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.
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:
- Understand the nature of politics, public values, and the institutions and processes of politics in their various forms.
- Understand and be able to interrelate the leading theories, literature, and approaches in the subfields of American government, political theory and methods, international relations, comparative politics, and public policy.
- Be able to analyze and formulate effective argumentation in written and oral forms, including the ability to appreciate and accommodate diverse political ideas, and to collect and critique information in ideas of others in support of original arguments.
- Appreciate the knowledge and civic responsibilities required for effective participation in political life.
Requirements for the Major:
For the purpose of defining undergraduate requirements in the Department of Political Science, the Department employs five subfields within the discipline, with the following courses in each:
I. Law, justice, and Political philosophy
| POL S 230 | Foundations of American Legal and Political Practices | 3 |
| POL S 235 | Introduction to Ethics and Politics | 3 |
| POL S 319 | Law and Politics | 3 |
| POL S 320 | American Judicial Process | 3 |
| POL S 333 | Democracy and Diversity in America | 3 |
| POL S 339 | Liberty and Law in America | 3 |
| POL S 402 | Legal Analysis | 3 |
| POL S 419 | The Judiciary | 3 |
| POL S 420 | Constitutional Law | 3 |
| POL S 421 | Constitutional Freedoms | 3 |
| POL S 430 | Foundations of Western Political Thought | 3 |
| POL S 431 | Modern Political Thought | 3 |
| POL S 480 | Ethics and Public Policy | 3 |
II. UNITED STATES ELECTIONS AND INSTITUTIONS
| POL S 111 | Introduction to American Government | 3 |
| POL S 306 | Public Opinion and Voting Behavior | 3 |
| POL S 310 | State and Local Government | 3 |
| POL S 318 | Campaigns and Elections | 3 |
| POL S 360 | American Institutions: Congress | 3 |
| POL S 361 | American Institutions: The Presidency | 3 |
| POL S 363 | American Institutions: Media | 3 |
| POL S 364 | Political Parties and Interest Groups | 3 |
| POL S 385 | Women in Politics | 3 |
| POL S 409 | Political Game Theory | 3 |
| POL S 413 | Intergovernmental Relations | 3 |
| POL S 460 | American Political Institutions | 3 |
III. Comparative Politics
| POL S 125 | Democracy and Dictatorship: Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POL S 305 | Comparative Political Behavior | 3 |
| POL S 340 | Politics of Developing Areas | 3 |
| POL S 342 | Chinese Politics | 3 |
| POL S 343 | Latin American Government and Politics | 3 |
| POL S 346 | European Politics | 3 |
| POL S 348 | British Government and Politics | 3 |
| POL S 349 | Politics of Russia and Eastern Europe | 3 |
| POL S 350 | Politics of the Middle East | 3 |
| POL S 370 | Religion and Politics | 3 |
| POL S 444 | Comparative Public Policy | 3 |
IV. International CONFLICT AND COOPERATION
| POL S 121 | Introduction to International Politics | 3 |
| POL S 354 | War and the Politics of Humanitarianism | 3 |
| POL S 355 | War and Politics | 3 |
| POL S 356 | Theories of International Politics | 3 |
| POL S 357 | International Security Policy | 3 |
| POL S 358 | United States Foreign Policy | 3 |
| POL S 359 | Current Issues in American Foreign Policy | 3 |
| POL S 381 | International Political Economy | 3 |
| POL S 422 | International Law | 3 |
| POL S 452 | Comparative Foreign Policy | 3 |
| POL S 453 | International Organization | 3 |
V. Public Policy and Administration
| POL S 271 | Public Organizations and Leadership | 3 |
| POL S 335 | Science, Technology, and Public Policy | 3 |
| POL S 344 | Public Policy | 3 |
| POL S 353 | Immigration Policy | 3 |
| POL S 383 | Environmental Politics and Policies | 3 |
| POL S 407 | Proseminar in Public Policy | 3 |
| POL S 408 | Policy Implementation | 3 |
| POL S 443 | Energy Policy | 3 |
| POL S 475 | Management in the Public Sector | 3 |
| POL S 477 | Government, Business, and Society | 3 |
| POL S 487 | Electronic Democracy | 3 |
To complete the major in Political Science a student must earn 33 semester credits of courses in Political Science subject to the following conditions:
- Students must satisfactorily complete POL S 101 and POL S 301.
- Students must complete at least 15 credits in one of the five subfields listed above (or, with departmental approval, an alternative, substantively related set of 15 POL S credits), with at least 3 credits in each of three additional subfields.
- Political Science courses in which a student has a grade of D+ or lower will not count for the major but can be counted as electives.
- At least 21 credits of Political Science courses must be numbered 300 or above.
- At least 9 credits of Political Science courses must be numbered 400 or above.
- No more than three credits of POL S 490, POL S 496, POL S 497, or POL S 499 (alone or in combination) can be used to fulfill any of these requirements.
- At least 15 credits of Political Science coursework must be earned at Iowa State University.
- Students must pass at least one Statistics course from among STAT 101, STAT 104, or STAT 226.
- According to the university-wide Communication Proficiency Grade Requirement, students must demonstrate their communication proficiency by earning a grade of C or better in ENGL 250.
