College Schools, Departments & Programs

Political Science

Interdepartmental Major in Political Science and Economics
Purpose

The interdepartmental major in economics and political science explores important issues arising in both the public and private sectors and provides students with the basic theoretical tools necessary to investigate these issues.

Note: Any economics course may be replaced by the honors equivalent. All ECON and non-ECON courses listed as required for this major must be completed with a minimum grade of C–.

Requirements

Students must meet the following course requirements for a total of 42 credit hours in Political Science and Economics:

  1. Mathematics requirements: Finite Mathematics M118 and either Calculus M119 or M211 or M213 (These courses do not count toward the 42 credit hours required for the major.)
  2. At least 18 credit hours in economics to include the following: E201, E202, and E321; at least three additional economics courses (9 credit hours) at the 300 or 400 level, excluding E370, X373 and E496. At least two of these three courses (6 credit hours) must be numbered above E321.
  3. At least 18 credit hours in political science to include the following: one course chosen from Political Science Y204, Y205, Y303, Y394, or Y405; another 15 credit hours in political science chosen from Y204, Y205, Y300-Y308, Y313, Y317, Y326, Y329, Y335, Y343, Y346, Y349, Y350, Y376, Y394, Y399, Y401, Y405, X477, Y490, or Y499. (Y401 may be repeated once for credit. No other course may be repeated for credit.)
  4. Statistics requirement: ECON E370 or POLS Y395.
 Special Considerations
  1. Students meeting requirements 1–4 above with a total of 39 credit hours will be allowed to use 3 credit hours toward the major from preapproved sections of COLL C104 (Critical Approaches to the Social and Historical Studies) courses. A list of preapproved sections of COLL C104 is available each semester in the Departments of Economics and Political Science.
  2. No more than 6 credit hours of honors thesis credit (3 credit hours from Economics E499, and 3 credit hours from Political Science Y499) may be counted toward the major.
  3. A maximum of 3 credit hours of Political Science X471 (for teaching interns only) may be counted toward the major.

Students must also complete the CASE Credit Hour and Residency Requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences.