Political science studies and evaluates theories and practices of politics and government at various levels — domestic, foreign and international. Depending on the area studied, particular emphasis may be given to the role and performance of institutions and political systems, to the political behavior of individuals and groups or to questions of a philosophical nature.
Courses in political science are structured on three levels: introductory (numbered below 200); upper-level intermediate (300-399); and advanced (400-499). Unless otherwise specified, courses above 400 may be counted toward the department’s seminar requirements. There are four introductory courses that assume no prior background in the discipline: (1) PLSC 111 (Introduction to American Politics), (2) PLSC 113 (Introduction to Comparative Politics), (3) PLSC 115 (Introduction to Ideas and Politics) and (4) PLSC 117 (Introduction to World Politics). These serve as prerequisites for more advanced courses but may not be required of students who have equivalent prior coursework in political science or related disciplines, including Advanced Placement credit in American government or comparative politics.
Harpur College Requirements
Harpur College students must complete the following requirements in addition to those listed for the major:
- 126 credits
- 94 liberal arts and sciences credits
- Minimum of 46 upper-level credits
- Completion of the Harpur College writing requirement (four to five courses, as described in the All-College Writing section of the Harpur College Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin. Maximum of one C/J course and two W courses, may be transferred).
- Minimum of 44 credits in residence in Harpur College
- 2.0 or higher GPA
Harpur College requirements are described in detail in the Requirements for Graduation section of the Harpur College Undergraduate Information section of the Bulletin.
Political Science Major
Requirements for the BA in political science include 10 courses in political science including not more than three introductory courses (PLSC 111, 113, 115, 117), not more than two 4-credit independent study courses, with at least 24 credits at the 300- or 400-level, and at least two 400-level seminars to be taken in residence at ºÚÁÏÊÓƵ. Students must take at least one 4-credit course in three of four subfields: American politics, political theory, comparative politics and international relations. Courses acceptable for meeting the distribution requirements are identified as American, theory, comparative or international in the course descriptions that follow. With the approval of the student’s advisor, appropriate alternative courses may be used to satisfy the distribution requirements.
The Political Science Department views the grade of D as passing but unsatisfactory. Courses passed with a grade of D do not fulfill requirements for the major or the related field requirement. Courses taken Pass/Fail do not count toward the major or fulfill the related field requirement.
The major also requires complementary courses in other social sciences, the purpose of which is to expose students to a broad cross-section of social science research. Majors must complete four courses in at least three other social science departments (anthropology, economics, geography, history or sociology). Students should select those courses based on their curricular interests.
All students must take at least six political science courses, including two 400-level seminars, in residence at Binghamton. Transfer course grades must be C– or better to count toward the major. No transfer course counting toward the major may have been taken Pass/Fail.
Students of senior standing with appropriate political science background are allowed to take graduate-level courses with the instructor’s consent. Successful completion of such courses is counted toward the seminar requirement of the political science major. Majors are strongly encouraged to complete at least one substantial paper, based on their own investigation of a problem in an area of the political science discipline, either as part of a regular course, through independent study or as an honors thesis (PLSC 498 and 499).
Prior to pre-registration each semester, a political science major should consult with an advisor.
Honors Program
Superior students majoring in political science are considered for admission to the honors program upon the successful completion of five semesters or 80 credit hours (including at least 24 in political science). The program consists of a six-credit research project (PLSC 498 with a grade of B+ or better) in the first semester of the senior year, one graduate seminar in either the fall or spring semester, a six-credit thesis project (PLSC 499) and a successful defense of an honors thesis in the spring semester. Students should consult with the departmental honors director or the director of undergraduate studies for full information.
Independent Study and Internships
Independent study and internship courses are open only to juniors and seniors and, except for PLSC 394, require a substantial paper incorporating advanced political analysis. Students with internships should have junior standing, at least a 3.0 GPA and taken at least three PLSC courses appropriate for the internship in question. No credit is given for internships as such; students must do specific academic work to earn internship credit. In addition, students contemplating internships or independent study projects must secure prior approval for the research and writing they plan to undertake. For internship requirements and eligibility, consult the guidelines available from the department secretary or director of internships.