- Advanced Communication Skills: Majors must earn at least a C in one course from among ENGL 302, ENGL 309, or ENGL 314.
Students in all ISU majors must complete a three-credit course in U.S. diversity and a three-credit course in international perspectives. Check (http://www.registrar.iastate.edu/courses/div-ip-guide.html) for a list of approved 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 300/400 level.
Four Year Plan
Political Science, B.A.
| Freshman | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| POL S 101 | 3 | POL S 121 or 1251 | 3 |
| ENGL 150 | 3 | Natural Science Choice | 3 |
| LIB 160 | 1 | Social Science Choice | 3 |
| Political Science Choice | 3 | Humanities Choice | 3 |
| Natural Science Choice | 3 | Elective | 3 |
| Social Science Choice | 3 | ||
| 16 | 15 | ||
| Sophomore | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| ENGL 250 | 3 | STAT 101, 104, or 2262 | 3-4 |
| Political Science Choice | 3 | Political Science Choice - 300/400 Level | 6 |
| Natural Science Choice | 2-3 | Humanities Choice | 3 |
| Humanities Choice | 3 | World Language/Elective | 3–4 |
| World Language/Elective | 3-4 | ||
| 15 | 15-16 | ||
| Junior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| POL S 301 | 3 | Political Science Choice - 400 Level | 3 |
| Political Science Choice - 300/400 Level | 3 | Humanities Choice | 3 |
| ENGL 314, 302, or 309 | 3 | Electives | 9 |
| U.S. Diversity Choice3 | 3 | ||
| Elective | 3 | ||
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Senior | |||
| Fall | Credits | Spring | Credits |
| Political Science Choice - 400 Level | 3 | Political Science Choice - 400 Level | 3 |
| Electives | 12 | Electives | 11 |
| 15 | 14 | ||
| 1 | Meets international perspectives requirement. |
| 2 | STAT 101, 104, and 226 also meet LAS College math requirement. |
| 3 | May be cross-listed to fulfill other requirements. |
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 300 or above.
- At least 9 of the credits must have been taken at Iowa State University.
- At least 6 of the credits must be in courses numbered 300 or above, be taken at Iowa State University, and have a minimum grade of C.
- No more than 3 credits of POL S 312, POL S 313, POL S 314, POL S 315, or POL S 490, alone or in combination, may be included.
- None of the credits may be in courses offered only on a satisfactory/fail basis.
- At least 9 of the credits must not be used to meet other department, college, or university requirement.
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 an educational certificate program that requires less work than a full masters 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 at https://www.pols.iastate.edu/academics/graduate/
Master of Arts (MA)
This is a 30-credit masters degree that gives students the opportunity to explore the field of political science in order to pursue a PhD, go to law school, improve research skills, or understand politics better. The three concentration areas are American Politics, Global Politics, and Public Policy. Although it is not a formal concentration, some students have worked heavily in the area of political theory. Top students are eligible for graduate assistantships that make graduate study much more affordable and provide opportunities for assisting faculty with teaching and research. These are awarded on a merit basis. A thesis is required for this degree. The department also has a joint Master of Arts/Juris Doctor (MA/JD) program with the Law School of Drake University. Students wishing to pursue this joint degree must submit separate applications to Drake University and Iowa State University and be accepted by both institutions.
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 and preparing thorough research summaries. They are able to identify and address complex political questions, taking into account related ethical, legal, economic, and social issues.
The prerequisites for major graduate work in the MA program normally are completion of at least 15 credits in political science, the GRE (Graduate Record Examination), one year of a foreign language (equivalent to 8 semester hours), and a course in basic statistics (equivalent to STAT 101). If the basic statistics requirement has not been met, the student may remedy the deficiency by passing equivalent courses, for which no graduate credit will be received. During their program of study, all students are expected to complete STAT 587, POL S 502, and a thesis. Additional information including detailed graduation requirements can be found at https://www.pols.iastate.edu/academics/graduate/#ma
Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA)
The Master of Science in Information Assurance (MSIA) 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 MSIA 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 information assurance (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 MSIA 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 MSIA degree can also help prepare students who wish to go on to pursue a PhD in information politics and policy.
Students interested in the MSIA degree program should consider Political Science as a home department if their future career and/or educational interests lie in such areas as: institutional issues related to the Internet and information technologies; electronic government and electronic democracy; information technology, international security, and information warfare; information technology policy and law; and public administration and public sector management of information technology.
Admission requirements generally follow the same guidelines as the MA in Political Science. Degree requirements are specified by the MSIA program in cooperation with Political Science. More in-depth information on the program including detailed graduation requirements can be found at: https://www.pols.iastate.edu/academics/graduate/#msia
Master of Arts/Juris Doctorate 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 Doctorate 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 webpage as well as the Drake Law School website (under Joint Degree): http://www.law.drake.edu/.
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 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 at: https://www.pols.iastate.edu/academics/graduate/#majd
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, the GRE (waived for those with five or more years of public or nonprofit sector experience), three letters of recommendation, and the TOEFL for international students. More information on the program including curricular requirements can be found at: https://www.pols.iastate.edu/academics/graduate/#gcpm/.