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  1. Home
  2. School of Public Affairs
  3. Political Science (B.A.)

Courses Overview

Be sure to refer to the Suggested Academic Plan and consult with your adviser regarding the proper sequence of courses.

The Bachelor of Arts in Political Science is a liberal arts degree designed to cultivate the broad knowledge, critical thinking and research and communication skills students need to be leaders in a complex and changing world. Students have wide latitude to customize their course work to their interest and career goals. Bachelor of Arts candidates are required to complete 12 credits of a language other than English in fulfillment of the University’s language requirement.

The major is designed to ensure that students have exposure to the different subfields within political science, namely American Politics, Political Theory, Comparative Politics and International Relations. Accordingly, students typically take an introductory course in each of these fields. Students are then encouraged to explore further their interest by taking intermediate courses on topics of their choice, such as Rights in America, Comparative Violence, or State, Society and Public Policy. These courses offer unique curricular topics that allow students to create analytical links across different courses. 

In order to graduate, students also need to take five advanced political science courses (at the 400 level). Here, too, students can tailor their course choice to a focus of their choice or continue to explore a wide range of topics. Most courses at this level cluster around different areas of study. We offer courses regarding the US political institutions and processes (Congress, the Presidency, the Judicial system, etc.), regarding Law and Politics (Constitutional Law, Civil Rights and Liberties, etc.), regarding International Studies (US Foreign Policy, International Politics of the Middle East, International Migration, etc.) and regarding International Security (National Security Policies, etc.). 


This page is not a part of the official Penn State University Bulletin.

Political Science (B.A.)

  • Curriculum
  • Courses Overview
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  • Program Contacts

See Also

  • Suggested Academic Plan
  • Brochure (PDF)
  • Political Science Honor Society
  • Request More Information
  • Political Science (B.A.) and Public Policy (B.S.) Internships
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Penn State Harrisburg

A comprehensive college in southcentral Pennsylvania offering more than 70 undergraduate and graduate programs.
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