356 Kleinpell Fine Arts Building
(715) 425-3318/3798
www.uwrf.edu/pols/
Tracey Gladstone-Sovell-Chair, Davida Alperin, Wesley Chapin, Jan Hillard.
The political science department’s requirements for a major or minor in liberal arts and in education are designed to expose students to the breadth of subject matter contained in the discipline of political science. The department has also outlined programs of study designed to prepare students for careers in the public sector, including foreign service, federal, state and local government.
Information for students interested in pre-law is listed on page 27 of the printed catalog.
Program recommendations focusing on public sector employment and foreign service are available from the department.
Broad Field Social Studies Major: Political Science is one of the subject fields comprising the Broad Field Social Studies major. For information about this major, see page 112 of the printed catalog.
Social Science Minor: Political Science is one of the subject fields comprising the minor in Social Science. For information about this minor, see page 111 of the printed catalog.
BA and BS Liberal Arts majors as listed on pages 22-23.
BS Education majors as listed on pages 31-32.
Political Science Major: 36 Total Credits
Required Courses: 9 cr. hrs.
POLS 114 American National, State and Local Government 3 cr.
POLS 200 Political Analysis 3 cr.
POLS 480 Seminar in Political Science (writing intensive) 3 cr.
Directed Electives: 15 cr. hrs.
Select one course in each of the following five fields.
1. American Politics 3 cr. hrs.
Political Processes
POLS 225 Introduction to Public Administration
POLS 256 Public Policymaking
Political Institutions
POLS 311 American Political Parties and Elections
POLS 326 The American Presidency: The Office and its Powers
POLS 327 Congressional Politics
State/Local Government
POLS 253 State and Local Politics
POLS 322 Politics of American Cities
2. International Relations 3 cr. hrs.
POLS 260 Introduction to International Relations
3. Comparative Politics 3 cr. hrs.
POLS 245 Introduction to Comparative Politics
4. Political Philosophy 3 cr. hrs.
POLS 230 Contemporary Political Ideologies
POLS 308 Western Political Thought: The Renaissance through Marx
POLS 309 Western Political Thought: Nietzsche to the Present
POLS 310 History of American Political Thought
5. Political Behavior 3 cr. hrs.
POLS 212 The Politics of Equality and Inequality in the United States
POLS 314 Women and Politics
POLS 320 Journalism and Public Opinion
POLS 321 Political Participation
Electives: 12 cr. hrs.
Any POLS course, excluding courses taken to fulfill required or directed electives.
Restrictions: Students may apply a maximum of 6 credits of POLS 379 Internship
in Political Science toward the elective section of the major. Students majoring
in Political Science must take a minimum of 15 out of the total 36 credits for
the major in courses numbered at the 300 level or above, excluding credits taken
for POLS 379 Internship in Political Science.
Political Science Minor 24 Total Credits
Required Courses: 3 cr. hrs.
POLS 114 American National, State and Local Government 3
Directed Electives: 12 cr. hrs.
Select one course from four of the following five fields:
1. American Politics 3 cr. hrs
Political Processes
POLS 225 Introduction to Public Administration
POLS 256 Public Policymaking
Political Institutions
POLS 311 American Political Parties and Elections
POLS 326 The American Presidency: The Office and its Powers
POLS 327 Congressional Politics
State/Local Government
POLS 253 State and Local Politics
POLS 322 Politics of American Cities
2. International Relations 3 cr. hrs.
POLS 260 Introduction to International Relations
3. Comparative Politics 3 cr. hrs.
POLS 245 Introduction to Comparative Politics
4. Political Philosophy 3 cr. hrs.
POLS 230 Contemporary Political Ideologies
POLS 308 Western Political Thought: The Renaissance through Marx
POLS 309 Western Political Thought: Nietzsche to the Present
POLS 310 History of American Political Thought
5. Political Behavior 3 cr. hrs.
POLS 212 The Politics of Equality and Inequality
POLS 314 Women and Politics
POLS 320 Journalism and Public Opinion
POLS 321 Political Participation
Electives: 9 cr. hrs.
Any POLS course, excluding any courses taken to fulfill required or directed
electives
Restrictions: Students may apply a maximum of 3 credits of POLS 379 Internship
in Political Science toward the elective section of the minor. Students minoring
in Political Science must take a minimum of 9 out of the total 24 credits for
the minor in courses numbered at the 300 level or above, excluding credits taken
for POLS 379 Internship in Political Science.
Broad Field Social Studies Major
For those who wish to teach political science in high school, the required major is the Broad Field Social Studies Major-Political Science Emphasis.
