Undergraduate Political Science Studies
Requirements for the Major in Political Science

The political science major requires no special background knowledge beyond a general understanding of civics, history, and government; however, solid writing abilities and some quantitative skills are an asset.

The political science program at John Carroll University is highly flexible in structure, affording students the ability to pursue focused inquiries into their own specialized areas of interest, or to acquire teaching certification, an interdisciplinary concentration, or a double major.

POLITICAL SCIENCE MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

I. Study begins with an overview of the four basic fields of the discipline:

• United States Politics (PO101)

• Comparative Politics (PO102)

• International Relations (PO103)

• Political Theory (PO104)

II. Required Additional Courses. In addition to these introductory courses, majors must also complete a course in research methodology (PO300) by the end of the junior year, and a senior capstone course (PO400) in their senior year.

III. Other Requirements: Twenty-one hours of elective coursework at the 200-, 300-, and 400-level are also required, with no more than 9 hours at the 200-level, and at least one at the 400-level (excluding PO 403). Electives may be concentrated in one area, or distributed across several areas. AR 291 (Justice and Democracy in a Global Context) also counts toward the major in Political Science.

For questions concerning the Political Science Undergraduate Major at John Carroll University, please contact the Political Science Department at (216) 397-4311.