- Faculty
- Field Description
- The Major and Courses
- Honors Thesis in Political Science
- The Minor
- Courses
- Department of Political Science Web Site
The Faculty
Chair: David R. Jones
Professors:
- Mitchell S. Cohen
- Alan DiGaetano
- Benedetto Fontana
- Thomas Halper
- David R. Jones
Associate Professors:
- Louis Bolce
- Els de Graauw
- Gerald D. De Maio
- Stephanie R. Golob
- Till Weber
Assistant Professors:
- Marcus Johnson
- Myung-Koo Kang
- David Lindsey
- Roseanne McManus
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.
The Major
In order to officially become a major in Political Science, students must come in person to the Politcal Science Department (NVC 5-280) to fill out our major declaration form and have it approved by the chair.
The Political Science major is unusually flexible. Students are required to take American Government (
), a capstone seminar (), plus seven other political science courses, representing at least four of the six subfields outlined below. At least two electives must be at the 3000-level.In addition to our field-specific courses, students can also receive elective credit for Special Topics courses (
), Independent Study projects () Research Practicums (), or Honors Thesis projects (, ).Important Advisory Regarding Capstones: Students must complete at least two 3000-level courses in Political Science BEFORE they are eligible to register for the capstone (
). Political Science does NOT offer any capstone courses in summer or winter sessions.Base Course | |
American Government: Practices and Values | |
Required Course | |
Political Science Capstone Seminar | |
Electives 21 credits Students are to select 21 credits from among all the courses offered by the department, with at least one course from four of the six areas listed below. At least two electives must be at the 3000-level. Students can also receive elective credit for Special Topics courses ( ), Independent Study projects (), Research Practicums (), or honors thesis projects (, ). | |
American Government and Political Institutions | |
The United States in an Age of Globalization | |
Religion and Politics in the United States (, ) | |
Political Psychology () | |
American Conservatism: Origins, Development, and Contemporary Controversies () | |
Public Opinion | |
Political Parties and Elections | |
Congress and the Legislative Process | |
Constitutional Law | |
Civil Liberties | |
The Presidency | |
Political Socialization | |
Case Studies in American Government | |
Comparative Politics | |
Introduction to Comparative Government | |
Modern Middle East and North Africa () | |
Politics of the Third World | |
Comparative Politics in Selected Areas of the World | |
European Political Systems | |
Latin American and Caribbean Political Systems | |
Asian Political Systems | |
African Political Systems | |
Comparative Revolutions | |
Communist Political Systems | |
Making of Modern India (), () | |
International Politics | |
Introduction to International Relations | |
International Relations in the Middle East | |
American Foreign Policy | |
International Relations in Selected Areas of the World | |
The United Nations in World Politics | |
Contemporary International Conflict | |
The Rise of Asia in World Affairs (), () | |
Seminar on Political Globalization | |
Political Theory and Methodology | |
The Great Political Debates: The Individual and Society | |
American Political Thought | |
Political Sociology ( ) | |
Topics in Politics and Literature () | |
Political and Administrative Research | |
Political Behavior | |
American Radicalism | |
Early Political Theory | |
Modern Political Theory | |
Contemporary Political Ideologies | |
American Intellectual History | |
Political Analysis | |
Public Policy | |
Public Policy | |
Women: Politics and Policy | |
Social Welfare Policy () | |
Political Economy | |
Government and the American Economy | |
The Politics of Energy and the Environment | |
Immigration and Integration in the United States | |
Field Work in Government and Politics | |
Urban Politics | |
State and Local Government | |
Urban Government | |
Politics and Government of New York City | |
Urban Public Policy |
Honors Thesis in Political Science
The Honors Thesis is a two-semester sequence (
, ) that offers students of superior academic achievement the opportunity to work individually with a professor on a major research project in Political Science. This project involves in-depth and original research of an empirical and/or theoretical question in the field. The degree "with honors" is conferred upon acceptances of the honors project by the Committee on Undergraduate Honors. the six credits earned from completing a thesis will be accepted as part of the 24 credit major.Prerequisites:
- 3.5 GPA in Political Science and also a 3.5 cumulative GPA
- Complete a minimum of four courses in Political Science, including at least two at the 3000-level or above
- Submit an application and prospectus that has been approved by the prospective faculty mentor, the Chair of Political Science (Dr. David Jones), and the Chair of the Committee of Undergraduate Honors (Dr. Frank Heiland). The deadline for the prospectus is April 1 for a student who wishes to begin the thesis in the Fall semester, and November 1 for a tudent who wishes to begin the thesis in the Spring semester.
- Students do NOT have to be enrolled in the Honors Program to write an honors thesis.
For more information, please visit the Honors Thesis in Political Science website
The Minor
In order to officially become a minor in Political Science, students must fill out a minor declaration form. The department strongly recommends that you come in person to the Political Science Department (VC 5-280) for advisement on filling out the minor form, and how to successfully complete our minor. The Political Science minor is very flexible. Students can take any two 3000-level courses, and then a capstone seminar. (
).Important Advisory Regarding Capstones: Students must complete at least two 3000-level courses in Political Science BEFORE they are eligible to register for the capstone (). Political Science does NOT offer capstone course in summer or winter sessions.
Courses in Political Science
Important Note: A number of the courses listed below are not offered every semester. Please consult CUNYfirst for the information on what courses are currently being offered.
American Government: Practices and Values | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
The United States in an Age of Globalization | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
State and Local Government | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Introduction to International Relations | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Introduction to Comparative Government | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
The Great Political Debates: The Individual and Society | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Urban Government | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
American Political Thought | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Public Policy | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Women: Politics and Policy | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Social Welfare Policy ( ) | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Religion And Politics In The United States ( ), ) | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Sociology ( ) | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
The Modern Middle East and North Africa ( ) | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Psychology ( ) | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
American Conservatism: Origins, Development, And Contemporary Controversies ( ) | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Economy | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
The Politics of the Third World | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Topics in Politics and Literature ( ) | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political and Administrative Research | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Opinion | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Parties and Elections | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Congress and the Legislative Process | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Constitutional Law | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Civil Liberties | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Government and the American Economy | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
The Presidency | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
The Politics of Energy and the Environment | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Immigration and Integration in the United States | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Politics and Government of New York City | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Behavior | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
American Radicalism | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Early Political Theory | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Modern Political Theory | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Contemporary Political Ideologies | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Socialization | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
International Relations in the Middle East | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
American Foreign Policy | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
International Relations in Selected Areas of the World | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
The United Nations in World Politics | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Contemporary International Conflict | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
The Rise of Asia in World Affairs ( ), ) | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Seminar on Political Globalization | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Comparative Politics in Selected Areas of the World | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
European Political Systems | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Latin American and Caribbean Political Systems | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Asian Political Systems | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
African Political Systems | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Comparative Revolutions | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Communist Political Systems | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Case Studies in American Government | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Urban Public Policy | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
American Intellectual History | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Analysis | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
The Making of Modern India ( ), ) | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Special Topics in Political Science | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Science Capstone Seminar | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Independent Study in Political Science I | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Independent Study in Political Science II | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Independent Study in Political Science III | Hours and credits to be arranged | |
Research Practicum in Political Science I | Variable (3 to 9 hours; 1 to 3 credits) | |
Research Practicum in Political Science II | Variable (3 to 9 hours; 1 to 3 credits) | |
Field Work in Government and Politics | 3 hours; 3 credits | |
Political Science Honors I | 3 hours; 3 credits per semester | |
Political Science Honors II | 3 hours; 3 credits per semester |