Program: Political Science, B.S. - Middle Tennessee State University

Apr 04, 2025

2023-2024 Undergraduate Catalog

Political Science and International Relations
615-898-2720
Steven Livingston, program coordinator
Steven.Livingston@mtsu.edu

Students majoring in Political Science can choose a general focus or a concentration in either Public Policy and Management or Pre-law.

Academic Map

Following is a printable, suggested four-year schedule of courses:

Political Science, B.S., Academic Map

Degree Requirements

General Education	41 hours
Major Requirements	37 hours*
Minor 1	15-18 hours
Minor 2	15-18 hours
Electives	6-15 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

*This program requires courses that can also fulfill requirements of the General Education curriculum. If program requirements are also used to fulfill General Education requirements, the number of elective hours will increase.

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements include Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

The following courses required by the program meet General Education requirements:

PS 1005 or PS 1010 (Soc/Beh Sci)

Major Requirements (37 hours)

The major in Political Science requires a 2.00 GPA.

PS 1005 - Introduction to American Politics 3 credit hours
PS 1010 - Introduction to Global Politics 3 credit hours
PS 2000 - Political Science and International Relations as a Profession 1 credit hour
PS 3001 - Research Methods in Political Science 3 credit hours
PS 4800 - Senior Seminar 3 credit hours

Political Science electives (15 hours)

Minor 1 (15-18 hours)

Minor 2 (15-18 hours)

Electives (6-15 hours)

Curriculum: Political Science, B.S.

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
PS 1005 - Introduction to American Politics 3 credit hours
PS 1010 - Introduction to Global Politics 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci)
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences (2 prefixes) 8 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
General elective 3 credit hours
Mathematics 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Sophomore

ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - World Literatures 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
PS 2000 - Political Science and International Relations as a Profession 1 credit hour
PS 3001 - Research Methods in Political Science 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
Minor courses 9 credit hours
PS 3210 - International Relations 3 credit hours OR
PS 3220 - Comparative Politics 3 credit hours
Choose 6 hours from:
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours
HIST 2040 - Survey African American History I 3 credit hours
HIST 2050 - Survey African American History II 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Junior

PS 3050 - The U.S. Presidency 3 credit hours OR
PS 3060 - The U.S. Congress 3 credit hours OR
PS 3250 - Public Management 3 credit hours OR
PS 3330 - Political Parties 3 credit hours OR
PS 3370 - American Constitutional Law I: Government Powers 3 credit hours
PS electives 9 credit hours
Minor courses 15 credit hours
PS 4230 - Classical Political Theory 3 credit hours OR
PS 4700 - American Political Thought 3 credit hours OR
PS 4920 - Modern Political Theory 3 credit hours OR
PS 4930 - Introduction to Contemporary Political Philosophy 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

PS 4800 - Senior Seminar 3 credit hours
PS electives 6 credit hours
Electives 6 credit hours
Minor courses 12 credit hours

Political Science, B.S.