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CLASS 2024 Political Science

Political Science is the study of the organization and behavior of people, groups, and institutions which make up our government and the larger political system. The program is designed to introduce students to questions, perspectives, and arguments about the political forces that shape their lives. As such, the program has value for Liberal Studies students as well as for those who may choose the discipline as a major field of study. Students find the substance and the methods of the discipline useful in the legal, business, civic, communications, governmental, and academic professions, as well as any endeavors that draw them into public service.

Program Requirements Quarter Hours
Liberal Studies Requirements 84
​Major Requirements 56
​Open Electives 52
Total hours required 192

Learning Outcomes

​Students will be able to:

  • Describe and explain core concepts within the field of political science in their local, national, and international contexts (mastery of content).
  • Analyze a given political issue from multiple perspectives and/or theoretical approaches (critical thinking).
  • Compose clear and well-organized explanations of political phenomena and support these explanations with evidence (articulate expression).
  • Evaluate political institutions, attitudes, and behavior with regards to social justice (moral reasoning).

College Core Requirements

Study in the Major Field

The student’s course of study in the College consists of three parts: Liberal Studies, the major field, and electives. Together these three parts contribute to the liberal education of the student which is the common purpose of all study in the College. By “liberal education” the College understands not only a deep and thorough knowledge of a particular area of study but a knowledge of the diverse areas of study represented by criticism, history, the arts, the behavioral  and social sciences, philosophy, religious studies, the natural science, and mathematics. 

The major field program generally is built upon a set of core courses and a specialized “concentration.” The number of courses required for a major varies by department. Most students go beyond the minimum requirements, electing additional courses which both broaden and deepen their understanding of their chosen discipline. 

Because no academic major program is built in isolation, students are required to pursue a number of electives of the student’s choice. The inherent flexibility of this curriculum demands that the student consult an academic advisor at each stage in the total program and at least once prior to each registration.

Students will be prompted to visit the College Office for their official graduation check early in their senior year.

Declaration of Major, Minor and Concentration

All students in the College are required to declare a major field prior to beginning their junior year. The student will then be assigned a faculty advisor in the major field department or program and should make an appointment to see that advisor at his or her earliest convenience. 

Students must declare or change majors, minors, and concentrations, via Campus Connection. However, for the purpose of exploring the possibility of changing a major field, the student should consult an academic advisor in the Office for Academic Advising Support.

The Modern Language Requirement (MLR)  

All students will be required to demonstrate competence in a modern language (i.e., a language other than English) equivalent to the proficiency attained from one year of college-level language study. This Modern Language Requirement (MLR) may be demonstrated by:

  • placing into 104 or above on the DePaul language placement exam
  • completing the last course or earning AP/IB credit for the last course in the first-year college sequence of any language (e.g. 103 for DePaul language classes)
  • completing a college course or earning AP/IB credit for a college course beyond the first-year level in any language (e.g. 104 or above for DePaul language classes)
  • completing the final course of a four-year sequence of the same modern language in high school*
  • completing a proctored exam by BYU and passing the exam (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)
  • completing a proctored Written Proficiency Test (WPT) by Language Testing International (LTI) and achieving a score of Beginner High or above (see the Department of Modern Languages website for registration details)

*Students are strongly encouraged to take the DePaul language placement exam even if they have met the MLR via study of a language in high school. This will ensure continuation of language study at the proper level.

Please note: Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Requirement.

Students who complete an Inter-College Transfer (ICT) to the College will abide by the MLR in place on the effective date of the ICT, regardless of when they first matriculated at DePaul.

Students who have met the MLR and wish to pursue further work in the language may elect the “Modern Language Option” (see below).

The Modern Language Option (MLO)

The Modern Language Option is available to all BA students who wish to study a modern language beyond the level required by their College, and to all other undergraduate students without a modern language requirement who wish to study a language at any level. 

Students selecting the MLO may substitute a sequence of three courses in the same language for three domain courses. 

The three MLO substitutions must be made in three different domains, and any substitutions must be consistent with the principle that students complete at least one course in each learning domain.

