Political Science
OFFICE: Social Science Building
polisci.ucsd.edu
Professors
Courses
The Major Program
Political science addresses some of the fundamental problems facing
human society. Questions concerning world peace, government policies
aimed at achieving economic stability and growth, the management
of environmental quality, control over political competition, the
possibility of using law to affect social and political change,
and the gap between the rich and poor in the U.S. and abroad are
all on the research agenda of contemporary political scientists.
The general purpose of the major is to address these and other issues
systematically, and, simultaneously, to raise the broad theoretical
questions which can help students relate todays political
debates to those debates about politics which have kepta theoretical
tradition alive for over 2,000 years.
Students may major in political science as a general program of
study, or they may concentrate in one of six areas: (1) American
politics, (2) comparative politics, (3) international relations,
(4) political theory, (5) public law, and (6) public policy. All
majors in political science must satisfy the following sixteen courses:
PS 30 (Political Inquiry), three of the following four lower-division
courses (Political Science 10, 11, 12 and 13) and twelve upper-division
courses. Moreover, as stated below, students concentrating in one
of the fields must satisfy that fields particular lower- and
upper-division requirements.
Requirements for Major in Political Science without an Area of
Concentration
- Three of the four lower-division courses
- Political Science 30
- Any twelve upper-division political science courses
Requirements for Major in Political Science with an Area of Concentration
Major in Political Science/American Politics
- Lower-division required: PS 10 (in addition to two other lower-division
courses)
- Political Science 30
- Five upper-division American courses:
- at least two of which must be from the 100 sequence: 100A-B-C,
100DA, 100E-H, 100K
- the additional courses for the American concentration must
be chosen from:
102C, 102E-F-G, 102J-K-L, 103A-B, 104A-B-C-D,
104F, 104I, 104L-M, 106A, 108
Major in Political Science/Comparative Politics
- Lower-division required: PS 11 (in addition to two other lower-division
courses)
- Political Science 30
- Five upper-division courses including:
- at least one from the following thematic courses: 120K,
122B, 124A, 125, 125A, 126AA, 136A-B-C, 139A,
150A-B
- and at least one each from two of the following three regional
areas:
Asia: 121, 121B, 130B, 130H, 131C, 132C, 133D, 133DD,
133E-F, 133H
Europe: 120A-B-C-D, 120H, 120I, 126AB, 130AA, 130AC
Latin America: 134AA, 134B, 134N
Major in Political Science/International Relations
- Lower-division required: PS 12 (in addition to two other lower-division
courses)
- Political Science 30
- Five upper-division IR courses with at least one each from
three of the following four groups:
- Foreign Policy: 142A, 142B, 142M-N, 145A, 146A, 150A,
152
- National and International Security: 142I-J-K-L-M-O, 146E
- Political Economy: 126AB, 140A, 142B, 144AA, 144AB, 144E-F,
146A
- Theory of International Relations: 141A, 142L, 145B,
152
Major in Political Science/Political Theory
- Three of four lower-division courses
- Political Science 30
- 110A-B-C
- And at least two additional courses from: 110DA, 110EA, 110EB,
110H, 110J, 110N,110T, 112A, 113B, 114B, 115A, 116A-B, 117,
118B,
119A
Major in Political Science/Public Law
- Lower-division required: PS 10 (in addition to two other lower-division
courses)
- Political Science 30
- Five of the following: 100A-B, 102L, 104A-B-C-D, 104F, 104I,
104L-M, 124B
Major in Political Science/Public Policy
- Lower-division required: PS 10 (in addition to two other lower-division
courses)
- Political Science 30
- 160AA
- One of 160AB, 167A, 168
- Two of 100A-B-C, 100E-F-G, 100I-J
- One of 102B-C, 102E, 102L, 103A, 103B, 106A, 123A, 126AC,
142A, 142J, 150A-B, 162, 163, 165, 166F
Two upper-division courses in a field may be substituted for that
fields lower-division course. However, these courses cannot
also be used to satisfy the upper-division course requirements for
a concentration of that field.
