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Overview of Political Science
The study of political science is designed to enable students to understand the nature of politics, public values, and policy, as well as the institutions and processes that produce these outcomes.
Students completing a major in Political Science will understand and be able to interrelate the leading theories, literature, and approaches in the subfields of American government, political theory, international relations, comparative politics, and public policy. Graduates can analyze and formulate effective argumentation in written and oral forms, with the ability to appreciate and accommodate diverse political ideas and to collect and critique information and ideas of others in support of original arguments. Graduates appreciate the knowledge and civic responsibilities required for effective participation in political life. Students completing a major in Political Science have the opportunity to complete courses providing one or more career paths from among Law, Justice and Politics; Public Policy and Political Action; Global Engagement; Politics and Business; and Environmental Politics and Policy.
The Political Science major is often chosen by students preparing for a career in law. Students with this goal should consult with the department in selecting courses.
Several internship options are available to the Political Science major, offering students the opportunity to experience practical application of the knowledge learned in academic courses.
Expected Student Learning Outcomes
Upon graduation, students should be able to:
- Effectively communicate political ideas and information.
- Formulate original arguments while drawing appropriately on others' ideas.
- Use major theoretical concepts of political science to answer questions of interest.
- Connect knowledge from political science to participation in civic life.
- Collect, and evaluate the quality of, information relating to politics and policy.
- Apply social-science methodologies to data about politics and policy.
Political Science, B.A.
All Political Science majors must satisfactorily complete 34 credits of Political Science, including at least 18 credits of Political Science courses numbered 3000 or above and at least 9 credits of Political Science courses numbered 4000 or above. No more than 3 credits of POLS 4900, POLS 4960, POLS 4970, or POLS 4990, alone or in combination, may count towards the major. Only Political Science courses in which a student earns a grade of C- or higher will count for the major. At least 15 credits of Political Science coursework must be earned at Iowa State University.
| POLS 1010 | Exploring Political Science | 1 |
| At least two subfield-introduction courses | 6 | |
| Introduction to American Government | ||
| Introduction to International Politics | ||
| Democracy and Dictatorship: Introduction to Comparative Politics | ||
| At least two career-gateway courses | 6 | |
| Global Engagement | ||
| Politics of Business | ||
| Introduction to Ethics and Politics | ||
| Public Organizations and Leadership | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Politics and Policies | ||
| At least one research-methods course | 3 | |
| Thinking Like a Political Scientist: Qualitative Approaches | ||
| Thinking Like a Political Scientist: Quantitative Approaches | ||
| Political Analysis and Research | ||
| Additional POLS 3000-level and above coursework to complement other course choices and to meet the minimums required for the major | 18 | |
At least 18 credits of POLS courses numbered 3000 or above, of which at least 9 credits are numbered 4000 or above | ||
| As part of the 3000-level and above coursework, a capstone experience | ||
| Senior Thesis (3 cr. minimum) | ||
| Internship in Political Science (3 cr. minimum) | ||
POLS course numbered 5000 or above (3 cr. minimum) | ||
Study-abroad experience approved by the department | ||
| POLS 4920 | Graduating Senior Survey | R |
| Total Credits | 34 | |
Complementary Course Requirements
| One Statistics course | 3-4 | |
| Principles of Statistics | ||
or STAT 1040 | Introduction to Statistics | |
or STAT 2260 | Introduction to Business Statistics I | |
| Total Credits | 3-4 | |
Communication Proficiency
| ENGL 1500 | Critical Thinking and Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 2500 | Written, Oral, Visual, and Electronic Composition | 3 |
| One Advanced Communication course | 3 | |
| Business Communication | ||
or ENGL 3090 | Proposal and Report Writing | |
or ENGL 3140 | Technical Communication | |
| Total Credits | 9 | |
As majors in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Political Science students must meet College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and university-wide requirements for graduation in addition to those stated above for the major. The university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement requires a grade of C or better in ENGL 2500. Students in all ISU majors must also complete three credits from the list of U.S. Cultures and Communities courses and three credits from the list of International Perspectives courses. Discuss with your advisor how the two courses that you select can be applied to your graduation plan.
LAS majors require a minimum of 120 credits, including a minimum of 45 credits at the 3000/4000 level and completion of the LAS world-language and career-proficiency requirements.
Political Science with Teacher Preparation Focus
Students seeking teacher certification in American Government must meet all of the requirements of the Political Science or History major while taking the specific Political Science and education-related classes required for certification by the State of Iowa. This coursework must include POLS 1110, either POLS 1210 or POLS 1250, and a minimum of 9 additional credits in American Government (see options below). Students must also complete a second major in Secondary Education and at least one additional endorsement (15 credits) in either American History or World History. Most students will complete a total of three endorsement areas; the third might include American or World History, Psychology, Economics, Anthropology, or Sociology. Students must earn a minimum grade of B- in all content courses used for licensure and a minimum grade of C in all other required courses. Specific requirements of each endorsement are available from your advisor.
