Political Science Major (BA)

Political Science Department | College of Liberal Arts

Program Declaration

At time of admission to the University or by completion of an Undergraduate Program Add/Change form .

Degree Requirements

If this is the student’s only or primary major, the degree requirements below must be completed for graduation. See graduation requirements for more information.

University Requirements

College of Liberal Arts Requirements for Bachelor of Arts

Major Requirements

Complete 33 credits from eleven courses including two introductory courses, one course in American politics and/or public policy, one course in international relations, one course in comparative politics, one course in political theory, one course in methods or advanced political theory, and four electives.

Pass/fail: No more than one course taken pass/fail may be applied toward the major.
Residency: At least four courses for the major at the 200-level or higher must be completed at UMass Boston.
Course level: At least five courses for the major must be at the 300-level or higher.
Capstone: One course from POLSCI 350 or any 400-level course must be used as the major capstone.

Course Requirements

Introductory Courses (6 Credits)

Take two courses from the list below.

POLSCI 101 - Introduction to Politics 3 Credit(s)
or
POLSCI 103 - Introduction to Political Theory 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 102 - Government and Politics of the United States 3 Credit(s)

American Politics and/or Public Policy Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

POLSCI 203 - Public Policy (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 245G - Reading the Newspaper 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 265L - World War II Internment of Japanese Americans (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 311 - Political Parties (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 318 - The Legislative Process (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 322 - Politics of Poverty and U.S. Social Welfare Policy 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 325 - Public Administration (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 329 - American Constitutional Law and Theory (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 330 - Presidential Elections (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 332 - Civil Liberties in the United States (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 335 - Law and Public Policy (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 338 - Massachusetts Politics (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 340 - Boston: Cooperation and Conflict in the Urban Environment (A) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 344 - Problems of Urban Politics (A) 3 Credit(s)

International Relations Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

POLSCI 220 - International Relations (B) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 365 - Japan and the United States 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 380 - Theories of International Relations 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 402 - World Politics and World Order 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 410 - Pol Intrnatnl Econ 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 420 - Imperialism (B) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 424 - American Foreign Policy (B) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 430 - Russian Foreign Policy 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 435 - Foreign Policy Analysis 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 499L - Seminar in International Relations (B) 3 Credit(s)

Comparative Politics Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

POLSCI 201 - Comparative Politics of Industrialized Societies (C) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 202 - Comparative Politics 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 307 - Political Change and Group Identity (C) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 365 - Japan and the United States 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 369 - Politics of the Middle East 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 371 - Latin American Poltc 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 372 - Central American Politics (C) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 375 - Third World Development (C) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 387 - The Government and Politics of China (C) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 404 - The Politics of the Arab-Israeli Conflict 3 Credit(s)

Political Theory Course (3 Credits)

POLSCI 251 - Ancient and Medieval Political Thought (D) 3 Credit(s)
or
POLSCI 252 - Modern Political Thought (D) 3 Credit(s)

Methods or Advanced Political Theory Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

POLSCI 350 - Political Research Methods 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 450 - Decolonial Theory 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 451 - Queer Theory & Politics 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 452 - Feminist Political Theory 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 453 - Democratic Theory (D) 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 455 - Problems in Political Thought 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 456 - Political Thought of Lincoln 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 458 - From Biopolitics to Necropolitcs 3 Credit(s)
POLSCI 468 - American Political Thought (D) 3 Credit(s)

Electives (12 Credits)

Take four additional political science courses. No first year seminar courses may be applied toward this requirement. Two courses required for another degree program may be applied toward this requirement with permission from the department.