Since course offerings may change from year to year, students are
strongly advised to consult the department for the latest listing
of courses before preregistration.
Agreements signed between UCSD and several community colleges allow
students to apply some community college courses toward lower-division
course requirements for the major. Transfer students must, however,
take at least one of the lower-division courses (10, 11, 12, 13)
in residence at UCSD. Courses taken elsewhere may be credited toward
the major. Please check with an undergraduate student affairs adviser
for more information on credit for courses taken elsewhere.
Students who pass the Advanced Placement (AP) Tests in American
or Comparative Politics may petition to be exempted from taking
PS 10 or 11 (respectively). Effective fall 2004, students must pass
with a score of 5 to be exempted from taking PS 10 or 11.
At least nine courses in political science must be taken in residence
at UCSD. A total maximum of six courses may be taken elsewhere and
applied toward the major. This applies to transfer students, students
who pass the AP exam(s), as well as students who study abroad on
the Education Abroad Program (EAP) or the Opportunities Abroad Program
(OAP). Students planning to transfer course work completed elsewhere
are urged to consult the undergraduate student affairs adviser.
Double majors who include political science as one of their two
majors must fulfill the requirements of both programs. Please consult
the undergraduate student affairs adviser for more information.
Students must maintain an overall 2.0 GPA in the major. To be counted
toward satisfying the requirements for the major, upper- and lower-division
courses must be completed with a C or better grade. Courses
taken to satisfy requirements for the major may not be taken Pass/No
Pass with the exception of a maximum of two independent study courses
(PS 199).
Honors candidates for departmental honors are
required to take PS 191A and B in which they write a senior thesis.
To be admitted to the Honors Seminar a student must be of senior
standing
in the first quarter of the seminar, have a minimum GPA of 3.6
in political science, have completed all lower-division requirements
including Political Science 30 and five upper-division courses.
Also, students must have an adviser prior to enrolling in the Honors
Seminar. These courses may be counted toward the upper-division
requirement.
Career Guidance
The premise of our educational philosophy is that the best professional
preparation for productive careers which we can provide is one which
is broad, theoretical, and only indirectly related to the current
job market. Our majors graduate into a wide range of career options.
Many political science majors at UCSD will seek admission to a
law school. Although law schools make no recommendation concerning
the usefulness of any undergraduate major, a B.A. in political science
should be seen as a useful complement to a law degree. Students
who take courses in American government, policy analysis, and law
and politics find that they develop a keen understanding of the
role of law in the general political process. This helps students
understand the limits and possibilities of the legal process in
fostering change or in preserving the status quo. This same curriculum
provides a solid foundation for a career in journalism. Students
with any specific questions regarding law are advised to consult
with career services.
Increasingly, political science majors are preparing for careers
in business or as policy analysts in both the public
and private sectors. Many of these students pursue advanced degrees
in public policy or study for a masters in business administration.
Students interested in this option should look into public policy,
American, or comparative politics as an area of concentration. Students
interested in public policy might wish to consider the public policy
minor, which is described separately in the catalog. Some political
science majors are interested in careers in international organization
or diplomacy. These students should look into international
relations as an area of concentration. In addition, a broad array
of courses in comparative politics is essential for anyone interested
in a career of international service.
A political science major offers excellent preparation for teaching
in the elementary schools. If you are interested in earning a California
teaching credential from UCSD, contact the Teacher Education Program
for information about the prerequisite and professional preparation
requirements. It is recommended that you contact TEP as early as
possible in your academic career.
Students interested in majoring or minoring in political science
should stop by the Department of Political Science Office, SSB301,
or visit our Web site: www.polisci.ucsd.edu.
Study Abroad
Political science majors are encouraged to participate in the Education
Abroad Program (EAP) and to investigate other options for foreign
study through the Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP). By petition,
credits earned through them can fulfill UCSD degree and major requirements.
