The Political Science BA has a general degree track, and two tracks representing important sub-fields of political science: American Politics/Public Law and Global Politics. All three tracks are designed to prepare students for professional careers in the public or private sector, or graduate or professional study.
Federal, state and local governments are important employers of political science graduates. In the private sector, including nonprofits, the increasing interaction with government creates a growing demand for graduates with an understanding of political systems, domestically and internationally. Political Science, Law, and Public Administration are common graduate fields of study for our graduates.
General Information
The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science requires the following:
- A minimum of 36 credit hours of PSC course work. At least 21 of those hours must be upper division (courses numbered 3000 or higher).
- At least 30 hours of PSC courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better. No grade below a C- may apply to the major.
- A minimum 2.0 GPA must be maintained in all PSC course work.
- No more than 60 credit hours of PSC course work may apply to the bachelor’s degree.
- A Senior Portfolio and exit exam must be completed prior to graduation.
Additional course work is required to complete the Political Science, BA degree. Please see the advising guide on the Academic Advising website for more information.
Political Science Major Options
The following options, or tracks, may be added to the Political Science major. Options may have different course, grade, GPA, or hour requirements. See below for more information.
- General
- American Politics
- Global Politics
Learning Outcomes
- Students will demonstrate basic knowledge and understanding of the content materials relative to their studies in Political Science.
- Conduct scholarly research in Political Science.
- Apply knowledge of political processes and political methodology.
- Communicate an understanding of political outcomes, processes, and methodology.
Departmental Honors
The Department of Political Science offers honors for students who have demonstrated high academic achievement. In order to be awarded departmental honors, a student must:
- Have an overall CU GPA of 3.0 or higher.
- Have a 3.5 or higher in political science courses.
- Submit a major research paper prepared for any upper division political science course to a member of the faculty of the department. The paper will be read by at least two of the department faculty and if the faculty deems the paper of sufficient merit, the student will be awarded honors.
There are three levels of honors awarded dependent on completion of these requirements and Political Science GPA.
- Distinction: 3.5 to 3.69
- High Distinction: 3.7 to 3.89
- Highest Distinction: 3.9 or above
Internships
Internships provide students hands-on experience in the public sector, providing greater appreciation for the complexity of politics, policy making, and the legal system. A minimum GPA of 3.2 and permission of a faculty member are required prior to enrollment.
The department places students in three kinds of internships:
- PSC 9480 - Political Science Internship : Pre-law, up to 3 credit hours. Interested students should see Professor Dunn.
- PSC 3480 - Legislative Internship : Legislative, with U.S. or Colorado legislators, up to 3 credit hours. Interested students should see Professor Postell or Professor Hagedorn.
- PSC 3980 - Internship: Public Administration : Public agency internships in governmental or nonprofit agencies, up to 3 credit hours. Interested students should see Professor Postell or Professor Hagedorn.
CU in D.C.
As a part of the larger University of Colorado system, we have access to a unique program in Washington, D.C. called CU in D.C., https://cuindc.colorado.edu/. This program provides students with an opportunity to earn UCCS credit with CU faculty in Washington while also interning in our nation’s capital. We have placed UCCS interns in House and Senate offices, media outlets, and think tanks. Interested students should see Professor Hagedorn.
Double Majors
The Political Science major provides an ideal second major. While a Political Science major can be added to any other major, specific agreements exist with:
Philosophy and Political Science Double Major
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