Political Science
[ Minor] [ Ph.D.] [ Professors] [ Courses]
OFFICE: Social Science Building
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 United States 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 today’s 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. (Please note: lower-division courses PS 27 and PS 40 may not be used to satisfy requirements in the political science major or minor.) Moreover, as stated below, students concentrating in one of the fields must satisfy that field’s particular lower- and upper-division requirements.
Requirements for Major in Political Science without an Area of Concentration
- Three of the four lower-division courses from 10, 11, 12, 13.
- 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 from 11, 12, 13)
- Political Science 30
- Five upper-division American courses:
- at least two of which must be from the 100 sequence: 100A-B-C, 100DA, 100E, 100H, 100J, 100K, 100L, 100M, 100N
- the additional courses for the American concentration must be chosen from:
102C, 102E-F-G, 102J-K-L, 103A-B-C, 104A-B-C-D, 104F, 104I, 104L-M, 105A, 108
Major in Political Science/Comparative Politics
- Lower-division required: PS 11 (in addition to two other lower-division courses from 10, 12, 13)
- Political Science 30
- Five upper-division courses including:
- at least one from the following thematic courses: 120K, 122A-B, 123, 123A, 124A, 125, 125A, 126AA-AB, 127, 136A-B-C, 137A, 139A, 150A-B
- and at least one each from two of the following three regional areas:
Asia: 121, 121B, 130B, 130H, 131C, 132C, 133A, 133D, 133DD, 133F-G-H
Europe: 120A-B-C-D-E, 120H, 120I-J-K, 126AA-AB, 130AA, 130AC-AD
Latin America: 134AA, 134B, 134D
Major in Political Science/International Relations
- Lower-division required: PS 12 (in addition to two other lower-division courses from 10, 11, 13)
- Political Science 30
- Five upper-division IR courses with at least one each from three of the
following four groups:
- Foreign Policy: 140C, 142A, 142M-N, 145A, 146A, 150A, 152
- National and International Security: 140C, 142I-J-K-L-M-N-O, 143A, 146E
- Political Economy: 126AA-AB, 140A, 144AA, 144AB, 144E-F, 146A
- Theory of International Relations: 141B, 142L, 145B-C, 152
Major in Political Science/Political Theory
- Three of four lower-division courses from 10, 11, 12, 13
- Political Science 30
- 110A-B-C
- And at least two additional courses from: 110DA, 110EA, 110EB, 110EC, 110H, 110J, 110N,110T, 112A, 113A-B, 114B, 115A, 116A, 119A
Major in Political Science/Public Law
- Lower-division required: PS 10 (in addition to two other lower-division courses from 11, 12, 13)
- Political Science 30
- Five of the following: 100A-B, 102L, 104A-B-C-D, 104F, 104I, 104L-M
Major in Political Science/Public Policy
- Lower-division required: PS 10 (in addition to two other lower-division courses from 11, 12, 13)
- 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, 142A, 142J, 150A-B, 162, 163, 165, 166F
Two upper-division courses in a field may be substituted for that field’s 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 advisor 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 an undergraduate student affairs advisor.
Double majors who include political science as one of their two majors must fulfill the requirements of both programs. Please consult an undergraduate student affairs advisor 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 advisor 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 master’s in business administration. Students interested in this option should look into public policy, American, or comparative politics as an area of concentration. 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, SSB 301, or visit our Web site: http://www.polisci.ucsd.edu.
Study Abroad
Political science majors are encouraged to participate in the UC Education Abroad Program (EAP) and UCSD's Opportunities Abroad Program (OAP). Information on EAP/OAP is given in the “Education Abroad Program” section of the UCSD General Catalog. Interested students should contact the Programs Abroad Office in the International Center and visit its Web site at http://programsabroad.ucsd.edu. Financial aid can be used for EAP/OAP study, and special study-abroad scholarships are also available.
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, not including political science 27 and 40, 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 care–social 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, coordinator, 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; Wayne Cornelius, director, Center for Comparative Immigration Studies; and Clark Gibson, coordinator, Political Economy of Development Series. 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 student’s 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.