Minor in Political Science
For students entering UCSD winter 1998 or later the following guidelines
for a political science minor will apply: seven political science
courses, with a minimum of five upper-division. Continuing students
may follow the guidelines for a minor of a total of six political
science courses, with a minimum of three upper-division. All courses
taken for a political science minor must be taken for a letter grade.
Interdisciplinary Minors
The Department of Political Science takes part in two interdisciplinary
minors offered at UCSD. The law and society minor offers students
the opportunity to examine the role of the legal system in society.
Students should note that Law and Society 101 (Contemporary Legal
Issues) may be used in fulfilling the twelve upper-division course
requirement for the political science major. The minor in health
caresocial issues offers students a variety of perspectives
that will enhance their ability to deal with complex social and
ethical issues in modern health care. Additional information on
these programs is available through the Warren Interdisciplinary
Programs Office.
Research
The Department of Political Science is closely affiliated with
several research centers/institutes/projects currently on campus.
Faculty members directly involved include: Steven Erie, director,
Urban Studies Program; J. Lawrence Broz and Kristian Gleditsch,
coordinators, Project in International Affairs; Germaine Hoston,
director, Center for TransPacific Studies in Values, Culture,
and
Politics; Mathew McCubbins, director, Public Policy Research Project;
Zoltan Hajnal and Thaddeus Kousser, coordinators, American Political
Institutions Project; Peter Cowhey, director, Institute on Global
Conflict and
Cooperation;
Wayne Cornelius,
director, Center for Comparative Immigration Studies. For further
information please refer to the General Catalog section on Research
at UCSD.
The Ph.D. Program
The Department of Political Science at the University of California,
San Diego offers a program of graduate studies leading to the Ph.D.
degree. Instruction is provided in the major fields of the discipline.
For purposes of comprehensive examinations, the discipline is broken
into four fields: American politics, comparative politics, international
relations, and political theory. The department also offers a variety
of courses that are of a methodological or epistemological nature,
spanning the various fields.
Students take two years of course work in preparation for their
comprehensive exams, including the First-Year Core Curriculum (POLI
200A-C and 204A-C). Students also attend regularly scheduled colloquia
which feature presentations by faculty, outside speakers, and dissertation
students.
A student must complete one seminar paper in one of his or her
examination fields. This paper may be written as part of the requirements
for a regularly scheduled seminar course or in an independent research
course. The paper will involve original research or other creative
effort.
By the end of the second year, a student must stand for the General
Examination, which consists of written examinations in each of two
fields and in a focus-area, and an oral examination.
The comprehensive exams are both written and oral. They test more
than just mastery of course work and hence there is no single set
of courses required for any field exam. To pass the exams a student
is expected not only to master the relevant literature, but also
to be able to synthesize and analyze the major issues in the field.
Each comprehensive exam tests both knowledge of the major theoretical
approaches in the field and the ability to apply those theories
to important questions in the field. For one of the two exam fields,
the student also designates a specific area of interest (a focus
area). The written focus area exam tests the students
in-depth knowledge and understanding. The focus area exam is taken
the same week as the general field exam, and there is one oral covering
both exams. Each field publishes a list of focus areas; students
may, with approval, craft their own focus area. Each field, in addition,
publishes a list of suggested ways to prepare for its exams; each
field also determines the research tools required for scholars in
that field.
Students are expected to complete their comprehensive exams no
later than the end of their second year.
After passing both exams, students are expected to write a dissertation
prospectus. This prospectus must be defended before a committee
of five faculty, including two members outside the department. This
committee also administers the final oral defense of the dissertation.
It is expected that students will complete their dissertations
within six years of starting the program.
Students interested in the program should consult the department
Web site for more detailed information.
Departmental Ph.D. Time Limit Policies
Students must be advanced to candidacy by the end of four years.
Total university support cannot exceed seven years. Total registered
time at UCSD cannot exceed eight years.
Political Science
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