Political Science

Richard M.J. Thurston, Chairperson

Requirements for Political Science

Major Degree of Bachelor of Arts

In addition to fulfilling the core curriculum requirements (60 credits). Political Science majors must complete the following courses:

Special Notes on Major Requirements

1. Majors must earn a total of 33 credits in political science, including Po100 Perspectives on Politics and Po200 Political Science Research Methods. Po100 is required for all seminar and internship courses.
2. Students who have taken at least three American Politics courses may, with the approval of the department chairperson, be exempted from taking Po201 American Government.
3. Majors must distribute their major courses as follows: one course (3 credits) from each of the four subfields into which the Department is divided (American Politics, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, International Politics). The remaining five courses (15 credits) may be filled by any other Political Science electives according to the student’s interests. Additionally, all students must take at least one senior level seminar course.
4. Majors are encouraged to obtain valuable internship experience in government or in public advocacy organizations available through either the Department, the Cooperative Education Office, or the Washington Center as well as to participate in the Gannon Debate Society.
5. The Department sponsors a chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society. Membership in the Theta Chi chapter is open to any student who has completed at least fifteen credits in political science, maintained at least a 3.3 average in those courses, and demonstrates promise of future achievement in political science. Applications are available in the Department office.

Sequence of Courses

Minor Program Requirements

Students wishing to minor in political science should contact the department chairperson. Minors include but are not limited to Political Studies, American Government, International Studies, Comparative Government, and Political Theory. A minimum of 18 credits, including Po100 - Perspectives on Politics, is required for a minor in political science.

Model United Nations PROGRAMS

A unique and exciting part of the political science curriculum, the Harvard Model U.N. is a component of one of the International Politics courses offered during the Fall semester. Together with delegations of students from colleges and universities from throughout the United States, Canada, and from around the world, each representing a different U.N. member nation, a delegation of students from Saint Peter’s College participates in a four-day mock United Nations session, debating various topics and defending the positions of the nation it is assigned.  The Harvard National Model U.N. permits the student to gain first-hand experience at the processes of conference diplomacy and negotiation that characterize international politics. Because the course selected to include the Model U.N. changes every year, interested students are able to participate more than once in this unique educational experience.

The Political Science department is also "home" to the Saint Peter's College High School Model United Nations, an annual conference convened at Saint Peter's to which high schools are invited to participate in a two-day simulation of the United Nations.  At the SPCHSMUN conference, Saint Peter's College students moderate committee debates between high school students representing various countries.  While many Saint Peter's College students who participate in the SPCHSMUN program are not political science majors, it has become very popular among majors who have an interest in world affairs.