MLO substitutions may not be used to replace requirements in the Math & Computing, and Scientific Inquiry, domains. ​

Students majoring in one modern language may use the Modern Language Option for study of a second language at the Intermediate level or above.

Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Option.

NOTE: Please contact your college/school regarding additional information and restrictions about the Modern Language Option.

External Credit and Residency

A student who has been admitted to the College begins residency within the college as of the first day of classes of the term in which the student is registered. Students in residence, whether attending on a full-time or part-time basis, may not take courses away from DePaul University without the written permission of the college. Permission must be obtained in advance of registration to avoid loss of credit or residency in the college; see the LAS website for more information. 

Liberal Studies Requirements

Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year ProgramHours
Chicago Quarter
LSP 110
DISCOVER CHICAGO
or EXPLORE CHICAGO
4
Focal Point
LSP 112 FOCAL POINT SEMINAR 4
Writing
WRD 103 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 2 4
WRD 104 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 2 4
Quantitative Reasoning
MAT 120 QUANTITATIVE REASONING 3 4
Sophomore Year
Race, Power, and Resistance
LSP 200 SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE 4
Junior Year
Experiential Learning
Required 4
Senior Year
Capstone
PSC 390 CAPSTONE SEMINAR 1, 2 4
1

A student whose only major is Political Science is required to complete the Capstone offered by the Political Science Department. A student who is double majoring (or pursuing dual degrees) with the primary major (or primary degree) in Political Science may substitute the Capstone of the secondary major or degree. A Political Science major in the University Honors Program shall take only the University Honors Capstone, not both the Honors Capstone and the Political Science Capstone.​​

2

Students must earn a C- or better in this course.

3

Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain.  The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned  in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135MAT 136MAT 147MAT 148MAT 149MAT 150MAT 151MAT 152 MAT 155MAT 156MAT 160MAT 161MAT 162 MAT 170MAT 171MAT 172, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill any of the three QR/MCD requirements.

Learning Domains

Arts and Literature (AL)

  • 3 Courses Required

Historical Inquiry (HI)

  • 2 Courses Required

Math and Computing (MC)

  • 2 Courses Required
    [1 CR Course and PSC 205 or SOC 279]​

Philosophical Inquiry (PI)

  • 2 Courses Required

Religious Dimensions (RD)

  • 2 Courses Required

Scientific Inquiry (SI)

  • 2 Courses Required
    [1 Lab Course and 1 SWK Course]​

Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)  

  • 1 Course Required

Notes

A student whose only major is Political Science is required to complete the Capstone offered by the Political Science Department. A student who is double majoring (or pursuing dual degrees) with the primary major (or primary degree) in Political Science may substitute the Capstone of the secondary major or degree. A Political Science major in the University Honors Program shall take only the University Honors Capstone, not both the Honors Capstone and the Political Science Capstone.​​

Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who choose to take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as a general elective or the Experiential Learning requirement.

In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.

Major Requirements

Political Science majors must complete the requirements for one of the following four concentrations: Standard, American Politics, International Politics, or Law and Theory.  Each concentration requires courses drawn from different subfields of Political Science.  The classes within each subfield are listed below.  To determine the specific distribution of courses across subfields, students should consult the concentration requirements which can be accessed via the link on the left side of this webpage.

Open Electives

Open elective credits are required in order to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours. These courses are to be selected in consultation with the student's faculty adviser and may include courses in fields such as economics, history, English, sociology, etc. Students may choose to use their open electives as part of a minor or to complete a double major.

Course Listing by Category

Methodology

Course Title Quarter Hours
POLITICAL INQUIRY
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
STATISTICS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
POLITICAL ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH
WRITING IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

Political Culture

Course Title Quarter Hours
POLITICAL PSYCHOLOGY
LATINO POLITICS
POLITICAL SOCIALIZATION
AMERICAN POLITICAL CULTURE
WOMEN AND POLITICS
AFRICAN-AMERICAN POLITICS
TOPICS IN POLITICAL CULTURE
POLITICAL CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT
LGBTQ POLITICS
INTERNET, TECHNOLOGY, AND POLITICS
RELIGION, NATIONALISM AND POLITICS
ADVANCED TOPICS IN POLITICAL CULTURE

