for Undergraduates (3 cr.)
POLS 4371 - Introduction to Public International Law (3 cr.)
Political Science major capstone course chosen out of the following: (This course fulfills the credit requirements of the Core Curriculum and the Political Science BA concentration)
POLS 4640 - Seminar: Special Topics in International Relations for Undergraduates (3 cr.)
POLS 5130 - Seminar: Special Topics in Political Science (3 cr.)
POLS 5140 - Seminar: Special Topics in International Relations (3 cr.)

III. Specialization Requirements (12-15 credits)

Students may select one of the following five options:

General field in Political Science
Specialization in International Relations
Specialization in Comparative Politics
Specialization in Political Economy
Specialization in Public and International Law

1. Requirements for the General Political Science field (12-15 credits)

Students are required to complete 15 credit hours if they have taken POLS 1001 , or 12 credit hours if they have taken POLS 2003 .

2. Requirements for the Specialization in International Relations (12-15 credits)

Students are required to complete 15 credit hours if they have taken POLS 1001 , or 12 credit hours if they have taken POLS 2003 . The specialization credit hours include the following course requirements:

Students who took POLS 1001 must select one of the following courses to complete the 15 credits of the specialization:

3. Requirements for the Specialization in Comparative Politics (12-15 credits)

POLS 4435 - The State and Society (3 cr.)
Students must choose ONE course out of the following courses:
POLS 4403 - American Government and Politics (3 cr.)
POLS 4405 - Comparative Politics of Contemporary Africa (3 cr.)
And choose TWO courses out of the following list of courses:
POLS 4420 - Issues in Middle East Politics (3 cr.)
POLS 4423 - Comparative Government and Politics: Developing Systems (3 cr.)
(if not taken to fulfill the Comparative Politics specialization requirement of either POLS 4423 or POLS 4435 ).
POLS 4424 - Comparative Government and Politics in Contemporary Eastern Europe and Russia (3 cr.)
POLS 4425 - Government and Politics of Egypt (3 cr.)
POLS 4432 - Seminar: Comparative Politics and/or Policies (3 cr.)
POLS 4437 - Comparative Politics of Asia (3 cr.)
POLS 4438 - Modern China (3 cr.)
POLS 4439 - Comparative Politics of the Modern Caucasus and Central Asia (3 cr.)
POLS 4444 - Comparative Politics of Latin America (3 cr.)
POLS 4480 - Israeli Politics and Society (3 cr.)

Students who took POLS 101/1001 must select one of the following courses to complete the 15 credits of the specialization:

ARIC 5142 - Islamic Law (3 cr.)
POLS 4030 - Seminar: Special Topics in Political Science for Undergraduates (3 cr.)
(when approved by the department)
POLS 4372 - International Law in the Middle East (3 cr.)
POLS 4375 - Introduction to Egyptian and Islamic Law (3 cr.)
POLS 4377 - Law and Development (3 cr.)
POLS 4422 - Contemporary Egypt (3 cr.)
POLS 4425 - Government and Politics of Egypt (3 cr.)
POLS 4605 - International Politics of the Middle East (3 cr.)
POLS 4614 - Egyptian Foreign Policy (3 cr.)
POLS 5140 - Seminar: Special Topics in International Relations (3 cr.) (when approved by the department)
The Comparative Politics Collateral Requirement (see IV., below) is satisfied by taking a Modern Middle East History course at the 3000 or 4000 level. (3 cr.)

4. Requirements for the Specialization in Political Economy (12-15 credits)

Students who took POLS 101/1001 must select two of the following courses to complete the 15 credits of the specialization. Students who took POLS 203/2003 must select one of the following courses to complete the 15 credits of the specialization:

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

5. Requirements for the Specialization in Public & International Law (12-15 credits)

POLS 4372 - International Law in the Middle East (3 cr.)
POLS 4375 - Introduction to Egyptian and Islamic Law (3 cr.)
POLS 4378 - Introduction to International Human Rights Law (3 cr.)
To further their understanding in this specialization, students have the option to take a number of elective courses in public and international law that may be offered by the political science department or the law department.

Students who took POLS 1001 must select two courses to complete the 15 credits of the specialization. Students who took POLS 2003 must select one course to complete the 12 credits of the specialization.

Note: Registration in graduate courses offered by the law department may require the approval of the department and/or the instructor.

