Sample Program

The following sample program:

  • Satisfies all Core GE, Advanced GE, graduation requirements, and the Political Science Major.
  • Gives preference to courses that may be related to Political Science (i.e., Social Science courses) when advising students how to fulfill their non-major requirements.
  • Assumes that all requirements will be met with individual courses, not as part of “packages.”
  • Fulfills both Comparative Systems and US History each with full year sequences of history (this is a history intensive program).
  • Does not “double count” the Political Science GE core courses for both GE and the major Ð this could be done for greater efficiency for students with excessive units.
  • By “double counting” some GE and some Political Science courses, leaves plenty of room for a minor.
  • Assumes that all courses are 3 units and that a student takes 15 units a semester in 8 semesters to total to 120 units (unless otherwise noted).

Take English Placement Test (EPT) and Entry Level Mathematics Test (ELM) as soon as possible upon enrollment. These tests are necessary in order to enroll in English 1A and any GE math course.

First Semester (or 1 st 15 units)

  • POLS 1 (American Government) [Major, F2 US Constitution, F3 California Govt]
  • ENGL 1A (Composition) [A2 Written Communication]
  • COMM 20 or 40 (Public Speaking or Argument/Advocacy) [A1 Oral Communication]
  • GEOG 1 (Physical Geography) [B1 Physical Science]
  • ARTH 10 or MUSC 10 or TA 10 (Art, Music, or Drama Appreciation) [C1 Arts]

Second Semester (or 2 nd 15 units)

  • POLS 2 (Comparative Politics) [Major]
  • ENGL 1B (Composition) [C3 Written Communication]
  • STAT 95 (Elementary Statistics) [B4 Mathematical Concepts]
  • BIOL 21 (Human Biology) [B2 Life Science (and fulfills Lab requirement)]
  • PSYC 1, ANTH 11, COMM 10, ECON 1B, GEOG 10, SOCI 1, or WOMS 10 (vaired Behavioral courses) [D1 Human Behavior]

Take the Writing Skills Test (WST) as soon as possible after completion of ENGL 1B. Passing this test is necessary before enrolling in POLS 100W. This test is only given a few times a year, and must be scheduled long in advance. POLS 100W, in turn, must be taken before any other upper division GE courses Ð preferably as early as possible.

Third Semester (or 3 rd 15 units)

  • POLS 4 (International Politics) [Major]
  • HIST 10A (Western Civ, part 1) [D2 Comparative Systems]
  • HIST 20A (American Hist, part1) [F1 American History]
  • ANTH 25 (Human Life Context) [E Human Understanding & Development]
  • PHIL 10, PHIL 61, PHIL 70A, PHIL 70B, RELS 70A, RELS 70B, ENGL 10, or ENGL 78 (various Humanities) [C2 Letters]

Fourth Semester (or 4 th 15 units)

  • POLS 3 (Intro to Political Thought) [Major]
  • POLS 20 (Controversial Legal Issues) [A3 Critical Thinking]
  • HIST 10B (Western Civ, part 2) [D2 Comparative Systems]
  • HIST 20B (American Hist, part 2) [F1 American History]
  • WOMS 20 or SOCI 116 (Ethnic Women in US or Global Society) [D3 Social Issues]

Fifth Semester (or 5 th 15 units)

  • POLS 100W (Writing Workshop) [Advanced GE taught by Major]
  • POLS 195A (Political Inquiry) [Major]
  • ANTH 60, ENVS 152, NUFS 139, or PHIL 160 [advanced GE area “R”-Earth and Environment]
  • POLS 102, POLS 103, POLS 105, POLS 106, POLS 107, POLS 108, POLS 114, POLS 122, or POLS 130 (Upper Division US Politics course for distribution) [Major]
  • POLS 160A, POLS 160B, POLS 160C, or POLS 163 (Upper Division Political Theory course for distribution) [Major]

Sixth Semester (or 6 th 15 units)

  • POLS 120 (Law and Society) [Advanced GE and Major]
  • POLS 140-149 (Any upper division Comparative Politics course for distribution Ð choose any one of the nine offered) [Major]
  • POLS 152A-156 (Any upper division International Relations course except POLS 150 for distribution Ð choose any one of the five offered - i.e. 152A, 152B, 154, 155, 156) [Major]
  • XXX Elective (consider a minor)
  • XXX Elective (consider a minor)

File for graduation by July 1 st prior to Senior Year

Seventh Semester (or 7 th 15 units)

  • POLS 150 (War and Peace) [Advanced GE and Major]
  • POLS 1XX (Any upper division Political Science course, consider an internship)
  • XXX Elective (consider a minor)
  • XXX Elective (consider a minor)
  • XXX Elective (consider a minor)

Eighth Semester (or 8 th 15 units)

  • POLS 190 (Senior Seminar) [Major]
  • POLS 1XX (Any upper division Political Science course)
  • XXX Elective (consider a minor)
  • XXX Elective (consider a minor)
  • XXX Elective (consider a minor)