Teacher license requirements are established by the Iowa Department of Education and the Iowa Board of Educational Examiners and are subject to change. Recent changes may not be reflected in this catalog, but advisors will be aware.
Political Science Course Options for American Government Teacher Certification
| POLS 1110 | Introduction to American Government | 3 |
| POLS 1210 | Introduction to International Politics | 3 |
| or POLS 1250 | Democracy and Dictatorship: Introduction to Comparative Politics | |
| Minimum of 9 additional credits in American Government | 9 | |
| Public Opinion and Voting Behavior | ||
| State and Local Government | ||
| Campaigns and Elections | ||
| Law and Politics | ||
| American Judicial Process | ||
| Democracy in America | ||
| Politics and Society | ||
| Science, Technology, and Public Policy | ||
| Health Politics and Policy | ||
| Liberty and Law in America | ||
| Public Policy | ||
| Immigration Policy | ||
| United States Foreign Policy | ||
| Current Issues in American Foreign Policy | ||
| American Institutions: Congress | ||
| American Institutions: The Presidency | ||
| American Institutions: Media | ||
| Political Parties and Interest Groups | ||
| Women in Politics | ||
| State Government and Politics | ||
| The Judiciary | ||
| Constitutional Law | ||
| Constitutional Freedoms | ||
| Proseminar in American Political Behavior | ||
| Proseminar in American Political Institutions | ||
Complementary Coursework for Political Science with Teacher Preparation Program Focus
| In addition to completing the requirements of the Secondary Major in Education, students will complete the following, some of which will apply to LAS General Education requirements: | ||
| PSYCH 2300 | Developmental Psychology | 3 |
| EDUC 4260 | Principles of Secondary Education | 3 |
| HIST 4980 | Methods of Teaching History/Social Sciences | 3 |
| HIST 2010 | Introduction to Western Civilization I | 3 |
| HIST 2020 | Introduction to Western Civilization II | 3 |
| HIST 2210 | Survey of United States History I | 3 |
| HIST 2220 | Survey of United States History II | 3 |
Four Year Plan
Political Science, B.A.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| POLS 1010 | 1 | POLS 1210 or 12501 | 3 |
| ENGL 1500 | 3 | Natural Science Choice | 3 |
| LIB 1600 | 1 | Social Science Choice | 3 |
| POLS 1110, 1210, or 1250 | 3 | Humanities Choice | 3 |
| Natural Science Choice | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Social Science Choice | 3 | ||
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 2500 | 3 | STAT 1010, 1040, or 22602 | 3-4 |
| POLS 2350 or 2710 | 3 | POLS 2220X, 2320X, or 2830 | 3 |
| POLS 2610 | 3 | Political Science Choice: 3000/4000 Level | 3 |
| Natural Science Choice | 2-3 | Humanities Choice | 3 |
| World Language/Elective | 3-4 | World Language/Elective | 3-4 |
| LAS 2030 | 1 | ||
| 16 | 16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Political Science Choice: 3000/4000 Level | 6 | Political Science Choice: 4000 Level | 3 |
| ENGL 3140, 3020, or 3090 | 3 | Humanities Choice | 3 |
| U.S. Cultures and Communities Choice3 | 3 | Electives | 9 |
| Humanities Choice | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Political Science Choice: 4000 Level | 3 | Political Science Choice: 5000 Level | 3 |
| Electives | 11 | Electives | 12 |
| 14 | 15 | ||
| Total Credits: 120 | |||
- 1
Meets International Perspectives requirement.
- 2
Meets LAS College Mathematical Disciplines requirement.
- 3
May be cross-listed to fulfill other requirements. POLS 3330, POLS 3370X, POLS 3390, POLS 3530, and POLS 3850 fill this requirement.
Minor in Political Science
The department offers a minor in political science that may be earned by completing 15 credits of coursework in political science, fulfilling all of the following criteria:
- At least 9 of the credits must be in courses numbered 2000 or above, of which at least 6 credits must be numbered 3000 or above; the 6 credits at the 3000 level or above require a minimum grade of C.
- At least 3 of the credits must have been taken at Iowa State University.
- No more than 3 credits of POLS 4900 may be included.
- None of the credits may be in courses taken on a pass/not-pass or satisfactory/fail basis.
- At least 3 of the credits must not be used to meet other department, college, or university requirement.
The Political Science Undergraduate Minor is an LAS Minor. In addition to University policies governing minors, LAS minors require at least 6 credits in courses numbered 3000 and above, with a grade of C or higher.
BA/MA PROGRAM
The concurrent BA/MA classification offers well-qualified Iowa State juniors and seniors the opportunity to start working on a master’s degree in political science before completing a bachelor’s degree. Contact the department's Director of Graduate Education for more information about applying.
