BS in Political Science (Revised)

Major in Political Science – 42 credit hours

All students who declare a major in political science (BS degree) starting in Fall 2022 will complete a total of forty-two [42] credit hours, including the Core Requirements (15 credit hours), Experiential Learning Requirement (3 credit hours), and Subfield Requirements (24 credit hours).

In addition to the 42-credit hour major requirement, students pursuing a BS in Political Science are required to complete the UCA Lower-Division (LD) Core (38 credit hours); complete the UCA Upper-Division (UD) Core using major, minor, or other elective courses; complete a minor in another academic program or work with a political science faculty member to choose elective courses, including courses in other academic programs, in order to fulfill career interests or meet the university’s 120-credit hour requirement.

Political Science major checklist (revised)

Subfield Requirements (24 credit hours) – Students must complete twenty-four [24] credit hours of upper-division elective courses, including at least one course (3 credit hours) from each of the five interdisciplinary subfields.  In addition, a minimum of 18 of the 24 credit hours should be political science (PSCI) and public administration (PADM) courses.  All of the upper-division political science courses in the subfields have prerequisites (e.g. PSCI 1330 is a prerequisite for all upper-division American Government & Politics courses and PSCI 2300 is a prerequisite for all upper-division International Relations courses).  Descriptions of courses offered by the Department of Political Science and other departments, including the course prerequisites, can be found in the UCA Undergraduate Bulletin at https://uca.edu/ubulletin/.  Several of the upper-division elective courses in the subfields, both political science and non-political science, satisfy the UCA Upper-Division Core requirements, which consist of upper-division elective courses in five different areas – Effective Communication [C], Diversity [D], Critical Inquiry [I], Responsible Living [R], and Capstone [Z].

Comparative Political Analysis:
PSCI 3340, Governments & Politics of Europe and Russia
PSCI 3382, Politics of Developing Nations [UD UCA Core: D, C]
PSCI 4305, The Political Economy of Development
PSCI 4310, Int. Political Economy & Globalization [UD UCA Core: Z]
PSCI 4312, China & International Politics [UD UCA Core: D]
PSCI 4325, Mexican Politics & U.S.-Mexico Relations
PSCI 4328, Dynamics of Democratization [UD UCA Core: Z]
PSCI 4340, Seminar in Selected Topics*
PSCI 4345, Governments & Politics of Africa [UD UCA Core: D]
PSCI 4348, Governments & Politics of the Middle East [UD UCA Core: D]
ECON 4320, Comparative Economic Systems
ECON 4335, International Trade [UD UCA Core: D]
SOC 4310, Globalization & Development

Human Behavior:
PSCI 3345, Women and U.S. Politics [UD UCA Core: D]
PSCI 3355, Race and American Politics [UD UCA Core: D]
PSCI 3372, Political Behavior
PSCI 4315, The Politics of Presidential Selection
PSCI 4320, Revolution & Political Violence [UD UCA Core: D, C]
PSCI 4340, Seminar in Selected Topics*
PSCI 4395, International Conflict & Conflict Management
GEOG 3333, Geography of Natural Hazards
PSYC 3332, Research Methods
PSYC 4305, Judgment & Decision-Making
SOC 3361, Gender & Society
SOC 4301, Social Movement & Social Change

Law and Institutions:
PSCI 3300, State Government & Politics
PSCI 3305, United Nations & International Politics [UD UCA Core: I]
PSCI 3315, International Law & Organizations [UD UCA Core: I, C]
PSCI 3316, Cybersecurity Law and Policy [UD UCA Core: C]
PSCI 3330, Political Parties & Electoral Problems
PSCI 3336, Local Government & Politics
PSCI 3375, The American Judicial System
PSCI 4300, Constitutional Law [UD UCA Core: I]
PSCI 4301, Civil Liberties [UD UCA Core: I]
PSCI 4334, The American Presidency [UD UCA Core: I, C]
PSCI 4335, The American Congress
PSCI 4340, Seminar in Selected Topics *
PADM 4350, Intergovernmental Relations [UD UCA Core: C]
CRIM 3361, Criminal Courts

Policy and Program Analysis:
PSCI 3320, Environmental Policy [UD UCA Core: R, I]
PADM 3320, Public Policy Analysis [UD UCA Core: Z]
PADM 3310, Public Management
PSCI 4340, Seminar in Selected Topics*
PADM 4330, Public Policy & Program Evaluation
PADM 4370, Special Topics in Public Administration and Non-Profit Mgmt.
PADM 4380, Special Topics in Public Policy
PSCI 4388, American Foreign Policy
PADM 4320, Government Budgeting
ECON 3310, Public Sector Economics [UD UCA Core: R]
ECON 3330, Environmental Economics [UD UCA Core: R]
GEOG 3301, Conservation of Natural Resources [UD UCA Core: R]
GEOG 3325, Urban & Regional Planning [UD UCA Core: R]
SOC 4321, Social Policy Analysis

Theory:
PSCI 3369, Cyber Citizenship
PSCI 3370, Political Theory I [UD UCA Core: R]
PSCI 3371, Political Theory II [UD UCA Core: R, I]
PSCI 4307, Political Ethics [UD UCA Core: R, I]
PSCI 4331, American Political Theory [UD UCA Core: R, I]
PSCI 4340, Seminar in Selected Topics *
PHIL 3340, Critical Theories of Race [UD UCA Core: R, D]
PHIL 3345, Feminist Philosophy [UD UCA Core: R, D]
SOC 4330, Social Theory

* PSCI 4340, Seminar in Selected Topics, can be applied to the subfields of Comparative Political Analysis, Human Behavior, Law and Institutions, Policy and Program Analysis, and Theory, depending on the content of the seminar.

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Contact

Dr. Clay Arnold, Chair
Department of Political Science
University of Central Arkansas
Conway, Arkansas 72035
E-Mail:  carnold@uca.edu
Phone:  501-450-3412