Tracks of Study

The Political Science Department offers the following suggested tracks of study and related coursework for students declaring the Political Science major:

Power, Citizenship, and Civic Engagement

Citizenship can be understood as the prerogatives and obligations attached to membership in a political community. As such it necessarily addresses questions of inclusion, exclusion and the politics of belonging. The Power, Citizenship and Civic Engagement Track focuses on how norms and rules of citizenship are defined and change over time, how citizens and non-citizens shape politics both formally and informally, and how citizenship practices, political participation and civic engagement may vary across time, place, groups, cultures.

Foundational Courses

  • 250 American Political Systems
  • 261 Intro to Political Theory
  • 291 Intro to Comparative Politics

Possible courses in this track

  • 321 Queer and Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Politics
  • 323 Urban Politics
  • 330 American Democracy and the Politics of Education
  • 346 Politics of Inequality
  • 347 Race, Politics and Public Policy
  • 353 State and Local Politics
  • 357 Health Policy
  • 361 Classical Political Thought
  • 362 Political Theory: Renaissance and Modern
  • 364 Contemporary Political Theory
  • 372 Comparative Political Thought
  • 399 Politics of Democratization
  • 427 Policy Making and Policy Analysis
  • 449 Politics and Social Change
  • 450 Parties, Campaigns and Elections
  • 453 Comparative Electoral Systems
  • 462 Renaissance and Modern Political Thought
  • 463 American Political Thought
  • 464 Contemporary Political Theory

Methods/Tool Skills

  • 366 Research in Politics

Senior Seminar recommendation

  • 431 American Politics & Public Policy
  • 433 Comparative Politics

Justice, Inequality, and Identity

Growing inequality in many areas of the world and the continuing struggles marginalized groups have waged against injustice highlight the importance of examining the concepts of justice, inequality, and identity. Courses in this track look at different conceptions of justice; dimensions of inequality; how political institutions and ideas can both cause and provide the resources to challenge injustice; the political context of injustice; and the ways different groups of people—racial, ethnic, class, sexuality, and gender-based—seek justice.

Possible courses in this track

  • 321 Queer and Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Politics
  • 323 African American Politics
  • 327 Urban Politics and Policy in the U.S.
  • 330 American Democracy and the Politics of Education
  • 345 Women and Politics
  • 346 Politics of Inequality
  • 347 Race, Politics and Public Policy
  • 348 Environmental Justice
  • 357 Health Policy
  • 390 The Politics of Development
  • 415 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights and Liberties
  • 449 Politics and Social Change
  • 464 Contemporary Political Theory
  • 469 Feminist Political Theory
  • 471 Race and Political Theory

Methods/Tool Skills

  • 366 Research in Politics

Global Affairs

The Global Affairs track focuses on studying international political, economic, and social issues. It also examines different countries in the world and how they interact with one another. Pick one of the issue areas, or mix and match across them.

PLSC 271 Foundation

Possible courses in this track

  • 310 Intl Security E. Asia
  • 312 Intl Rel S. Asia
  • 315 Why We Fight
  • 325 Quebec Politics
  • 370 Global Issues
  • 374 Comp Foreign Policy
  • 383 Pol Geography
  • 403 Eur Union Seminar
  • 404 Gangs, Org Crime and the Americas

Suggested research design course

  • 366 Research in Politics

Senior Seminar recommendation

  • 434 Intl Politics

Additional experiences/classes

  • 443/444 InternshipStudy Abroad

Classes outside Political Science

Classes which might complement these fields of study. These may give you a sense of what might be available. There is not guaranteed access for PLSC majors.

  • Language study
  • INTL 334 Intl Law
  • Regional Studies classes such as:(Anthro, History, INTL, CAN/AM Studies, East Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, MENA)

PLSC 271/291

Possible courses in this track

  • 309 Globalization
  • 346 Pol of Inequality
  • 370 Global Issues
  • 372 Intl Pol Economy
  • 390 Pol of Development
  • 399 Pol of Democratization
  • 436 Managing Env Commons

Suggested research design course

  • 366 Research in Politics

Senior Seminar recommendation

  • 433/434 Intl Politics or Comp Pol

Additional experiences/classes

  • 443/444 InternshipStudy Abroad

Classes outside Political Science

Classes which might complement these fields of study. These may give you a sense of what might be available. There is not guaranteed access for PLSC majors.

