2024-2025 Academic Catalog
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Degree Core Requirements | ||
| Required Political Science Courses | ||
| PSCI 1034 | Introduction to International Studies and Political Science | 3 |
| PSCI 2014 | Introduction to Political Theory | 3 |
| PSCI 2024 | Research Methods in Political Science | 3 |
| PSCI 2054 | Introduction to World Politics | 3 |
| or PSCI 2064 | The Global Economy and World Politics | |
| Required Political Science Core Elective Courses | ||
| Select nine hours of courses in Political Science, six of which must be at the 3000 or 4000 level | 9 | |
| Subtotal | 21 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| Political Science Major Courses | ||
| PSCI 1014 | Introduction to United States Government and Politics | 3 |
| PSCI 1024 | Comp Gov & Politics | 3 |
| Advanced Theory and Practice in Political Science | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Political Theory | ||
| Political Theory | ||
| Seminar in Diplomacy and Security | ||
| Seminar in Global Political Economy | ||
| Seminar in Global Development | ||
| The Politics of Cybersecurity | ||
| Future of Security: Integrative Solutions for Complex Security Systems | ||
| Climate Change and the International Policy Framework | ||
| Senior Seminar in Political Behavior | ||
| Senior Seminar in Political Institutions | ||
| Senior Seminar in Constitutional Law | ||
| Senior Seminar in Public Administration | ||
| Senior Seminar in Comparative Politics | ||
| Senior Seminar in International Relations | ||
| Senior Seminar in Policy Analysis | ||
| Senior Seminar in Political Theory | ||
| Internship Program | ||
| Independent Study | ||
| Undergraduate Research | ||
| Subtotal | 9 | |
| Requirements for the Political Science Major (Applied Public Policy Studies Option) | ||
| Applied Public Policy Studies Political Science Courses | ||
| Select two of the following: | 6 | |
| The Politics of Internet Governance | ||
| Food Politics | ||
| Selected World Problems | ||
| Selected World Problems | ||
| Global Governance and Public Policy | ||
| Topics in Global Public Policies | ||
| Global Trade: Structures and Policies | ||
| Monetary Foundations of the World Economy | ||
| Global Environmental Issues: Interdisciplinary Perspectives | ||
| Public Administration | ||
| Administrative Law and Policy | ||
| The U. S. Policy Process | ||
| Public Policy Analysis | ||
| Politics of Global and Comparative Migration | ||
| Comparative Politics of Immigrant Inclusion | ||
| Topics in Middle East Politics and International Relations | ||
| Foreign Policy and Diplomacy | ||
| US-Russia Foreign Policies | ||
| US-Russia Foreign Policies | ||
| Poverty and Welfare Policy | ||
PSCI 3735 | ||
PSCI 3736 | ||
| The European Union: Institutions and Policies | ||
| European Union's Foreign and Security Policy | ||
| Topics in Diplomacy Lab | ||
| Climate Change and the International Policy Framework | ||
| Senior Seminar in Policy Analysis | ||
| Political Science Electives | ||
| Select a minimum of six additional hours of courses in Political Science, 3 of which must be at the 3000 or 4000 level. 1 | 6 | |
| Required Hours in Applied Public Policy Studies Related Courses | ||
| Select four of the following: | 12 | |
| Environment and Sustainable Development Economics | ||
| Food and Agricultural Policy | ||
| Environmental Economic Analysis and Management | ||
| Rural and Regional Development Policy | ||
| Water Resources Policy and Economics | ||
| Issues of Schooling in the United States | ||
| Community Analytics | ||
| Advanced Family Relationships | ||
| Public Health Policy and Administration | ||
| Housing Challenges and Policies in the United States | ||
| Federal Cybersecurity Policy and Regulation | ||
| Data and the Art of Policy-Making and Planning | ||
| Urban Policy and Planning | ||
| Policy Implementation | ||
| Introduction to Environmental Policy and Planning | ||
| Environmental Ethics and Policy | ||
| Land Use and Environment: Planning and Policy | ||
| The Washington Semester: Seminar in American Politics and Public Policy | ||
| Washington Semester: Politics, Policy and Administration in A Democracy | ||
| Subtotal | 24 | |
| Free Electives | ||
| Select remaining courses to complete 120 credit hour graduation requirement | 30 | |
| Subtotal | 30 | |
| Pathways to General Education 2 | ||
| Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse | ||
| ENGL 1105 | First-Year Writing | 3 |
| or COMM 1015 | Communication Skills | |
| ENGL 1106 | First-Year Writing | 3 |
| or COMM 1016 | Communication Skills | |
| Select three credits in Pathway 1a | 3 | |
| Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities | ||
| Select six credits in Pathway 2 | 6 | |
| Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences (Met by Major Requirements) | ||
| Introduction to United States Government and Politics | ||
| Comp Gov & Politics | ||
| Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences | ||
| Select six credits in Pathway 4 | 6 | |
| Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking | ||
| Select six credits in Pathway 5f | 6 | |
| Select three credits in Pathway 5a | 3 | |
| Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts | ||
| Select six credits: 3 design + 3 arts, or 6 integrated design & arts | 6 | |
| Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States (Met by Major Requirements) | ||
| Introduction to United States Government and Politics | ||
| Subtotal | 36 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
Limit on Repeatable Courses: No more than six credit hours in any one of the following courses may contribute toward the 54 hours required by the major: internship (PSCI 4754 Internship Program), undergraduate research (PSCI 4994 Undergraduate Research), independent study (PSCI 4974 Independent Study).
