Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletins

Department of Political Science


The Faculty

Chair:  Thomas Halper
    Professors:
  • Mitchell S. Cohen
  • Alan DiGaetano
  • Thomas Halper
  • David R. Jones
    Associate Professors:
  • Louis Bolce
  • Gerald D. De Maio
  • Benedetto Fontana
  • Stephanie R. Golob
  • Susan Tenenbaum
  • Dov Waxman
    Assistant Professors:
  • Els de Graauw
  • Gene Park

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Field Description

Our lives, our communities, and our world are to a considerable degree shaped by political events. Political science provides students with an understanding of the multifaceted ideas, structures, and processes of politics in the United States and abroad. Courses are designed to accomplish three principal objectives: to help the student acquire and establish habits of critical and creative thinking about public issues; to enlarge and broaden the students understanding of significant data, major ideas, and activities regarding politics; and to prepare students for careers in law, government, journalism, and education.

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The Major

All courses in the lists below are 3 credits.

Base Course
POL 1101 American Government: Practices and Values

Electives                                             24 credits

Students are to select 24 credits from among all the courses offered by the department, with at least one course from four of the six areas listed below.

American Government and Political Institutions
POL 2001 The United States in an Age of Globalization
POL 3008 Religion and Politics in the United States
POL 3101 Political Psychology
POL 3102 American Conservatism: Origins, Development, and Contemporary Controversies
POL 3310 Public Opinion
POL 3311 Political Parties and Elections
POL 3312 Congress and the Legislative Process
POL 3313 Constitutional Law
POL 3314 Civil Liberties
POL 3316 The Presidency
POL 3340 Political Socialization
POL 3417 Case Studies in American Government

Comparative Politics
POL 2260 Introduction to Comparative Government
POL 3086 Modern Middle East and North Africa
POL 3104 Politics of the Third World
POL 3361 Comparative Politics in Selected Areas of the World
POL 3362 Western European Political Systems
POL 3364 Latin American and Caribbean Political Systems
POL 3365 Asian Political Systems
POL 3366 African Political Systems
POL 3367 Comparative Revolutions
POL 3368 Communist Political Systems
POL 3842 Modern India

International Politics
POL 2240 Introduction to International Relations
POL 3341 International Relations in the Middle East
POL 3342 American Foreign Policy
POL 3343 International Relations in Selected Areas of the World
POL 3344 The United Nations in World Politics
POL 3345 Contemporary International Conflict
POL 3346 East Asia in World Affairs

Political Theory and Methodology
POL 2332 American Political Thought
POL 3062 Political Sociology
POL 3201 Topics in Politics and Literature
POL 3233 Political and Administrative Research
POL 3333 Political Behavior
POL 3334 American Radicalism
POL 3335 Early Political Theory
POL 3336 Modern Political Theory
POL 3337 Contemporary Political Ideologies
POL 3500 Political Analysis

Public Policy
POL 2353 Public Policy
POL 3001 Women: Politics and Policy
POL 3005 Social Welfare Policy
POL 3103 Political Economy
POL 3315 Government and the American Economy
POL 3317 The Politics of Energy and the Environment
POL 5452 Field Work in Government and Politics

Urban Politics
POL 2220 State and Local Government
POL 2321 Urban Government
POL 3323 Politics and Government of New York City
POL 3422 Urban Public Policy

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Honors Program in Political Science

The honors program in political science is designed for the outstanding student. Each student conducts research in an area specific to his or her interest and works closely with a faculty advisor. Registration requires permission from the department. Six credits are necessary for graduation with honors in political science.

To be eligible for honors work in political science, students shall have

  1. completed 90 credits,
  2. completed 15 credits in political science, including POL 1101,
  3. compiled at least a 3.2 grade point average in their total academic work and a 3.4 average within political science, and
  4. an honors advisor assigned in advance.
The students thesis will be evaluated and graded by two faculty members in addition to the advisor, one from political science and one from another appropriate department. This committee of three will have the authority to recommend that the student be graduated with honors.

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The Minor

A minor in political science will help students to flourish in the political environment in which their future economic and

Selection of a minor must be made with the consultation and approval of the department. To suit the special educational needs and objectives of individual students, appropriate substitution of designated courses may be made after consultation with the departmental advisor. Students may minor by taking two 3000-level courses plus POL 4900 Political Science Capstone Seminar.

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