Political Science prepares students for a variety of careers, public and private, including those directly related to politics and those based on graduate training.  Departmental requirements are designed not just to prepare students for graduate school, but to give all majors broad exposure to politics and ready them for responsible citizenship in the contemporary world.

Basic Requirement:  Each major must complete 10 units in the Political Science Department

I.   Introductory

Students must take:
1)  PS 200 - American Politics and Government in the American politics subfield;
2)  PS 209 - Introduction to International Relations or  
     PS 225 - Conduct of American Foreign Policy in the international relations subfield;
3)  PS 236 - Introduction to Comparative Politics in comparative politics; and either
4)  PS 205  - Foundations of Political Economy or
     PS 270 - Liberty and Equality or
     PS 265 - Religion and Politics or
     PS 292 - American Political Thought in the political theory subfield.

Students are strongly advised to take the prescribed courses at the 200 level before taking courses at the 300 level.
  Either 209 or 225 can be counted towards the major, but not both.

II.   Sub-field Distribution

The department offers courses in four sub-fields: American Politics, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, and International Relations.  The College Catalog indicates the departmental offerings by sub-field, and a current list is included below.

A minimum of 10 units in the political science department is required, to include the following:

1)  Two units in each of four subfields.  In each subfield, students must take A) the prescribed course or one of the prescribed courses, and B) one additional course in that subfield. The four subfields are: American Politics, Comparative Politics, Theory and International Relations.

2) A tutorial in one subfield selected for emphasis.  Students who are admitted to write theses are exempt from the tutorial requirement.

3)  One additional course to reach the 10-unit minimum.  The elective may not be 231 or 233. In addition to the regular courses offered by the department, students may count as their elective one of the following courses: a  topics in politics course (203), an independent study (402), or one course taken at another institution.

III.     Electives  

The elective may fall within any of the four sub-fields.  It may also be a block of independent research, a departmental course not listed within the sub-fields, an independent study, or one course taken at another institution.  The elective may not be an internship (PS 231 or PS 233).

IV.   Recommended Courses Outside of the Department:

          A.  The department strongly urges all its majors to achieve at least intermediate-level competency in a foreign language.

          B.  The department also advises all majors to take Principles of Economics and at least two courses in History.

V.     Distinction

Distinction in political science will be awarded based on a graduating senior’s cumulative GPA in courses within the major.

VI.    Thesis

Proposals to write a senior thesis must normally be submitted by the beginning of the final block of the student’s junior year, but a student studying off campus a the end of the junior year may submit a proposal in the first week of Block 1 of the senior year. 

VII.   Transfer Credit

Students earning Political Science credit in off-campus programs or study at other institutions may qualify for relief from the 10-unit rule.  However, the department believes a degree in Political Science from Colorado College means that majors did most of their work here.  The department will normally count one unit of Political Science in an off-campus program toward the basic ten units.  Any use of non-CC credit toward the major must have the approval of the student's departmental advisor or the department chair.

The department chair will consider granting credit toward the major for courses taken at another institution prior to admission to Colorado College at the time the student declares the major.  Advanced Placement courses in high school may count toward total units for graduation and should be taken into consideration when selecting courses for the major.  They do not, however, qualify for relief from the 10-unit rule.

Link for PS Courses for 2008-2009

Link for PS Courses for 2009-2010

OLD REQUIREMENTS
STUDENTS IN THE CLASSES OF ’09, ’10, AND ’11 MAY GRADUATE UNDER EITHER THE  NEW OR THE OLD REQUIREMENTS

Basic Requirement:   Each major must complete 10 units in the Political Science Department

I.          Introductory

A.        PS 101 -- What is Politics?

B.         PS-103 -- Western Political Traditions
This course satisfies the CP:WIT requirement.

This course also satisfies the CP:WIT requirement.  Students cannot receive credit in the major for both PS 101 and PS 103.  The introductory course should precede 300- or 400- level courses in the department.  Unless otherwise noted, courses at the 300 level require 101, 103 or 104 as a prerequisite.  Non-majors are welcome to sample departmental offering at that level, but need consent of instructor or chair to so do.  Further information is available on the Web at www.coloradocollege.edu/Dept/PS/.

Please note that PS 115 will count for only one unit of Political Science and will be counted as the equivalent of PS 101. 

II.         Sub-field Distribution

The department offers courses in four sub-fields: American Politics, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, and International Relations.  The College Catalog indicates the departmental offerings by sub-field, and a current list is included below.

A minimum of 10 units in the political science department is required, to include the following:
1) 101 or 103 or 104.  Students may not take more than one of these courses.
2) Two units in each of three subfields and one in the fourth.  The four subfields are: American Politics, comparative politics, international relations, and political theory.  Students must take 200 in the American politics subfield; 309, 325, or 375 in the international relations subfield; and 306, 313, 331, or 335 in comparative politics.
3) A tutorial in one subfield selected for emphasis.  Students who are admitted to write theses are exempt from the tutorial requirement.
4)  Those majors who take 101 rather than 103 must take one elective to reach the 10-unit minimum. 

1. Electives  

Those majors who take PS 101 rather than PS 103 or PS 104 must take one elective to reach the 10-unit minimum.  The elective may fall within any of the four sub-fields.  It may also be a block of independent research, a departmental course not listed within the sub-fields, an independent study, or one course taken at another institution.  The elective may not be an internship (PS 231 or PS 233).

IV.       Recommended Courses:

A.        The department strongly urges all its majors to achieve at least intermediate-level competency in a foreign language.

B.         The department also advises all majors to take Principles of Economics and at least two courses in History.

V.        Distinction

Distinction in political science will be awarded based on a graduating senior’s cumulative GPA in courses within the major.

VI.       Thesis

Proposals to write a senior thesis must normally be submitted by the beginning of the final block of the student’s junior year, but a student studying off campus a the end of the junior year may submit a proposal in the first week of Block 1 of the senior year. 

VII.      Transfer Credit

Students earning Political Science credit in off-campus programs or study at other institutions may qualify for relief from the 10-unit rule.  However, the department believes a degree in Political Science from Colorado College means that majors did most of their work here.  The department will normally count one unit of Political Science in an off-campus program toward the basic ten units.  Any use of non-CC credit toward the major must have the approval of the student's departmental advisor or the department chair.

The department chair will consider granting credit toward the major for courses taken at another institution prior to admission to Colorado College at the time the student declares the major.  Advanced Placement courses in high school may count toward total units for graduation and should be taken into consideration when selecting courses for the major.  They do not, however, qualify for relief from the 10-unit rule.