Political Science (BA)
Program of Studies
The political science major combines breadth and depth, helping students develop a general foundation for the study of politics and offering opportunities to explore particular areas of interest. Courses give students both a strong knowledge base and facility with the tools of political analysis. The department offers a substantial number of courses in all four fields of the discipline—American politics, international relations, comparative politics, and political theory—covering a range of topics and analytical perspectives. The major can prepare students for a wide variety of vocations. After graduation, many students go to law school or graduate school, or work for service organizations, government, or business.
Course Descriptions
All of the courses associated with this academic program can be found online at classsearch.nd.edu. The scheduled classes for a given semester may be found by clicking on “Class Search” and selecting one or more of the following subjects:
- Political Science
Course descriptions can be found by clicking on the subject code and course number in the search results. You can also search for classes using the course attribute codes: American Politics: POAM; International Relations: POIR; Comparative Politics: POCP; Political Theory: POTH; Political Methods: POME.
The major requires a minimum of 11 courses:
- Political Theory (POLS 10600 or POLS 20600) in addition to a course in each of the other fields of political science: American Politics, International Relations, and Comparative Politics. One of these must be an introductory course. The other two can be introductory courses or intermediate-level courses.
- three intermediate-level courses: students may specialize in one field or take courses in a combination of fields that suits their interests.
- two writing seminars. Students should take one seminar by the end of their junior year. These seminars fulfill the Arts and Letters directive that all majors include a writing-intensive requirement.
- one methods course. Fulfilled by taking at least one entry-level methods course, which currently includes Quantitative Methods, Qualitative Methods, and Research Design and Methods. This course should be taken during the sophomore or first semester junior year.
- one-credit “Why Political Science” course. To get a better sense of the discipline, students will learn about the major fields in political science including American Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory. This course is also an opportunity for students to discern their academic and professional interests in political science.
Requirement Notes
- University Seminars do not count toward the major.
- AP credit does not satisfy a requirement or count toward the major.
- Junior and Senior Seminars do not fulfill the breadth requirements.
- Study Abroad: You can only count 6 study abroad credits toward the major.
Department Tracks
Students are encouraged to select a track as they complete their degree in political science. Students may select a track from among 4 fields of political science—American Politics, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, and International Relations
Completion of a track involves passing:
- The field track’s introductory course
- 3 intermediate level courses in that field
Senior Thesis
Students with a grade point average of 3.55 or above are encouraged to write a senior thesis. This two-semester project (POLS 58901 in Fall/ POLS 58902 in Spring) involves working closely with a faculty supervisor, and offers the opportunity to explore more deeply and independently a research project of the student’s choice.
Pi Sigma Alpha
Students who have taken a minimum of four political science courses, with a grade no lower than a B in their political science courses, and who are on the Dean’s List are eligible to join Notre Dame’s chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national honor society for political science majors.
Graduate Courses
Many graduate courses are open to qualified undergraduates by permission.
Departmental Honors in Political Science
The honors track in political science does not involve additional political science courses, but is designed to encourage students to make better use of their courses both within and outside the major, and prepare them for research in their senior year, and advanced study and work after graduation.
To graduate with departmental honors, a student must:
- Graduate with a cumulative grade point average of 3.55 or higher.
- Complete two semesters of senior thesis work with a grade of B+ or higher.
- Students writing a theory thesis will take at least one theory course beyond Introduction to Political Theory.
- Students writing an empirical thesis will take a second methods course, of their choice.
Political Methodology Specialization Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Four courses are required in the methodology curriculum: | ||
| Two core classes in methodology: | ||
| Quantitative Political Analysis | ||
| Qualitative Political Analysis | ||
| Two electives (below is a list of recent offerings): | ||
| How to (Not) Lie with Stats | ||
| Visualizing Politics | ||
| Research Design and Methods | ||
Other courses are subject to approval. Email the Director of Undergraduate Studies for details. | ||