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Political Science Major

Drury University > Department of Political Science and International Affairs > Political Science Major

A degree in political science leads to a wide range of rewarding careers. Employers value people who can
adapt and solve problems, who have excellent written and oral communication skills, who are able to
understand and use quantitative data, and who can think critically and creatively. Classes in political
science stress the development and exercise of exactly these kinds of skills.

Drury political science graduates attend law school, graduate school, and work in both the public and
private sectors, including law, international organizations, media, academia, government, secondary
education, non-profits, administration, human resources, diplomacy, and business.

The Political Science major requires a minimum 37 hours of coursework, with optional tracks in American
Politics and International Affairs. Students take a required set of 19 credit hours, and then choose 18
credit hours of electives. Students choosing to track must take at least 12 out of their 18 total elective
credit hours either in American Politics or International Affairs courses. No more than 6 credit hours of
electives may be at the 200 level (at least 12 hours of electives must be at the 300 or 400 level). PLSC 302,
PLSC 356 and PLSC 370 may be taken for either the American Politics or International Affairs tracks.

All prerequisites must be completed prior to enrollment in the following courses:

  • PLSC 101 Government and Politics in the United States (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 151 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 152 Introduction to International Relations (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 160 Inquiry in Political Science (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 296 Data Analysis in Political Science (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 394 Research Design in Political Science (1 hr.)
  • PLSC 494 Senior Research Seminar (3 hrs.)

Political Science-American Politics Track (12 hrs.)

Choose Four:

  • PLSC 220 Introduction to Law and Society (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 223 The Individual, Society, and the Environment (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 253 Political Philosophy (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 302 U.S. Foreign Policy (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 321 Music, Film and Politics (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 323 Issues in Environmental Policy (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 332 Political Parties, Elections and Interest Groups (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 333 Congress and the Presidency (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 335 The Supreme Court and Constitutional Law (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 340 Civic Leadership and Political Action (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 368 Washington Center: Studies in American Politics (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 370 Women and Politics (3 hrs.)

Political Science-International Affairs Track (12 hrs.)

Choose Four:

  • PLSC 205 Model UN (1 hr.)
  • PLSC 223 The Individual, Society, and the Environment (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 302 U.S. Foreign Policy (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 309 Global Environmental Politics (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 312 Islam and the West (Study Abroad) (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 346 Political Violence (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 350 International Organizations and Law (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 360 Islam and Politics in the Modern Middle East (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 366 Washington Center: Studies in International Relations (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 367 Washington Center: Studies in Comparative Politics (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 370 Women and Politics (3 hrs.)
  • PLSC 375 Arab-Israeli Conflict (3 hrs.)

Students not choosing to track in either American Politics or International Affairs may take any 18 credit hours from the list of electives above. At least 12 credit hours of electives must be at the 300-level.