Political Science

T

he Department of Political Science combines the energies of students and departmental faculty in active learning and honest scholarship. The goals of the department are these: 1) to employ the principles of discovery learning in developing an understanding of both the foundational concepts of systems of government and the theoretical concepts that animate contemporary public affairs;
2) to create a balanced perspective among the subdisciplines within political science; 3) to empower students to integrate lessons learned in other disciplines with those framed in political science; and 4) to prepare students for an effective transition, after graduation, to either career employment or graduate studies. The department recommends that every major in political science completes at least one guided, practical program such as a local internship; a structured service learning experience; a semester in Washington, D.C.; an international travel program; placement with a state or local agency or an administrative, legislative or judicial assignment. The department develops these opportunities and matches students, depending on their interests and skills. The curriculum provides academic credit for such programs.

Ps 377, Development of Political Thought
Ps 460, Public Administration
Ps 488, Senior Comprehensive Examination
Ps 495, Capstone Senior Seminar and two additional courses offered by the department. Transfer students who seek to major in political science must complete a minimum of 50% of their credits in political science at Benedictine College.

Requirements for a minor in Political
Science:

Ps 100, Introduction to American
Government or Ps 150, American 20th
Century Political History
Ps 250, Research Methods
Ps 275, Public Policy Analysis and nine additional credits in courses offered by the department.

Transfer students who seek to complete a minor in political science must complete a minimum of 50% of their credits in political science at Benedictine College.

Requirements for a minor/concentration in pre-Law:
Ps 100, Introduction to American Government or Ps 150, American 20th Century Political History
Ba 371, Legal Environment of Business or Ba 472, Business Law
Ps 372, Fundamental Freedoms: The First Amendment or Ps 374, Civil Rights: The Fourteenth Amendment
Ps 375, American Constitutional Development
Ps 377, Development of Political Thought or Ph 485, Political Philosophy or Ph 486, Philosophy of Law
Py 450, Law and Psychology

Requirements for a major in
Political Science:

Ps 100, Introduction to American Government or Ps 150, American 20th Century Political History
Ps 201, Comparative World Government and Politics
Ec 209, Principles of Macroeconomics
Ps 250, Research Methods
Ps 275, Public Policy Analysis
Ps 325, The American Presidency or Ps 350, American Congress
Ps 360, International Relations
Any one of the Constitutional law courses: Ps
372, Fundamental Freedoms: The First Amendment; Ps 374, Civil Rights: The Fourteenth
Amendment; or Ps 375, American Constitutional Development

Requirements for a minor in Economics and Politics:

Ps 100, Introduction to American Government or Ps 150, American 20th Century Political
History
Ps 275, Public Policy Analysis
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Ps 360, International Relations or Ps 421, Comparative Political Systems
Ec 209, Principles of Macroeconomics
Ec 210, Principles of Microeconomics
Ec 300, Contemporary Economic Thinking

Ps 100
Introduction to American
Government (3) (B)

This course is an introduction to the American system that emphasizes: the Constitution, federalism, political socialization, political parties and interest groups, and the balance of the three branches of government. Included is a survey of state and local government issues as well as the fundamentals of financing American government. The course highlights the