Major Requirements

The major must complete at least 10 courses in the department including the following:

• Two of the following introductory courses:
  • ​PG 111 Power and American Politics  
  • PG 112 Global Issues  
  • PG 113 Democracy, Dictatorship & Political Change  

Alternatively, students may satisfy the introductory requirement by earning a B- or higher in one of these courses taken at OWU. No more than two introductory courses may count toward the major.

• PG 279 The Conduct of Political Inquiry  
• PG 499 Senior Seminar   

At least one course in each of the following subfields 

• (I) American politics
  • PG 260 Equality and American Politics  
  • PG 261 American Politics and the Mass Media  
  • PG 280 Environmental Politics and Policy  
  • PG 300 37 Public Opinion  
  • PG 281 Food Politics and Policy in America  
  • PG 300 39 African American Politics  
  • PG 319 Women and Politics  
  • PG 350 Law and Courts  
  • PG 351 American Constitutional Law  
  • PG 352 Civil Rights and Liberties  
  • PG 353 Congress and Legislative Process  
  • PG 354 The American Presidency  
  • PG 355 American Public Policy  
  • PG 356 Public Administration  
  • PG 357 The United States Supreme Court: Current and Future  
  • PG 358 Political Parties and Interest Groups  
  • PG 359 Voting and Elections in the U.S.  
• (II) International relations
  • PG 360 International Politics  
  • PG 361 American Foreign Policy  
  • PG 362 International Organizations  
  • PG 363 Human Rights in International Perspective  
  • PG 364 International Political Economy  
  • PG 365 Globalization - Structures, Processes, and Issues  
  • PG 366 Great Power Politics and U.S.-China Relations  
• (III) Comparative politics
  • PG 344 Democratization in the Developing World  
  • PG 346 European Politics  
  • PG 347 Protest and Political Violence  
  • PG 348 Latin American Politics  
  • PG 349 East Asian Politics  
• (IV) Political Theory
  • PG 265 The Politics of Disability  
  • PG 300 34 Citizenship in an Age of Empire: Theories of Global Citizenship  
  • PG 371 Power and Authority: Political Theory from the Canon to Fanon  
  • PG 372 Democracy and its Critics  
  • PG 373 American Political Thought and Politics  
  • PG 374 Political Theory, Science and Technology   

Learning Objectives

Knowledge

1. Understand the major concepts and theories in political science and how to apply these to practical politics.
2. Understand political institutions and how individuals and groups make, participate in, and are affected by political decisions.
3. Understand diverse perspectives on politics and diverse political systems and cultures around the world.

Capabilities

  4. Think critically: identify and question assumptions, understand diverse perspectives, and recognize connections between   ideas

  5.  Conduct research: find and critically evaluate sources of information, use political science methods to evaluate political institutions, behavior and events

  6.  Argue effectively: defend well-reasoned positions with evidence

  7.  Communicate ideas effectively both verbally and in writing

Values

  8.  Develop and practice values of citizenship and public service