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Department of Political Science
Political Science Degree Plan

Major Degree Plan

Minor Degree Plan

Chair: Dr. Kent Tedin

The political science program focuses on the study of theories of government, government processes, and political forces that contribute to the formation, evolution, and operation of government. Students are offered a wide range of courses in several areas including political theory, comparative politics, international politics, American government, public law, public administration, and methodology. These areas draw on the related disciplines of economics, history, and sociology.

The study of political science assists students in developing reasoning and analytical skills and in building competence in oral and written expression. Students are also given the opportunity to learn research and methodology procedures, and are encouraged to become familiar with statistical analysis and use of the computer. All of this training will be useful to students, regardless of their career choices.

The Department of Political Science has designed its program not only to develop informed and active citizens, but also to be useful for those who plan careers in higher education, the legal profession, state and local government, urban planning, the federal bureaucracy, journalism, or any other field that requires critical thinking and analysis. Political science also provides an excellent background for those who wish to pursue advanced studies in business, law, or public administration.

State-Mandated Courses in American Government

Senate Bill 254, passed by the 54th Legislature and amended by House Bill 935 of the 60th Legislature, provides that no person may receive an undergraduate degree without having credit for six semester hours, or its equivalent, in the constitutions of the United States and Texas. The requirement may be satisfied:

1. By successfully completing POLS 1336 AND 1337.

2. By successfully completing either POLS 1336 or 1337 and three hours of advanced political science credit from the following:

   Substitutes for POLS 1336: POLS 3349, 3365, 3366, 3367.

   Substitutes for POLS 1337: 3355, 3364, 3369.

3. By receiving three hours of credit in American government by examination (AP or CLEP) and three additional hours of advanced political science credit from the subfields of public administration, public law, and American politics, or from POLS 3331, 3349, 4361, and 4366.

4. By successfully completing POLS 1336H and three additional hours of advanced political science credit from the subfields of public administration, public law, and American politics, or from POLS 3331, 3349, 4361, and 4366.

Political Science Major

Students must earn a minimum 2.00 grade point average in all courses in the major (required or elective) attempted at this university.

Students who choose to major in Political Science must also meet the university core requirements and the college core requirements for a Social Sciences Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree:

Requirements	Hours
30 hours, excluding POLS 1336, 1337      (at least 24 advanced), to include:
POLS 3310	3
POLS 3311, 3313, or 3315	3
POLS 3314, 3318, or 3319	3
POLS 3311, 3312, 3313, 3314,      3315, 3316, 3318, or 3319	3
POLS electives (advanced)	12
POLS electives (any level)	6

POLS 1336 and 1337 or equivalents may not be applied toward the major. Students must complete at least 15 of the required 30 semester hours in political science in residence at the University of Houston. Nine of these 15 hours must be advanced. Transferred credit to be counted toward the Political Science major requirements must have a grade of C- or better. No more than six total semester hours of grades of D in political science will be applied toward degree requirements in the major. No more than six semester hours of special problems courses and/or internships may be used to satisfy any major requirements in political science.

Students are encouraged to distribute course work in political science over several of the following areas: American politics, comparative politics, international politics, public administration, public law, political theory, and methodology.

For additional information, write call or visit our web site:

Department of Political Science
Attn: Undergraduate Advisor
University of Houston
Houston, TX 77204-3474
713-743-3890

www.politicalscience.uh.edu

Minor in Political Science

Requirements	Hours
18 hours (15 advanced) to include:
POLS 3310 or 3312	3
POLS 3311, 3313, or 3315	3
POLS 3314, 3318, or 3319	3
POLS electives (advanced)	6
POLS electives (any level)	3

POLS 1336 and 1337 or equivalents may not be applied toward the minor. Students must take nine semester hours, at least six of them advanced, in residence and earn a 2.00 minimum cumulative grade point average in all minor courses attempted at this university. No more than six semester hours of special problems courses and/or internships may be used to satisfy any minor requirements in political science. The proposed minor program must be approved by the undergraduate advisor in political science.

Recommended Courses for Pre-Law Training in Political Science

Please note that this information is not intended to preclude completion of other courses that may be offered on an irregular basis, such as selected topics courses, nor does it imply that completion of these courses alone will satisfy the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree requirements for graduation. The Political Science Department recommends the following courses within the structure of the University Core Curriculum, and the college and department requirements:

Core Requirements

Three hours of Math/Reasoning: PHIL 1321. Logic I

Six hours of core approved Social Sciences (at least three hours must be Writing Intensive)

ANTH 2302. Introduction to Cultural Anthropology

ECON 2304. Microeconomic Principles

ECON 2305. Macroeconomic Principles

GEOG 2340. World Realms

PSYC 1300. Introduction to Psychology

PSYC 2380. Introduction to Social Psychology

SOC 1300. Introduction to Sociology

Three hours of core approved Humanities:

HIST 2351. Western Civilization I

HIST 2353. Western Civilization II

PHIL 1301. Introduction to Philosophy

PHIL 1305. Introduction to Ethics

POLS 3340. Ancient and Medieval Political Thought

POLS 3341. Political Thought from Machiavelli to the           Renaissance

Nine hours of Social Sciences in addition to the six hour core requirement: (Reminder: These 15 hours must be selected from three fields outside the major.)

GEOG 4396. Geography and World Religion

SOC 3311. Sociology of Law

SOC 3312. Sociology of Deviance

SOC 3313. Criminology

Political Science:

POLS 3349. American Political Thought

POLS 3354. Law and Society

POLS 3356. Introduction to Constitutional Law

POLS 3357. Constitutional Law: Civil Liberties

POLS 3364. Legislative Process

ACCT 2331. Accounting Theory I

ACCT 2332. Operational Use of Financial Data

ENGL 3340. Advanced Composition

PHIL 3375. Law, Society and Morality

COMM 1331. Fundamentals of Public Speaking

COMM 3337. Argumentation and Debate

Address inquiries about pre-law counseling and training to:

Department of Political Science
Attn: Undergraduate Advisor
University of Houston
Houston, Texas 77204-3474

or

Department of Political Science
Attn: Pre-Law Advisor
University of Houston
Houston, Texas 77204-3474

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Undergraduate Catalog Online at University of Houston
Comments to: academics@uh.edu