PSCI majors (all options) must complete the requirements for the Pathways to General Education. More details and course listings can be found at the following link: https://www.pathways.prov.vt.edu.
To proceed satisfactorily toward a degree, a student must complete PSCI 1014 Introduction to United States Government and Politics , PSCI 1024 Comp Gov & Politics , and PSCI 2024 Research Methods in Political Science by the end of the semester in which 60 hours have been attempted; must maintain an overall GPA of at least 2.0 and must maintain an in major GPA of 2.0.
A total of 120 hours is required to graduate with a Political Science degree.
All of the courses in the Degree Core Requirements, Major Requirements, And Option Requirements are included in the in-major GPA. The overall and in-major GPAs required for graduation are 2.0.
Hours not required by the Pathways to General Education or the major are “free electives” and may be taken anywhere in the university.
Some courses required for this major have pre-/co-requisite and/or enrollment requirements. Please refer to Undergraduate Course Catalog or consult your advisor for information about pre-/co-requisite and enrollment requirements.
The Department of Political Science offers several majors and minors. Courses for the majors and minors overlap significantly. Therefore, Political Science majors may not pursue multiple majors and/or minors within the department.
Political Science: Applied Public Policy Studies Option
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Credits | |
| PSCI 1034 | Introduction to International Studies and Political Science | 3 |
| PSCI 1014 | Introduction to United States Government and Politics | 3 |
| ENGL 1105 | First-Year Writing | 3 |
| PW 5F | Choose any 3 credit hour PW 5F course | 3 |
| PW 4 | Choose any 3 credit hour PW 4 course | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSCI 1024 | Comp Gov & Politics | 3 |
| ENGL 1106 | First-Year Writing | 3 |
| PW 5F | Choose any 3 credit hour PW 5F course | 3 |
| PW 4 | Choose any 3 credit hour PW 4 course | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVE | Choose any 3 credit hour free elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PSCI 2014 | Introduction to Political Theory | 3 |
| PSCI 2024 | Research Methods in Political Science | 3 |
| PW 2 | Choose any 3 credit hour PW 2 course | 3 |
| PW 1A | Choose any 3 credit hour PW 1A course | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVE | Choose any 3 credit hour free elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSCI 2054 or PSCI 2064 | Introduction to World Politics or The Global Economy and World Politics | 3 |
| PSCI 1XXX/2XXX/3XXX | Choose any PSCI elective at the 1000, 2000, or 3000 level | 3 |
| PW 2 | Choose any 3 credit hour PW 2 course | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVE | 3 | |
| FREE ELECTIVE | Choose any 3 credit hour free elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| PSCI APPLIED PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES COURSE | Choose any course from the approved list | 3 |
| APPLIED PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES RELATED FIELD COURSE | Choose any course from the approved list | 3 |
| PW 6A | Choose any 3 credit hour PW 6A course | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVE | Choose any 3 credit hour free elective | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVE | Choose any 3 credit hour free elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSCI APPLIED PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES COURSE | Choose any course from the approved list | 3 |
| APPLIED PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES RELATED FIELD COURSE | Choose any course from the approved list | 3 |
| PSCI 1XXX/2XXX/3XXX | Choose any PSCI elective at the 1000, 2000, or 3000 level | 3 |
| PW 5A | Choose any 3 credit hour PW 5A course | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVE | Choose any 3 credit hour free elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| APPLIED PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES RELATED FIELD COURSE | Choose any course from the approved list | 3 |
| PSCI 3XXX/4XXX | Choose any 3000 or 4000 level PSCI elective | 3 |
| PSCI 3XXX/4XXX | Choose any 3000 or 4000 level PSCI elective | 3 |
| PW 6D | Chosoe any 3 credit hour PW 6D course | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVE | Choose any 3 credit hour free elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PSCI ADVANCED THEORY AND PRACTICE | Choose any course from the approved list | 3 |
| PSCI 3XXX/4XXX | Choose a 3000 or 4000 level PSCI elective | 3 |
| APPLIED PUBLIC POLICY STUDIES RELATED FIELD COURSE | Choose any course from the approved list | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVE | Choose any 3 credit hour free elective | 3 |
| FREE ELECTIVE | Choose any 3 credit hour free elective | 3 |
| Credits | 15 | |
| Total Credits | 120 | |
This is an EXAMPLE of a course of study; you do NOT have to follow it
We recommend that you take your math courses early so that you will recall more from your previous coursework
This assumes that you have NO AP, IB, or TRANSFER credit
This assumes that you do NOT take summer courses
This assumes you have completed the CLAHS foreign language admission requirement (3 years+ of a single foreign language from high school)
Elective courses may be applied to a second major, a minor, and/or courses required for ROTC, leadership, athletics, etc.
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