American Politics

Course Title Quarter Hours
THE AMERICAN POLITICAL SYSTEM
THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY
CONGRESS AND THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS
POLITICAL PARTIES AND ELECTIONS
URBAN POLITICS
STATE POLITICS
LATINO POLITICAL BEHAVIOR
TOPICS IN AMERICAN POLITICS
MASS MEDIA AND AMERICAN POLITICS
URBAN POLICYMAKING
CHICAGO GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
INEQUALITY IN AMERICAN SOCIETY
IDEOLOGY, ECONOMICS AND POLICY
PUBLIC OPINION
ADVANCED TOPICS IN AMERICAN POLITICS
ADVANCED TOPICS IN PUBLIC POLICY

Political Thought

Course Title Quarter Hours
INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL THEORY
CLASSICAL POLITICAL THOUGHT
MODERN POLITICAL THOUGHT
LIBERALISM, CONSERVATISM, AND DEMOCRACY
POLITICAL IDEAS AND IDEOLOGIES
FREEDOM AND EMPOWERMENT
EQUALITY AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
LEGITIMACY AND CRISIS
TOPICS IN POLITICAL THOUGHT
AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT
CONTEMPORARY POLITICAL THOUGHT
MARXISM
THEORIES OF THE CHURCH
AFRICAN-AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT
CHRISTIAN POLITICAL THOUGHT
ADVANCED TOPICS IN POLITICAL THOUGHT

International Relations

Course Title Quarter Hours
INTRODUCTION TO INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
RUSSIAN-AMERICAN RELATIONS
LATIN AMERICAN-UNITED STATES RELATIONS
ASIAN FOREIGN POLICY
U.S. - AFRICA RELATIONS
WAR, PEACE, AND CONFLICT RESOLUTION
TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
THE EUROPEAN UNION
POLITICAL ISLAM AND AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
ARMS, SECURITY, AND WAR
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY OF THE PACIFIC RIM
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ECONOMY
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WORLD POLITICS
THE UNITED NATIONS AND WORLD PROBLEMS
ETHICS IN WORLD POLITICS
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS
ADVANCED TOPICS IN INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Comparative Politics

Course Title Quarter Hours
INTRODUCTION TO COMPARATIVE POLITICS
EUROPEAN POLITICS
RUSSIAN POLITICS
LATIN AMERICAN POLITICS
ASIAN POLITICS
AFRICAN POLITICS
MIDDLE EAST POLITICS
CYBER WARFARE AND CYBER POLITICS
TOPICS IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS
JAPANESE POLITICS
REVOLUTION AND TERRORISM
CHINESE POLITICS
COMPARATIVE DEMOCRACY AND DICTATORSHIP
GLOBAL GENDER POLITICS
ADVANCED TOPICS IN COMPARATIVE POLITICS

Public Law

Course Title Quarter Hours
LAW AND THE POLITICAL SYSTEM
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: RIGHTS OF DEFENDANTS
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW: EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS
LAW AND POPULAR CULTURE
TOPICS IN PUBLIC LAW
INTERNATIONAL LAW
THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
WOMEN AND THE LAW
VOTING, REPRESENTATION, AND THE LAW
NATIONAL SECURITY AND THE U.S. CONSTITUTION
IMMIGRATION LAW
RIGHTS-BASED SOCIAL MOVEMENTS
ADVANCED TOPICS IN PUBLIC LAW

Experiential Politics

Course Title Quarter Hours
MODEL UN
POLITICAL ACTION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE
MOCK TRIAL: CIVIL LAW
MOCK TRIAL: CRIMINAL LAW
CAMPAIGNS AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Other Courses

Course Title Quarter Hours
SPECIAL TOPICS
CAPSTONE SEMINAR
INTERNSHIP
HONORS SEMINAR
SENIOR THESIS
TRAVEL/STUDY
INDEPENDENT STUDY

​Concentrations, tracks and specializations provide focus to the major. In addition to any college core requirements, liberal studies requirements and major requirements, students are required to choose one of the following: