Political Science (BA)
Program Mission
The mission of the Political Science Program is to combine the energies of students and departmental faculty in pursuit of understanding representative and administrative systems, practices, and aspirations, especially through engagement with professional scholarship. Graduates in political science will have learned foundational theories, practical processes, and an appreciation of varied cultures. The curriculum offers a broad reach across subdisciplines, preparing students for many available career options.
Program Outcomes
- Graduates will be able to organize research projects relying on peer-reviewed journals, conference papers, original sources, and the work of recognized scholars.
- Graduates will have learned, through the study of American and foreign government systems, how those apply popular consent toward their views of the common good.
- Graduates will be able to identify and apply classical and contemporary theories that serve as the bases for civil systems.
- Graduates will have a working familiarity with the methods of lawmaking, public administration, foreign policy development and public policy making as these are practiced, chiefly in the American system.
- Graduates will be able to identify and critique how civil systems do or do not incorporate varied cultural views, persons, traditions, and resource differences into their pursuit of their national sense of the common good.
Program Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
POLS-1000 | Introduction to American Government | 3 |
or POLS-1200 | Foundations US Constitutionalism | |
or POLS-1500 | American 20th Century Political History | |
POLS-2010 | Comparative World Government & Politics | 3 |
ECON-2090 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
POLS-2500 | Introduction to Research Methods | 4 |
POLS-2750 | Public Policy Analysis | 3 |
POLS-3250 | The American Presidency | 3 |
or POLS-3500 | The American Congress | |
POLS-4010 | International Relations | 3 |
Select one of the following: | 3 | |
American Constitutional Development | ||
Fundamental Freedoms: First Amendment | ||
Civil Rights: 14th Amendment | ||
POLS-3800 | Development of Political Thought | 3 |
POLS-4600 | Public Administration | 3 |
POLS-4950 | Capstone Senior Seminar | 3 |
POLS-COMP | Senior Comprehensive Exam | 0 |
Ttwo additional courses offered by the department | 6 | |
Total Hours | 40 |
Transfer students who seek to major in political science must complete a minimum of 50% of their credits in political science at Benedictine College.
Suggested Sequence of Courses for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science
Freshman Year | ||
---|---|---|
First Semester | Hours | |
POLS-1000 or POLS-1500 |
Introduction to American Government or American 20th Century Political History |
3 |
Foreign Language | 4 | |
THEO-1100 | Introduction to Theology | 3 |
ENGL-1010 | English Composition | 3 |
PSYC-1000 or SOCI-1000 |
General Psychology or Introduction to Sociology |
3 |
GNST-1000 | BC Experience | 1 |
Hours | 17 | |
Second Semester | ||
ECON-2090 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
Foreign Language | 4 | |
Historical Foundation | 3 | |
Aesthetic Experience | 3 | |
Skills & perspectives course | 3 | |
Hours | 16 | |
Sophomore Year | ||
First Semester | ||
POLS-2010 | Comparative World Government & Politics | 3 |
EXSC-1115 | Wellness for Life | 1 |
Faith Foundation | 3 | |
PHIL-1750 | Principles of Nature | 3 |
Elective preferrably in political science | 6 | |
Hours | 16 | |
Second Semester | ||
POLS-2750 | Public Policy Analysis | 3 |
POLS-2500 | Introduction to Research Methods | 4 |
EXSC Fitness Course | 1 | |
Aesthetic Experience | 3 | |
Faith Foundation | 3 | |
Understanding the Natural World Foundation (with lab) | 4 | |
Hours | 18 | |
Junior Year | ||
First Semester | ||
POLS-3800 | Development of Political Thought | 3 |
Elective courses (Political Science or non-departmental) upper-division | 10 | |
Philosophical Inquiry | 3 | |
Hours | 16 | |
Second Semester | ||
Understanding the Natural World Foundation (without lab) | 3 | |
Constitutional law class | 3 | |
POLS-4010 | International Relations | 3 |
POLS-4790 | Political Science Internship | 3 |
Elective courses (Political Science or non-departmental) upper-division | 3 | |
Hours | 15 | |
Senior Year | ||
First Semester | ||
POLS-4950 | Capstone Senior Seminar | 3 |
POLS-COMP | Senior Comprehensive Exam | 0 |
Elective courses, upper-division | 12 | |
Hours | 15 | |
Second Semester | ||
POLS-4600 | Public Administration | 3 |
Political Science Elective | 3 | |
Elective courses (Political Science or non-departmental) upper-division | 10 | |
Hours | 16 | |
Total Hours | 129 |