Mar 28, 2024  
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2014-2015 
    
Loyola Marymount University Bulletin 2014-2015 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Political Science, B.A.


Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Academic Degrees and Programs

Objectives


The Department challenges and encourages students to:

  • Be perceptive observers of political life in all its variety and richness;
  • Seek a systematic understanding of the causes and consequences of political institutions, policies, and behavior;
  • Develop a moral and ethical perspective that allows them to critically evaluate actions, institutions, and policies; and
  • Prepare themselves for a life of active citizenship and involvement in creating a more just and humane world.

The Department challenges and encourages its faculty to:

  • Master the art of teaching;
  • Contribute to their profession as active scholars and researchers; and
  • Promote an atmosphere of care and concern for each student inside and outside the classroom.

Both faculty and students share a responsibility for creating a lively and diverse community of scholars marked by civility, mutual respect, and support.

Political Science Student Learning Outcomes


 The Political Science Department strives to help all majors:

  1. Demonstrate a broad and deep understanding of politics and political science
  2. Possess the skills necessary to think critically and communicate effectively about politics
  3. Exhibit a commitment to active citizenship and a just society

Major Requirements


Political Science majors are required to take one social science course from outside the major. The course may be a lower or upper level course in Economics, Geography, Psychology, Sociology, Urban Studies, or any course that satisfies the Understanding Human Behavior requirement of the University Core.

A. Lower Division Requirements: 4 courses (12 semester hours)


  1. Students must take two of the following three courses: POLS 135 , POLS 155 , and POLS 165 .
  2. Students must take POLS 210  and POLS 220 .
  3. An average grade of C (2.0) must be obtained in these courses.

B. Upper Division Requirements: 6 courses (24 semester hours)


  1. Students take at least one 500-level seminar.
  2. An average grade of C (2.0) must be obtained in courses included in the major.

C. Additional Requirements


  1. Students must take at least four 4-semester-hour courses to complete the major.

Total: 36 semester hours


Honors in Political Science


Students who attain a GPA of 3.7 or higher, both overall and in the major, are automatically eligible to enroll in the POLS 581 Honors Seminar  in the Fall of their senior year and write an POLS 591 Honors Thesis  in the Spring of their senior year. Other students may be invited to pursue Honors by the faculty. The Honors Seminar is a prerequisite for the Honors Thesis. Students who attain a grade of A- or higher for the Honors Thesis will graduate with Honors in Political Science. Both the Honors Seminar and Honors Thesis count toward the 24 semester hours of upper division course work required of majors.

Political Science Model Four-Year Plan


The normal course load is 14-16 semester hours (4-5 classes). By following the model below, a student interested in completing the major will complete all lower division core requirements by the end of the sophomore year, as well as most major prerequisites. Note that core areas are suggested to provide a distribution of various disciplines every semester. Please be flexible implementing these suggestions, given your own interests and course availability. In four years, this plan meets all common graduation requirements.

Freshman Year


Fall Semester


Total: 15 semester hours

Spring Semester


Total: 15 semester hours

Sophomore Year


Fall Semester


Total: 15 semester hours

Spring Semester


Total: 15 semester hours

Junior Year


Fall Semester


  • POLS Upper Division 4 semester hours
  • POLS Upper Division 4 semester hours
  • University Core 3 semester hours
  • Upper Division Elective 3 semester hours
  • Elective 3 semester hours
Total: 14 semester hours

Spring Semester


  • POLS Upper Division 4 semester hours
  • University Core 3 semester hours
  • Upper Division Elective 3 semester hours
  • Upper Division Elective 3 semester hours
  • Elective 3 semester hours
Total: 16 semester hours

Senior Year


Fall Semester


  • POLS Upper Division 4 semester hours
  • University Core 3 semester hours
  • Upper Division Elective 3 semester hours
  • Upper Division Elective 3 semester hours
  • Elective 3 semester hours
Total: 16 semester hours

Spring Semester


  • POLS Upper Division Area Requirement 4 semester hours
  • POLS 500 Level 4 semester hours
  • University Core 3 semester hours
  • Elective 3 semester hours
Total: 14 semester hours

Note:


Once a student has enrolled at LMU and declared a Political Science major or minor, only LMU course work or courses from an LMU-approved study abroad program will be accepted for the major or minor.

Students may take no more than 30 upper division semester hours in any one department, except for Political Science, where the maximum is 32, and Philosophy, where the maximum is 39.

Return to {$returnto_text} Return to: Academic Degrees and Programs