Political Science, BA

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Political Science, BA

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science · 42 credits

Catalog page

Typical path

+ First Year Seminar

+ POL 100-level ×2

+ SBC ×2

+ First Year Seminar

+ POL 100-level

+ SBC ×3

+ POL 200-level

+ SBC ×3

+ POL 300-level

+ Introductory course in related area ×2

+ SBC ×2

+ POL Upper-division course from selected Program of Study ×2

+ Upper-division course in related area

+ SBC ×2

+ POL Upper-division course from selected Program of Study ×2

+ Upper-division course in related area

+ Upper-division SBC

+ Upper-division elective

+ POL Upper-division elective ×2

+ SBC

+ Upper-division elective ×2

+ Electives, directed research, internship, or honors

All options

Hide courses not offered in

ConcentrationComparative Politics and International Relations1 group of options

Pick 12 credits

25 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

300s

400s

ConcentrationAmerican Government, Law, and Public Policy1 group of options

Pick 12 credits

35 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

300s

400s

ConcentrationPolitical Behavior and Political Psychology1 group of options

Pick 12 credits

24 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

300s

400s

Study Within the Area of the Major: Political Science electives (12 credits)

Pick 12 credits · 66 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (1)

Pick 2 courses · 62 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (2)

Pick 2 courses · 43 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (3)

Pick 2 courses · 57 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (4)

Pick 2 courses · 62 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (5)

Pick 2 courses · 37 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (6)

Pick 2 courses · 15 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (7)

Pick 2 courses · 75 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

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400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (8)

Pick 2 courses · 39 courses to choose from

100s

None

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None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (9)

Pick 2 courses · 59 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (10)

Pick 2 courses · 36 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (11)

Pick 2 courses · 42 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study in Related Areas (6 credits) (12)

Pick 2 courses · 44 courses to choose from

100s

None

200s

None

300s

400s

Study Within the Area of the Major: Required courses (9 credits)

POL 101World Politics3 cr
POL 102Introduction to American Government3 cr
POL 103Introduction to Comparative Politics3 cr

Catalog text

Required courses: (9 credits) POL 101 - World Politics 3 credits; POL 102 - Introduction to American Government 3 credits; POL 103 - Introduction to Comparative Politics 3 credits

Study Within the Area of the Major: Concentration (12 credits)

