Political Science Four-Year Sample Plan

Note: It is recommended that majors consider taking history and economic courses as part of their elective options. Nine units of the GE requisite must be filled with upper-division courses, taken no sooner than the term in which upper-division standing (60 units) is attained. POLS 315 (Democracy, Capitalism, & Socialism) counts as both an upper-division GE Area D course as well as an upper-division Political Theory course for the major. POLS 307 (Perspectives on the Holocaust and Genocide) counts as both an upper-division GE Area D course, as well as an optional upper-division Comparative Politics course for the major.
 

Freshman Year: 30 Units

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Fall Semester (15 units)
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•    POLS 200 - American Political System (meets Lower Division GE Area D: Social Sciences) - 3 units
•    Lower Division GE Area A2: Written Communication – 3 units
•    Lower Division GE Area B4: Quantitative Reasoning – 3 units
•    Lower Division GE Area C1: Arts – 3 units
•    Lower Division GE Area F: Ethnic Studies – 3 units

Spring Semester (15 units)
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•    POLS 205- Introduction to Political Theory – 3 units
•    Lower Division GE Area A1: Oral Communication – 3 units
•    Lower Division GE Area B1: Physical Sciences – 3 units
•    Lower Division GE Area C2: Humanities – 3 units
•    Additional Lower Division GE Area C2: Humanities OR  Lower Division GE Area C1: Arts or Lower Division Area D: Social Sciences – 3 units
 

Sophomore Year: 30 Units

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Fall Semester (15 units)
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•    POLS 302 - Social Science Research Methods - 4 units
•    POLS 304 – Theory and Analysis of International Relations – 4 units 
•    Area E: Lifelong Learning and Self-Development SSCI 299 - Sophomore Seminar: How to Think Like a Social Scientist - 3 units
•    Lower Division GE Area B2: Life Sciences – 4 units

Spring Semester (15 units)
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•    POLS 303 – Comparative Political Analysis – 4 units
•    Lower Division GE Area A3: Critical Thinking - 3 units
•    Upper Division GE Area C: Arts and Humanities - 3 units
•    General Electives – 5 units

Junior Year: 30 Units

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Fall Semester (15 units)
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•    Upper Division Political Theory Course* - 4 units
•    Upper Division International Relations Course* - 4 units 
•    Upper Division GE Area B: Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning - 3 units
•    Upper Division GE Area D: Social Sciences
(Recommended POLS 315 Modern Political Ideologies) - 3 units 
•    Recommended: POLS 439 Political Science Internship – 1 to 4 units

Spring Semester (15 units)
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•    POLS 439 Political Science Internship - 1 to 4 units
•    Upper Division American Politics Course* - 4 units 
•    Upper Division GE Area B: Scientific Inquiry and Quantitative Reasoning
(If not taken in Fall) – 3 units
•    Upper Division Comparative Politics Course* – 4 units (can be combined with Upper Division GE Area D: Social Sciences) if POLS/HIST 307- 3 units; taught in Spring semester only.
•    University Elective – 2 to 6 units
 

Senior Year: 31 Units
 

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Fall Semester (16 units)
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•    POLS 498 - Senior Seminar - 4 units 
•    Major Electives or Minor Credits – 4 to 12 units

Spring Semester (15 units)
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•    Major Electives or Minor Credits – 4 to 8 units
•    General Electives Credits - 7 to 10 units (Recommended POLS 439, Internship, 1-4 units)

* You may distribute these upper-division area courses across Junior/Senior years, according to Department offerings and/or your own personal schedule.

Total Units: 120