Political Science
The political science curriculum comprises the systematic study of the theory and practice of politics and government at various levels — domestic, foreign and international. Depending on the area studied, particular emphasis may be given to questions of a philosophical nature, to the role and performance of institutions and political systems or to the political behavior of individuals and groups.
Courses in political science are structured on four levels: introductory (numbered below 200); lower-level intermediate (200-299); upper-level intermediate (300-399); and advanced (400-499). Unless otherwise specified, courses above 400 may be counted toward the department’s seminar requirements. There are six introductory courses (encompassing four fields) that assume no prior background in the discipline: PLSC 111 (American Politics), PLSC 112 (Cultural Forces in World Politics), PLSC 113 (Comparative Politics), PLSC 115 (Political Theory), PLSC 117 (International Politics) and PLSC 118 (Political Sociology). These serve as prerequisites for other courses but may be skipped by students who have equivalent prior coursework in political science or related disciplines, including advanced placement credit in American government or comparative politics.
Political Science Major
Requirements for the BA in political science include 10 courses in political science, including not more than three introductory courses (PLSC 111, 112, 113, 115, 117, 118), not more than two independent study courses, with at least 24 credits at the 300 or 400 level, and at least two 400-level seminars to be taken in residence at Binghamton University. Students must take at least one four-credit course in three of the following four subfields: American politics, political theory, comparative politics and international relations. Courses acceptable in meeting the distribution requirements are identified as American, Theory, Comparative and International in the course descriptions that follow. With the approval of the undergraduate director, appropriate alternative courses may be used to satisfy the distribution requirements.
The Political Science Department views the grade of D as passing but unsatisfactory. Courses passed with a grade of D do not fulfill requirements for the major or the related field requirement. Courses taken Pass/Fail do not count toward the major or in fulfillment of the related field requirement.
Four courses complementing political science and in at least three other departments and disciplines are also required. These should be selected in conjunction with the student’s particular interests in political science. Normally, these should be diversified courses in other social sciences or, if outside social sciences, related to the student’s curricular purposes.
Transfer students must take at least four political science courses in residence at Binghamton. Transfer course grades must be C– or better to count toward the major. No transfer course counting toward the major may be taken Pass/Fail.
Students of senior standing with appropriate political science background are allowed to take graduate-level courses with the instructor’s consent. Successful completion of such a course is counted toward the seminar requirement of the political science requirement. Majors are strongly encouraged to complete at least one substantial paper, based on their own investigation of a problem in an area of the political science discipline, either as part of a regular course, through independent study or as an honors research project thesis (PLSC 498 and 499).
Prior to pre-registration each semester, a student who majors in political science should consult with an adviser.
Honors Program
Superior students majoring in political science are considered for admission to the honors program upon the successful completion of five semesters or 80 credit hours (including at least 16 in political science). The program consists of a six-credit research project (PLSC 498 with a grade of B+ or better) in the first semester of the senior year; one graduate seminar in either fall or spring semester; and a six credit thesis project (PLSC 499) and a successful defense of an honors thesis in the second. Students should consult with the departmental honors director or the director of undergraduate studies for full information.
Independent Study and Internships
Independent and internship courses are open only to juniors and seniors and, except for PLSC 394, require a substantial paper incorporating advanced political analysis. Students with internships should have junior standing, at least a 3.0 GPA and have taken at least three PLSC courses appropriate for the internship in question. No credit is given for internships as such; students must do specific academic work to earn credit based on their internships. In addition, students contemplating internships or independent study projects must secure prior approval for the analyses they plan to undertake. For internship requirements and eligibility, consult the guidelines available from the department secretary or director of internships.