  • Language study
  • Econ classes such as: ECON 465 Dev Econ
  • SOC classes such as:SOC 348 Global Health
  • INTl classes such as:INTL 361 Into to Intl Eco and Business
  • EGEO classes:EGEO Env Problems and Reg Dev

PLSC 291 Foundation

Possible courses in this track

  • 301 British Parl Systems
  • 302 Western Europe
  • 307 Govt & Pol E. Asia
  • 308 African Pol Systems
  • 325 Quebec Politics
  • 402 Eur Society & Pol
  • 403 Eur Union
  • 406 Canadian Govt
  • 430 Chinese Pol
  • 452 Comp Pol Parties and Party Systems
  • 453 Comp Electoral Systems
  • 397 Politics of Mexico

Suggested research design course

  • 366 Research in Politics

Senior Seminar recommendation

  • 433 Comp Pol

Additional experiences/classes

  • 443/444 InternshipStudy Abroad

Classes outside Political Science

Classes which might complement these fields of study. These may give you a sense of what might be available. There is not guaranteed access for PLSC majors.

  • Language study
  • Regional Studies classes such as:(Anthro, History, INTL, CAN/AM Studies, East Asian Studies, Latin American Studies, MENA)
  • Economics classes such as ECON 389 Eco of Pacific Rim

Sustainability

Different approaches to how human societies can live within the boundaries of nature and the material world.  Sustainability refers to conservation of the earth’s ability to be inhabitable by humans and other species but also to the capacity of societies to create the conditions for economic development to occur, and the creation of communities where people of diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds can work together to solve common problems.  The sustainability track focuses particularly on the role played by politics and political institutions as societies sometimes succeed and sometimes fail in resolving environmental problems in this more broadly conceived manner.

Possible courses in this track

  • 348 Environmental Justice
  • 353 State and Local Government
  • 370 Global Issues
  • 372 International Political Economy
  • 383 Political Geography
  • 420 Environmental Politics
  • 427 PolicyMaking and Policy Analysis
  • 435 SpecialTopicsinEnvironmentalPolitics
  • 436 Managing Environmental Commons
  • 449 Politics and Social Change
  • 489 Managing An International Ecosystem

Methods/Tool Skills

  • 366 Research in Politics

Senior Seminar recommendation

  • 431 American Politics & Public Policy
  • 433 Comparative Politics
  • 434 International Relations

Possible courses in this track

321 Queer and Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Politics
345 Women and Politics
346 Politics of Inequality
347 Race, Politics and Public Policy
390 The Politics of Development
399 The Politics of Democratization
403 The European Union and the Process of European Integration

Methods/Tool Skills

  • 366 Research in Politics

Senior Seminar recommendation

  • 431 American Politics & Public Policy
  • 433 Comparative Politics
  • 434 International Relations

Law

Law is an essential component of every state-based political system in the world.  Governments use law to regulate not only the behavior of individuals and groups, but also to impose limits on themselves under the “rule of law,” an indispensable feature of all democratic governments.  The two tracks in law suggest courses that will help students examine how law is used in various contexts within government, society, and human affairs more broadly.

Foundational courses

  • 250 American Political System
  • 311 Introduction to Law & the Legal System (recommended)
  • 314 U.S. Supreme Court (prerequisite to 414 & 415 below)

Possible Political Science courses in this track

  • 261 Introduction to Political Theory
  • 321 Queer & Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Politics
  • 414 Constitutional Law: Separation of Powers & Federalism
  • 415 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights & Liberties
  • 423 The American Presidency
  • 463 American Political Thought
  • 444 Administrative Internships

Capstone course (recommended)

  • 467 Philosophical & Ethical Issues in Law

Foundational courses

  • 250 American Political System
  • 313 Law, Courts, Politics, Society
  • 314 U.S. Supreme Court (recommended)

Possible Political Science courses in this track

  • 321 Queer & Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Politics
  • 345 Women & Politics
  • 346 Politics of Inequality
  • 347 Race, Politics, & Public Policy
  • 348 Environmental Justice
  • 353 State & Local Politics
  • 415 Constitutional Law: Civil Rights & Liberties
  • 427 Policy Making & Policy Analysis
  • 436 Managing Environmental Commons
  • 444 Administrative Internships
  • 449 Politics & Social Change
  • 463 American Political Thought
  • 469 Feminist Political Theory
  • 471 Race & Political Theory

Capstone course (recommended)

  • 467 Philosophical & Ethical Issues in Law