Political Science with Pre-Law Option Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Entrance into law school does not depend on the completion of any particular set of undergraduate requirements, but rather on the attainment of a bachelor’s degree in a recognized field of study, a sufficient GPA, and a satisfactory score on the Law School Admission Test. Any bachelor's degree program can work to prepare one for law school, but social sciences are particularly useful for preparation for law school. A balanced preparation for the study of law should include exposure to the traditional liberal arts disciplines and the development of skills in verbal and written communication and in logical thinking.
Since many students interested in law combine that interest with a similar one in public affairs, the Department of Political Science and Public Policy offers a special option major designed especially to meet the needs of pre-law students.
This option is for students who are interested in pursuing a career in law or law-related professions. Its core courses focus on the U.S. legal system, including the U.S. Constitution, civil rights, and judicial processes. Students will graduate well-prepared to explore law school or a career as a paralegal.
Note: no substitutions for core courses.
World Language Requirement: Two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.
| Required Introductory Courses | ||
| POLI 100 | INTRODUCTION TO US POLITICS | 5 |
| POLI 202 | INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY | 5 |
| POLI 203 | INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS | 5 |
| POLI 204 | INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL POLITICS | 5 |
| Pre-Law Core | ||
| POLI 300 | U.S. JUDICIAL PROCESS | 5 |
| POLI 302 | CRIMINAL PROCEDURE | 5 |
| POLI 306 | BASIC CONCEPTS OF CRIMINAL LAW | 5 |
| Disciplinary Core Courses – 300-level | 20 | |
| At the 300 level, take 10 credits from one subfield, and 5 credits from each of the other two subfields (Subfield Distribution List below) | ||
| Subfield 1: 10 credits | ||
| Subfield 2: 5 credits | ||
| Subfield 3: 5 credits | ||
| Disciplinary Core Courses – 400-level | 10 | |
| At the 400 level (below 470), take 5 credits from each of two separate subfields (Subfield Distribution List below) | ||
| Subfield 1: 5 credits | ||
| Subfield 2: 5 credits | ||
| Subfield Distribution Lists | ||
| American Government and Politics | ||
| U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES | ||
| JURISPRUDENCE | ||
| U.S. CONSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM | ||
| AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT | ||
| FEDERALISM, STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS | ||
| THE U.S. PRESIDENCY | ||
| PUBLIC MANAGEMENT | ||
| U.S. CONGRESS | ||
| U.S. POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTIONS | ||
| MOCK TRIAL I | ||
| TOPICS IN AMERICAN POLITICS | ||
| MOCK TRIAL II | ||
| PLANNING LAW AND LEGISLATION | ||
| International Relations/Comparative Politics | ||
| INTERNATIONAL SYSTEMS | ||
| INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS | ||
| INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY | ||
| U.S. FOREIGN POLICY | ||
| COMPARATIVE AND INTERNATIONAL WATER POLICY | ||
| EUROPEAN POLITICS | ||
| POLITICS OF DEVELOPMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY | ||
| POLITICS OF THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA | ||
| POLITICS OF SOUTH ASIA | ||
| TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND COMPARATIVE POLITICS | ||
| GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS | ||
| POLITICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST | ||
| Political Philosophy | ||
| JURISPRUDENCE | ||
| ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL POLITICAL THOUGHT | ||
| MODERN WESTERN POLITICAL THOUGHT | ||
| AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT | ||
| MARX AND MARXISM | ||
| NATIONS, NATIONALISM AND PATRIOTISM | ||
| TOPICS IN POLITICAL THEORY | ||
| Required Senior Level Courses | ||
| POLI 490 | SENIOR CAPSTONE | 5 |
| POLI 493 | PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT | 2 |
| Total Credits | 72 | |
Plan of Study
The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.
Courses could be offered in different terms, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.
This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.
| First Year | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| ENGL 101 | 5 | ENGL 201 | 5 | MATH 107 | 5 |
| POLI 100 (Social Science BACR 1) | 5 | POLI 202 (Social Science BACR 2) | 5 | POLI 203 (Global Studies - graduation requirement) | 5 |
| Humanities & Arts BACR 11 | 5 | Humanities & Arts BACR 21 | 5 | Natural Science BACR 11 | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Second Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| POLI 204 | 5 | POLI 300 | 5 | Political Science Elective - 300-level2 | 5 |
| Political Science Elective - 300-level2 | 5 | POLI 302 | 5 | Diversity - graduation requirement1 | 5 |
| Natural Science BACR 21 | 5 | Political Science Elective - 300-level2 | 5 | Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Third Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| Political Science Elective - 300-level2 | 5 | POLI 306 | 5 | Political Science Elective - 400-level4 | 5 |
| Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 | Political Science Elective - 400-level4 | 5 | Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 |
| Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 |
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Fourth Year | |||||
| Fall Quarter | Credits | Winter Quarter | Credits | Spring Quarter | Credits |
| POLI 493 | 2 | Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 | POLI 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement) | 5 |
| Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 |
| Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 | Elective - minor, or general elective | 5 |
| Elective - minor, or general elective | 3 | ||||
| 15 | 15 | 15 | |||
| Total Credits 180 | |||||
- 1
University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.
- 2
Disciplinary Core - 300 level: At the 300 level, take 10 credits from one subfield, and 5 credits from each of the other two subfields.
- 3
Disciplinary Core Courses – 400-level: at the 400 level (below 470), take 5 credits from each of two separate subfields.
University Competencies and Proficiencies
English
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB
General Education Requirements (GER)
- Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours
- 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
- 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
- Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0
Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)
Humanities and Arts
Natural Sciences
Social Sciences
University Graduation Requirements (UGR)
Diversity Course List
World Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List
Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term expected to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).
Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.
- The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Core Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
- The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.
Students who earn a BA in Political Science with Pre-Law from EWU should be able to:
- appraise political issues;
- communicate about politics clearly and professionally;
- explain how socioeconomic diversity plays a role in political affairs;
- critique foundational issues embedded in political questions;
- analyze the values that underlie different forms of governments.