Social Sciences - Political Science Emphasis BA/BS

The Social Sciences major integrates three social science emphases (Anthropology, Political Science, and Sociology) into a comprehensive program designed to enhance students’ understanding of the world through the application of social scientific scholarship to domestic, regional, and global problems as well as issues of diversity. The major provides practical insights into why and how the world in which we live operates in the way it does. 

The political science emphasis focuses on political behavior and political institutions at the local, state, national, and international levels by examining governments, power, and policies. Lower-level courses introduce students to the major theoretical perspectives and fields of study in political science (comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and U.S. politics) and upper-level courses focus on topical areas within these fields such as globalization and the state, gender and politics, international political economy, and political psychology.

In addition to preparing students for graduate school in one of the specific social sciences emphases, the Social Sciences major can prepare students for careers in the non-profit sector, human services, law, politics, journalism, cultural resource management, and business. The major’s multidisciplinary focus and emphasis on developing sound research and writing skills prepares students for a wide variety of positions in the public and private sectors.

General Education Requirements

Written Communication
Select one of the following:6.00
WRITING AND RHETORIC I
and WRITING AND RHETORIC II
COLLEGE WRITING AND RESEARCH
Oral Communication
Select one from the following:3.00
FUNDAMENTALS OF ORAL COMMUNICATION
SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Mathematical Ways of Knowing
Select one of the following:3.00-5.00
MATH IN MODERN SOCIETY
FINITE MATHEMATICS
PRECALCULUS I: ALGEBRA
PRECALCULUS
STATISTICAL REASONING
CALCULUS I
STATISTICAL METHODS FOR THE SCIENCES
MATHEMATICS FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS II
FINITE MATHEMATICS
MATH FOR TECHNOLOGY
STATISTICAL REASONING
Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing
Select one course from two categories:6.00-8.00
Literature
LITERATURE AND IDEAS
WORLD CLASSICS
INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE
NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE
MYTHOLOGIES
Arts
INTRODUCTION TO ART
THE ART AND HISTORY OF THE MOTION PICTURE
INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTS
SURVEY OF MUSIC
MUSIC IN AMERICA
WORLD MUSIC
HISTORY OF MUSICAL THEATER
SURVEY OF THE THEATER
Language
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY
ELEMENTARY SPANISH I
ELEMENTARY SPANISH II
Scientific Ways of Knowing
Select one course from two disciplines; one lab7.00-8.00
INTRODUCTION TO BIOINFORMATICS
CONCEPTS OF BIOLOGY
PLANTS AND PEOPLE
BIOLOGY IN FILM
HUMAN BIOLOGY
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I
CONCEPTS OF CHEMISTRY
GENERAL, ORGANIC AND BIOCHEMISTRY
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE
INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC SCIENCE
PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SYSTEMS
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
INTEGRATED SCIENCE II
INTEGRATED SCIENCE I
INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL SCIENCES 1
NATURAL SCIENCE FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATOR
GENERAL PHYSICS I
GENERAL PHYSICS II
PHYS SCIENCES FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATORS
DESCRIPTIVE ASTRONOMY
PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS I
Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing
Select one course from two disciplines:6.00
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
WORLD PREHISTORY
INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES
PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY
WORLD HISTORY I
WORLD HISTORY II
UNITED STATES HISTORY I
UNITED STATES HISTORY II
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS
INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS
Global Perspectives
Select one of the following:3.00-4.00
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
WORLD PREHISTORY
INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES
RACE AND ETHNICITY
INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE
NATIVE AMERICAN WRITTEN LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY
WORLD HISTORY I
WORLD HISTORY II
UNITED STATES HISTORY I
UNITED STATES HISTORY II
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
ETHICS AND IDENTITY
SOCIAL-CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SPORTS
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
Integrative Seminar: Ethics & Values
Select one of the following:3.00
ID 300A - 300Z (see course descriptions for options)
HELLS CANYON INSTITUTE
Foreign/Heritage Language
Select 8 credits of language8.00
Total Credits45.00-51.00

Program Requirements

Major Courses
Social Sciences Research Skills Component:
POLS-200SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY3.00
SS-385RESEARCH METHODS3.00
SS-499SEMINAR IN SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HISTORY3.00
Select one of the following:3.00
ETHNOGRAPHY
KEYS TO HISTORICAL RESEARCH
STATISTICAL METHODS
Political Science Emphasis:
POLS-101AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT3.00
POLS-237INTERNATIONAL POLITICS3.00
POLS-285COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT3.00
Complete 15 credits of POLS courses, 300/400 level15.00
Complete 12 credits ANTH, HIST, JS, PSYC, SOC, SS 200 level or above; 9 must be 300 level or above12.00
Select 3 credits each from ANTH, HIST, and SOC
Electives
Select 27 elective credits 27.00
Total Credits75.00

Sequential Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
COREMathematical Ways of Knowing 3.00
COREOral Communication 3.00
CORESocial & Behavioral Ways of Knowing 3.00
ENGL-101 WRITING AND RHETORIC I 3.00
POLS-101 AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 1.00
 Credits16.00
Spring
COREGlobal Perspectives 3.00
COREHumanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing 3.00
CORESocial & Behavioral Ways of Knowing 3.00
ENGL-102 WRITING AND RHETORIC II 3.00
POLS-237 INTERNATIONAL POLITICS 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 1.00
 Credits16.00
Second Year
Fall
COREScientific Ways of Knowing 3.00
COREHumanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing 3.00
POLS-200 SOCIAL AND POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY 3.00
POLS-285 COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT 3.00
SPAN-101
ELEMENTARY SPANISH I
or NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
4.00
 Credits16.00
Spring
COREScientific Ways of Knowing 4.00
Program RequirementSelect POLS 300/400 Level 3.00
Program RequirementSocial Science Course 200/300/400 Level 1 3.00
SPAN-102
ELEMENTARY SPANISH II
or NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY
4.00
ElectiveElective Credits 2.00
 Credits16.00
Third Year
Fall
COREIntegrative Seminar: Ethics & Values 3.00
Program RequirementSelect POLS 300/400 Level 3.00
Program RequirementANTH-386, HIST-200 or SS-300 3.00
Program RequirementSocial Science Course 300/400 Level 2 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 4.00
 Credits16.00
Spring
Program RequirementSelect POLS 300/400 Level 3.00
Program RequirementSocial Science Course 300/400 Level 2 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 4.00
 Credits16.00
Fourth Year
Fall
SS-385 RESEARCH METHODS 3.00
Program RequirementSelect POLS 300/400 Level 3.00
Program RequirementSocial Science Course 300/400 Level 2 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
 Credits12.00
Spring
Program RequirementSelect POLS 300/400 Level 3.00
SS-499 SEMINAR IN SOCIAL SCIENCE AND HISTORY 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
 Credits12.00
 Total Credits120.00
1

Social Science course may come from the following disciplines: ANTH, HIST, JS, PSYC, SOC or SS.

2

Social Science course may come from the following disciplines: ANTH, HIST or SOC.

Graduates with a BA/BS Social Sciences with Political Science Emphasis go on to obtain careers in a variety of fields:

  • Campaign Officials
  • Education
  • International Affairs
  • Lobbyists
  • Law Enforcement
  • Municipal Positions
  • Research Assistants