Politics Major

For a 30-credit major in Politics, students complete the following:

Foundational Courses
POLI 1101Introduction to American Politics3
POLI 1102Introduction to Comparative Politics3
POLI 1103Introduction to Political Ideas That Shape the World3
POLI 1104Introduction to International Relations3
Upper Level Courses 1
Select one course in American Politics3
Select one course in Comparative Politics3
Select one course in International Relations3
Select one course in Political Theory3
Seminar Course
Select one 4000-level politics course3
Professional Development Course
Select one course from the following: 3
Public Administration
Humanitarian and Disaster Response Field Training
Research Methods
Internship
State Legislature Internship
Washington Semester Internship
Independent Research
Methods of Research Design
Statistics: Social and Political Data Analysis
Total Credits30
1
  • Distribution area requirements within the Politics major are indicated by the following attributes included in course descriptions:
    • American Politics: PMAP
    • Comparative Politics: PMCP
    • International Relations: PMIR
    • Political Theory: PMPT
  • Only one study abroad course can be used to satisfy a requirement in the Politics Major (some exceptions allowed).
  • Only 2 courses from the Washington Internship Institute program can be used to satisfy requirements in the Politics Major.

Upper Level Distribution Requirement

As noted, students must take at least one advanced course from each of the following subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, Political Theory, and International Relations.

American Politics
POLI 2102City Politics3
POLI 2103Public Administration3
POLI 2104American Presidency3
POLI 2105The American Congress3
POLI 2106Supreme Court I3
POLI 2107Supreme Court II3
POLI 2108Political Parties and Interest Groups3
POLI 2109American Public Policy3
POLI 2111Media and Politics3
POLI 2112United States Environmental Politics and Policy3
POLI 2113State and Local Government3
POLI 2114Public Opinion and Polling3
POLI 2115Campaigns and Elections3
POLI 2120Politics of Care3
POLI 2121Women in Politics3
POLI 4301The Battle Over Family Values in American Politics3
POLI 4310War on Voting: Election Laws and Administration in the United States3
Comparative Politics
POLI 2122Comparative Political Institutions3
POLI 2250European Politics and the European Union3
POLI 2251Islam and Muslim Politics3
POLI 2252Politics in Africa3
POLI 2253Latin American Politics3
POLI 2255Middle East Politics3
POLI 2256Asian Politics3
POLI 2257Northern Ireland: Politics of War and Peace3
POLI 2258Political Violence3
POLI 2259The Development Gap3
POLI 2260Politics and Business in China3
POLI 2261Authoritarianism and Film3
POLI 4305Seminar on the Middle East3
POLI 4306Democracy and Dictatorship3
POLI 4307The Political Economy of War3
Political Theory
POLI 2331Introduction to Peace and Justice3
POLI 2332Utopian Politics3
POLI 2333American Political Thought3
POLI 2334Sex, Sexuality, and Gender3
POLI 2335Modern Political Ideologies3
POLI 2336Politics of Race, Class, and Gender3
POLI 4302Seminar on Feminist Theory3
POLI 4311Religious Dimensions of Political Thought3
International Relations
POLI 2471United Nations Security Council Crisis Simulation3
POLI 2472Politics of Humanitarian Action3
POLI 2473Humanitarian and Disaster Response Field Training3
POLI 2474International Environmental Policy3
POLI 2475Climate Change: International Policy and Politics3
POLI 2476United States Foreign Policy3
POLI 2477Politics of the Global Economy3
POLI 2478The Politics of International Law3
POLI 2479Threats to Global Security in the 21st Century3
POLI 2480Border Politics3
POLI 2481International Human Rights3
POLI 4303Gender, War, and Peace3
POLI 4304Seminar on Global Environmental Politics3
POLI 4314International Perspectives on International Politics: Moving Beyond Western Paradigms3

Thematic Elements

While fulfilling the distribution requirements, students have the option of grouping their 2000- and 4000-level courses from one or more of the following themes:

Globalization and Inequality
POLI 2108Political Parties and Interest Groups3
POLI 2334Sex, Sexuality, and Gender3
POLI 2251Islam and Muslim Politics3
POLI 2253Latin American Politics3
POLI 2258Political Violence3
POLI 2259The Development Gap3
POLI 2474International Environmental Policy3
POLI 2475Climate Change: International Policy and Politics3
POLI 2477Politics of the Global Economy3
POLI 2479Threats to Global Security in the 21st Century3
POLI 4304Seminar on Global Environmental Politics3
POLI 4314International Perspectives on International Politics: Moving Beyond Western Paradigms3
Law and Justice
POLI 2103Public Administration3
POLI 2106Supreme Court I3
POLI 2107Supreme Court II3
POLI 2109American Public Policy3
POLI 2120Politics of Care3
POLI 2250European Politics and the European Union3
POLI 2260Politics and Business in China3
POLI 2332Utopian Politics3
POLI 2333American Political Thought3
POLI 2471United Nations Security Council Crisis Simulation3
POLI 2478The Politics of International Law3
POLI/INTL 2481International Human Rights3
POLI 4301The Battle Over Family Values in American Politics3
POLI 4310War on Voting: Election Laws and Administration in the United States3
Power and Political Action
POLI 2104American Presidency3
POLI 2105The American Congress3
POLI 2108Political Parties and Interest Groups3
POLI 2112United States Environmental Politics and Policy3
POLI 2113State and Local Government3
POLI 2114Public Opinion and Polling3
POLI 2115Campaigns and Elections3
POLI 2121Women in Politics3
POLI 2252Politics in Africa3
POLI 2255Middle East Politics3
POLI 2256Asian Politics3
POLI 2257Northern Ireland: Politics of War and Peace3
POLI 2261Authoritarianism and Film3
POLI 2331Introduction to Peace and Justice3
POLI 2335Modern Political Ideologies3
POLI 2336Politics of Race, Class, and Gender3
POLI 2472Politics of Humanitarian Action3
POLI 2473Humanitarian and Disaster Response Field Training3
POLI 2476United States Foreign Policy3
POLI 2480Border Politics3
POLI 4307The Political Economy of War3
POLI 4311Religious Dimensions of Political Thought3