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Political Science Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

The 72-credit major is designed for those with a more concentrated interest in government who do not wish to complete a structured minor or who may be interested in graduate study in political science.

There is also a 72-credit Pre-law option for students interested in law school or work as a paralegal. Contact a departmental advisor about this option.

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 100INTRODUCTION TO US POLITICS5
POLI 202INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY5
POLI 203INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS5
POLI 204INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL POLITICS5
Required Disciplinary Core Courses – 300-level35
At the 300 level, take 15 credits from one subfield, and 10 credits from the other two subfields (Subfield Distribution List below)
Subfield 1: 15 credits
Subfield 2: 10 credits
Subfield 3: 10 credits
Required 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. JUDICIAL PROCESS
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE
U.S. CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES
JURISPRUDENCE
BASIC CONCEPTS OF CRIMINAL LAW
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
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 490SENIOR CAPSTONE5
POLI 493PORTFOLIO ASSESSMENT2
Total Credits72


 

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 QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015MATH 1075
POLI 100 (Social Science BACR 1)5POLI 202 (Social Science BACR 2)5POLI 203 (Global Studies - graduation requirement)5
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Humanities & Arts BACR 215Natural Science BACR 115
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
POLI 2045Political Science Elective - 300-level25Political Science Elective - 300-level25
Political Science Elective - 300-level25Elective - minor, or general elective5Political Science Elective - 300-level25
Natural Science BACR 215Elective - minor, or general elective5Diversity - graduation requirement15
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Political Science Elective - 300-level25Political Science Elective - 300-level25Political Science Elective - 300-level25
Elective - minor, or general elective5Elective - minor, or general elective5Elective - minor, or general elective5
Elective - minor, or general elective5Elective - minor, or general elective5Elective - minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
POLI 4932Political Science Elective - 400-level35POLI 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5
Political Science Elective - 400-level35Elective - minor, or general elective5Elective - minor, or general elective5
Elective - minor, or general elective5Elective - minor, or general elective5Elective - minor, or general elective5
Elective - minor, or general elective3  
 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

Required Disciplinary Core Courses – 300-level: at the 300 level, take 15 credits from one subfield, and 10 credits from the other two subfields.

3

Required 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.

  1. 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).
  2. 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 from EWU should be able to:
  • analyze the values that underlie different forms of governments;
  • appraise political issues;
  • communicate about politics clearly and professionally;
  • critique foundational issues embedded in political questions;
  • explain how socioeconomic diversity plays a role in political affairs.