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Undergraduate Degree Requirements

BA General Requirements - Major & Minor

Undergraduate students must declare their intention to major in political science by the time they have completed 60 semester hours, and must complete a minimum of 39 semester hours in political science, of which at least 21 must be upper division courses.

15 of the 39 hours must be taken from CU Denver faculty. To count for the major, all coursework must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better. Students who choose an individual internship (PSCI 3939) to fulfill their experiential learning requirement should go to the Career Center before the start of the semester in which they plan their internship.

The Minor

A total of 15 credit hours must be completed within the Political Science Department to receive a minor. This includes one lower-division course and four upper-division courses as follows:

Lower-Division Required Course - One of the following:

  • PSCI 1001 - Introduction to Political Science
  • PSCI 1101 - The American Political System

Upper-Division Required Courses:

  1. Any PSCI 4000-level Political Theory Course
  2. Any PSCI 4000-level American Politics Course
  3. Any PSCI 4000-level Comparative Politics Course
  4. Any PSCI 4000-level International Relations Course

 

The Major - Catalog Year 2023-2024

The Traditional Track 

Required courses - 9 credit hours total

  • PSCI 1001, Introduction to Political Science: The Quest for Freedom & Justice
  • PSCI 1101, American Political System
  • PSCI 2011, Logic of Inquiry* OR PSCI 3011, Research Methods OR PSCI 4011, GIS in Political Science ​
    • * PSCI 2011 - Logic of Inquiry offered regularly

One 4000-level course in each of 3 fields - 9 credit hours total

  1. American politics
  2. Comparative politics
  3. International relations

Any 2 political theory courses - 6 credit hours total

  • PSCI 4207, Theories of Social and Political Change
  • PSCI 4407, Early Political Thought
  • PSCI 4417, Modern Political Thought
  • PSCI 4427, Law, Politics, and Justice
  • PSCI 4437, Coercion and the State
  • PSCI 4457, American Political Thought
  • Other Theory courses can fulfill this requirement. Please see the undergraduate advisor for the current listing of theory courses.

Experiential learning requirement: 1 of the following - 3 credit hours*

  • PSCI 3914, The Urban Citizen
  • PSCI 3939, Individual Internship
  • PSCI 4002, Internship in Ethnic and Gender Politics
  • PSCI 4217, Human Rights in Theory and Practice
  • PSCI 4934, CU at the Capitol
  • Experiential learning project in any PSCI class
  • Significant political life experience in the community

*Discuss hardship cases with your advisor. 

Capstone Requirement

  • PSCI 4960—Capstone in Political Science

Elective courses, upper or lower division, minimum of 9 credit hours

The Public Policy Track

Required courses - 9 credit hours total

  • PSCI 1001, Introduction to Political Science: The Quest for Freedom & Justice
  • PSCI 1101, American Political System
  • PSCI 2011, Logic of Inquiry* OR PSCI 3011, Research Methods OR PSCI 4011, GIS in Political Science ​
    • * PSCI 2011 - Logic of Inquiry offered regularly

One 4000-level course in each of the following 3 fields: 9 credit hours total
1. American Politics

  • PSCI 4002, State Politics
  • PSCI 4014, Media and Politics
  • PSCI 4024, Legislatures and Legislation
  • PSCI 4025, Local Governance and Globalization
  • PSCI 4034, Parties and Pressure Groups.
  • PSCI 4044, The Presidency
  • PSCI 4094, American Politics and Policy
  • PSCI 4114, Law, Policy and Conflict
  • PSCI 4124, Denver Politics
  • PSCI 4324, Politics, Public Policy and Leadership
  • PSCI 4354, Environmental Politics
  • PSCI 4374, Public Priorities for the 21st Century
  • PSCI 4477, Constitutional Law I
  • PSCI 4487, Constitutional Law II
  • PSCI 4545, Immigration Politics

2. Comparative Politics and International Relations

  • PSCI 4124, Introduction to International Political Economy
  • PSCI 4185, Corruption in the U.S. and Abroad
  • PSCI 4226, The UN in World Affairs
  • PSCI 4236, American Foreign Policy
  • PSCI 4266, International Law
  • PSCI 4326, IPE: Globalization
  • PSCI 4645, Comparative Political Leadership

3. Public Policy and Administration

  • PSCI 4009, Politics of the Budgetary Process
  • PSCI 4024, State Politics: Focus on Colorado
  • PSCI 4084, Local Government and Administration
  • PSCI 4085, Comparative Public Policy
  • PSCI 4274, Conflict Resolution and Public Consent Building
  • PSCI 4414, Non-profits and Social Change

Elective courses - 9 credit hours total
Choose any 2 additional courses from the list above. And choose one other upper or lower division PSCI course.

Any 2 political theory courses, 6 credit hours

  • PSCI 4207, Theories of Social and Political Change
  • PSCI 4407, Early Political Thought
  • PSCI 4417, Modern Political Thought
  • PSCI 4427, Law, Politics, and Justice
  • PSCI 4437, Coercion and the State
  • PSCI 4457, American Political Thought
  • Other Theory courses can fulfill this requirement. Please see the undergraduate advisor for the current listing of theory courses.

One of the following experiential learning options - 3 credit hours

  • PSCI 3939, Individual Internship (public policy focus)
  • PSCI 4934, CU at the Capitol

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