One concentration

Comparative Politics and International Relations
Choose 12 credits
POL 214Modern Latin America3 cr
POL 216History of U.S.-Latin American Relations3 cr
POL 301Democratization3 cr
POL 302Politics of Latin America3 cr
POL 303Gender and Politics in Global Perspective3 cr
POL 304Comparative Political Institutions3 cr
POL 305Government and Politics of the United Kingdom3 cr
POL 308Women Islam and Political Change in Africa3 cr
POL 309Politics in the European Union3 cr
POL 310Immigration and Refugee Politics3 cr
POL 311Introduction to International Law3 cr
POL 313Problems of International Relations3 cr
POL 334Modern Terrorism3 cr
POL 336U.S. Foreign Policy3 cr
POL 337The Politics of Africa3 cr
POL 338Contemporary India: History, Politics, and Diplomacy3 cr
POL 339Contemporary China: History, Politics, and Diplomacy3 cr
POL 350Contemporary European Political Theory3 cr
POL 365Economy and Democracy3 cr
POL 371Politics of Climate Change3 cr
POL 374Global Issues in the United Nations3 cr
POL 380Government and Politics of the Middle East3 cr
PHI 367Philosophy of War and Peace (III)3 cr
POL 390Topics in Political Science3 cr
POL 401Seminar in Advanced Topics3 cr
Excluding POL 201.
American Government, Law, and Public Policy
Choose 12 credits
POL 317American Election Campaigns3 cr
POL 318Voters and Elections3 cr
POL 319Business Law3 cr
POL 320Constitutional Law and Politics: United States3 cr
POL 322The Presidency in the American Political System3 cr
POL 323U.S. Congress3 cr
POL 324American Political Parties and Pressure Groups3 cr
POL 325Civil Liberties and Civil Rights3 cr
POL 327Urban Politics3 cr
POL 328Criminal Law3 cr
POL 330Gender Issues in the Law3 cr
POL 332Politics of Criminal Due Process3 cr
POL 333Environmental Law3 cr
POL 336U.S. Foreign Policy3 cr
POL 344American Political Ideology and Public Opinion3 cr
POL 347Women and Politics3 cr
POL 349Social Psychology and Law3 cr
POL 350Contemporary European Political Theory3 cr
POL 351Social Surveys in Contemporary Society3 cr
POL 352Current Political Events3 cr
POL 353Contemporary Race Relations in American Politics3 cr
POL 359Public Policy and Administration3 cr
POL 365Economy and Democracy3 cr
POL 366Press & the Presidency3 cr
POL 367Mass Media in American Politics3 cr
POL 368Social Networks and Politics3 cr
POL 369Introduction to Political Informatics3 cr
POL 371Politics of Climate Change3 cr
POL 378Introduction to Torts3 cr
POL 379Federal Government Power3 cr
PHI 277Political Philosophy (II)3 cr
PHI 375Philosophy of Law (III)3 cr
PHI 377Contemporary Political Philosophy (II)3 cr
POL 390Topics in Political Science3 cr
POL 401Seminar in Advanced Topics3 cr
Excluding POL 201.
Political Behavior and Political Psychology
Choose 12 credits
POL 270Experiments in Political Science3 cr
POL 303Gender and Politics in Global Perspective3 cr
POL 317American Election Campaigns3 cr
POL 318Voters and Elections3 cr
POL 323U.S. Congress3 cr
POL 344American Political Ideology and Public Opinion3 cr
POL 346Political Psychology3 cr
POL 347Women and Politics3 cr
POL 348Political Beliefs and Judgments3 cr
POL 349Social Psychology and Law3 cr
POL 350Contemporary European Political Theory3 cr
POL 351Social Surveys in Contemporary Society3 cr
POL 352Current Political Events3 cr
POL 353Contemporary Race Relations in American Politics3 cr
POL 367Mass Media in American Politics3 cr
POL 368Social Networks and Politics3 cr
POL 369Introduction to Political Informatics3 cr
POL 371Politics of Climate Change3 cr
POL 373The Biology of Politics3 cr
POL 375The Political Animal3 cr
PHI 379Philosophy of Race (III)3 cr
POL 390Topics in Political Science3 cr
POL 401Seminar in Advanced Topics3 cr
POL 402Advanced Seminar in Political Psychology3 cr
Excluding POL 201.

Catalog text

Concentration: (12 credits) 12 credits must be taken from courses in one of the concentrations listed below.

Study Within the Area of the Major: Political Science electives (12 credits)

Choose 12 credits

POL courses numbered 200 and above

Excluding POL 201, POL 475, POL 476.

At least 4 from POL, PHI courses numbered 300 and above (excluding POL 475, POL 476), counting courses used for “Study Within the Area of the Major: Concentration (12 credits)”.

Catalog text

Political Science electives: (12 credits) 12 credits must be taken from POL courses or courses that are crosslisted with POL.

B.Study in Related Areas (6 credits)

One of

Choose 2 courses
- AAS courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- AFS courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- ANT courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- BUS courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- ECO courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- GLI courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- HIS courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- JRN courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- PHI courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- PSY courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- SOC courses numbered 300 and above
or
Choose 2 courses
- WST courses numbered 300 and above

Catalog text

B. Study in Related Areas (6 credits): Two courses numbered 300 or higher, offered by one of the related area course designations below.