IV. Collateral Requirements (6 credits)

All students seeking a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science degree must complete TWO of the following collateral requirements:

ECON 2021 - Introduction to Macroeconomics (3 cr.)
HIST - One Modern History course (for the Comparative Politics specialization, one modern Middle East history course) (3 cr.) chosen out of the following courses (not to be taken as an independent study):
HIST 2204 - The Making of the Modern Arab World (3 cr.)
HIST 2301 - The Struggle for Africa (3 cr.)
HIST 2502 - History of Modern American Civilization (3 cr.)
HIST 3207 - Histories of Palestine (3 cr.)
HIST 3208 - Zionism and Modern Judaism (3 cr.)
HIST 3214 - State and Society in the Middle East, 1906-present (3 cr.)
HIST 3288 - Selected Topics in Middle East History (3 cr.)
(when approved by POLS Dept.)
HIST 3302 - Violence, War, and Conflict in Modern Africa (3 cr.)
HIST 4107 - The Environment in World History (3 cr.)
HIST 4188 - Selected Topics in World History (3 cr.)
(when approved by POLS Dept.)
HIST 4216 - Remembering Cairo (3 cr.)
HIST 4217 - Colonialism and Imperialism: Domination and Resistance (3 cr.)
HIST 4219 - Modern Movements in Islam (3 cr.)
HIST 4288 - Selected Topics in the History of the Modern Middle East (3 cr.)
HIST 4290 - Selected Topics in Modern Egyptian History (3 cr.)
(when approved by POLS Dept.)
HIST 4303 - Global Capitalism and Africa: An Economic History (3 cr.)
HIST 4488 - Selected Topics in European History (3 cr.)
(when approved by POLS Dept.)
HIST 4588 - Selected Topics in the History of the United States (3 cr.)
(when approved by POLS Dept.)

V. General Electives: (32 credits)

Dual Degree Option in Political Science (B.A.) and International Human Rights Law (M.A.)

The Dual Degree option combines a BA in Political Science and an MA in International Human Rights Law. It is a dual degree, creating a synergy between the existing BA in Political Science and the existing MA in International Human Rights Law.

The dual degree option enables good students to prepare for a postgraduate degree while completing the requirements for the BA in Political Science. The MA degree provides students with the necessary expertise in international human rights law and with the intellectual, analytical and communication tools needed to intervene critically and effectively in the global policy debates confronting their societies as policy makers, academics, activists and international civil servants.

By the end of the sixth semester of the political science BA at AUC, and after successfully completing POLS 4371 , the student has to declare her/his intention to pursue the Dual Degree by submitting a graduate admission application. The student should follow the application procedures for graduate studies. Admission decisions will be made by the Law Department’s Admission Committee. Successful applicants will be admitted pending the fulfillment of two conditions: i) finishing the requirements of their undergraduate degrees with at least B (GPA 3); and ii) obtaining an average of at least a B+ (GPA of at least 3.3) across the three cross-listed ‘Dual Degree’ Law courses. Places are limited.

Students enrolled in the dual degree will receive a political science BA degree certificate upon the completion of their undergraduate course requirements.

Under this structure, dual-degree students will be required to take three 4000-level courses that are cross-listed under LAW and POLS. These three “Dual Degree” cross-listed courses (see below) will count for credit towards both the BA in Political Science and under the MA in International Human Rights Law.

The three ‘Dual Degree’ Law courses to be offered to undergraduates in the Political Science Department are the following: (a)

POLS 4371 - Introduction to Public International Law (3 cr.)

(b)

POLS 4375 - Introduction to Egyptian and Islamic Law (3 cr.)

and (c)

POLS 4378 - Introduction to International Human Rights Law (3 cr.)

The curriculum for the MA IHRL requires the completion of nine courses and a thesis, as indicated in the tentative plan below: 3 POLS/LAW undergraduate courses, a choice of 1 of the following three: a graduate regional human rights, an economic social and cultural rights or an international humanitarian law course, 4 graduate elective courses, the Graduate Law Seminar, and the thesis.

Tentative Plan for Full-time Students

SEMESTER VI (POLS undergraduate program)

POLS 4371 - Introduction to Public International Law (3 cr.) (counts towards both concentrations in POLS for all students) (and MA IHRL credits)
[4 POLS courses or other courses as required to complete POLS BA degree]

SEMESTER VII (POLS undergraduate program)

POLS 4378 - Introduction to International Human Rights Law (3 cr.) (counts towards both BA POLS and MA IHRL credits)
[4 POLS courses or other core courses as required to complete POLS BA degree]

SEMESTER VIII (POLS undergraduate program)

POLS 4375 - Introduction to Egyptian and Islamic Law (3 cr.) (counts towards both BA POLS and MA IHRL credits)
[4 POLS courses or other core courses as required to complete POLS BA degree]

SEMESTER IX (MA IHRL program)

LAW 5134 - International Humanitarian Law (3 cr.) *

LAW 5175 - Human Rights in the Middle East (3 cr.) *

LAW 5176 - Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (3 cr.) *

*(1 out of 3 starred courses required)

LAW electives (other 5000 level LAW courses approved by the department).

A maximum of two external (non-LAW) 5000-level courses may be taken in addition to two LAW electives. This option requires explicit approval from the Chair of the Law Department.

SEMESTER X (MA IHRL program)

LAW 5298 - Graduate Law Seminar (3 cr.)