Graduate Study
The department offers work for a Master of Arts degree (MA) with a major in political science and minor for students in other departments. The department also offers work for a Graduate Certificate of Public Management and Policy (GCPMP) for those interested in a professional certificate program that requires less work than a full master's program. In addition, the Department of Political Science offers work for a Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA) and a joint Master of Arts/Juris Doctor (MA/JD) program with the Law School of Drake University. Information with detailed requirements for all graduate degrees may be obtained at the department’s web page.
Master of Arts (MA)
This is a 30-credit master's degree that gives students the opportunity to explore the field of political science in order to improve higher-level job opportunities, pursue a PhD, go to law school, improve research skills, or understand politics better. Top students are eligible for graduate assistantships, awarded on a merit basis, that make graduate study more affordable and provide opportunities for assisting faculty with teaching and research. The degree can also be pursued jointly with a JD at Drake Law School (see below).
MA graduates have a broad substantive understanding of the political process and the academic study of politics. They also have in-depth knowledge of one or more subfields in political science. Graduates are skilled at conducting research, able to identify and address complex political questions, and can account for ethical, legal, economic, and social issues of policy.
The prerequisites for major graduate work in the MA program normally are completion of at least 12 credits in political science or related courses. During their program of study, all students are expected to complete STAT 5101, POLS 5010, and a thesis or creative component. Additional information including detailed graduation requirements can be found on the department's web page.
Master of Science in Cybersecurity
The Master of Science in Cybersecurity is a multi-disciplinary program designed to provide students with diverse backgrounds and interests the opportunity to obtain professional training in the emerging field of information assurance. The core of the Cybersecurity program is built around a series of courses taught in Electrical and Computer Engineering, Mathematics, and Computer Science that introduce students to software and hardware aspects of cryptography and computer security. The program also recognizes, however, that information assurance defined in terms of security, privacy, access, and reliability is not simply a technical problem but also involves important societal dimensions, including policy, education, ethics, and management. Recognizing that political science offers many potential intersections with cybersecurity (e.g., public-sector management of information technology, forensics and computer crime, information-technology policy and law, information technology and international relations, information warfare, etc.), students with interests in these areas are encouraged to select the Department of Political Science as their home department.
Students opting to pursue a Cybersecurity degree through the Department of Political Science can expect to acquire skills and background knowledge relevant to a career in public policy or public sector management of information assurance technologies. The Cybersecurity degree can also help prepare students who wish to go on to pursue a PhD in information politics and policy.
Admission requirements generally follow the same guidelines as the MA in Political Science. Degree requirements are specified by the Cybersecurity program in cooperation with Political Science. More in-depth information on the program including detailed graduation requirements can be found on the department's web page.
Master of Arts/Juris Doctor Program (MA/JD)
The Drake Law School and the Department of Political Science at Iowa State University are co-sponsors of the Master of Arts/Juris Doctor degree. This degree combines courses at both Iowa State University and the Drake Law School and follows most of the same requirements as a double degree. However, the student must have full admission to both schools. Detailed information for the MA/JD can be found at the ISU Political Science web page.
The increasing attention being focused on the solution of social problems by state and federal governments has created a need for persons with advanced training in both law and political science. The Drake Law School and the ISU Department of Political Science jointly administer a MA/JD program to provide an opportunity for students at the Drake Law School to achieve, concurrently, a JD degree in law and a MA degree in political science, and for graduate students in political science at Iowa State University to achieve a degree in law.
Successful completion of this program will enable students at Drake Law School to receive both a JD and an MA degree within a three-year or four-year period, while graduate students in political science at Iowa State University will be able to transfer a substantial number of hours to the Drake Law School toward the fulfillment of the JD requirements in a similar amount of time. Additional information including detailed graduation requirements can be found on the department's web page.
Graduate Minor
Students in other graduate programs may obtain a minor in political science by completing at least 9 credits of political science courses. Interested students should consult the Graduate College Handbook for additional information on graduate minors.
THE GRADUATE CERTIFICATE OF PUBLIC MANAGEMENT AND POLICY (GCPMP)
The Political Science Department offers a Graduate Certificate of Public Management and Policy (GCPMP). The GCPMP is a 15-credit certificate. Students who are interested in public management and policy, but unsure about committing to a full master's degree, can aim for the certificate knowing that those courses will also count toward a master's degree if they choose to continue on. Iowa State graduate students in other fields may want to pursue the certificate to improve their credentials on the job market if their interest overlaps with public management and policy. For example, doctoral students in higher education and education administration can earn all 9 of their "outside" credits in the GCPMP coursework, add the 6 more elective credits, and earn a GCPMP along with their PhD.
Requirements for admission are a graduate school application, an essay stating purposes for study, college transcripts, three letters of recommendation, and the TOEFL or equivalent for international students without a prior English-language degree. More information on the program including curricular requirements can be found on the department's web page.