C.Methodology Requirement

POL 201Introduction to Statistical Methods in Political Science3 cr
or
AMS 102Elements of Statistics3 cr
or
AMS 110Probability and Statistics in the Life Sciences3 cr
or
BIO 211Statistics and Data Analysis: A Conceptual Approach4 cr
or
BUS 215Introduction to Business Statistics3 cr
or
ECO 320Mathematical Statistics4 cr
or
PSY 201Statistical Methods in Psychology3 cr
or
SOC 202Statistical Methods in Sociology3 cr

Catalog text

Majors must demonstrate competence in appropriate social science methodology by passing POL 201 - Introduction to Statistical Methods in Political Science with a grade of C or higher. We will accept the following equivalent courses for POL 201: AMS 102, AMS 110, BIO 211, BUS 215, ECO 320, PSY 201, or SOC 202. A course taken to fulfill the methodology requirement may not count toward fulfilling any other major requirement.

D.Upper-Division Writing Requirement (0 credits)

POL 459Write Effectively in Political Science0 cr

Catalog text

Political science majors can meet the upper division writing requirement by completing POL 459.

Sample schedule

Year 1 · Fall16 cr

First Year Seminar 1011
WRT 101Introductory Writing Workshop3
POL 100-level3
POL 100-level3
SBC3
SBC3

Year 1 · Spring16 cr

First Year Seminar 1021
WRT 102Intermediate Writing Workshop3
POL 100-level3
SBC3
SBC3
SBC3

Year 2 · Fall15 cr

POL 201Introduction to Statistical Methods in Political Science3
POL 200-level3
SBC3
SBC3
SBC3

Year 2 · Spring15 cr

POL 300-level3
Introductory course in related area3
Introductory course in related area3
SBC3
SBC3

Year 3 · Fall15 cr

POL Upper-division course from selected Program of Study3
POL Upper-division course from selected Program of Study3
Upper-division course in related area3
SBC3
SBC3

Year 3 · Spring15 cr

POL Upper-division course from selected Program of Study3
POL Upper-division course from selected Program of Study3
Upper-division course in related area3
Upper-division SBC3
Upper-division elective3

Year 4 · Fall15 cr

POL Upper-division elective3
POL Upper-division elective3
SBC3
Upper-division elective3
Upper-division elective3

Year 4 · Spring15 cr

Electives, directed research, internship, or honors15

Program rules

Minimum grade
C or higher in “Study Within the Area of the Major: Required courses (9 credits)”, “Study Within the Area of the Major: Concentration (12 credits)”, “Study Within the Area of the Major: Political Science electives (12 credits)”, B, C, D.
Minimum grade
C or higher in requirement C.
Credits at Stony Brook
At least 12 credits in “Study Within the Area of the Major: Concentration (12 credits)”, “Study Within the Area of the Major: Political Science electives (12 credits)” must be taken at Stony Brook.

Notes

Advising: Discuss the program with the Director of Undergraduate Studies (Dr. Michael Peress, michael.peress@stonybrook.edu) or the Undergraduate Program Coordinator (Ashley Porcello). Students should fulfill the methodology requirement no later than the beginning of the junior year.
Note: Concentration courses marked with * are crosslisted with another academic department; credit is earned by registering for either course but not both.
Note: POL 475 and POL 476 may not be used toward the major. Transfer courses must have a grade of C or higher to be accepted toward the major.
Note: Students may apply for the Political Science honors program with a 3.70 GPA in political science courses and a 3.40 cumulative GPA, through POL 495 and POL 496 Senior Honors Project in Political Science.
Note: The Fast-Track BA/MA in Public Policy is a five-year program for eligible declared majors (60 credits completed, 3.0 minimum GPA, one or two courses remaining in the electives area and/or the American Government, Law, and Public Policy concentration). It is not evaluated here.
SBC: Students completing the Stony Brook Curriculum must complete a course satisfying the WRTD learning objective (for example POL 368 or POL 459) to graduate.
Grading: No more than six credits of courses with Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading may be applied to the major.