Political Science - Politics and Public Policy Option, BA
Introduction
Please click here to see Political Science department information.
This option was designed for students who desire to pursue careers in public policy and/or public administration in the public or nonprofit sectors. This BA track emphasizes the specifically political aspects of public policy processes and is grounded in political science theory and familiarity with American, Comparative and International politics. Courses will emphasize key policy issues confronting U.S. local, state and national decision makers and citizens. A focus on politics and the policy-making process will prepare students conceptually and methodologically to move beyond partisan politics to address how leaders can best mobilize resources to achieve constituent goals consistent with the public interest.
These degree requirements are subject to periodic revision by the academic department, and the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences reserves the right to make exceptions and substitutions as judged necessary in individual cases. Therefore, the College strongly urges students to consult regularly with their major advisor and CLAS advisor to confirm the best plans of study before finalizing them.
Program Delivery
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This program can be completed online or on-campus.
Declaring This Major
- Click here to go to information about declaring a major.
General Requirements
To earn a degree, students must satisfy all requirements in each of the three areas below, in addition to their individual major requirements.
- CU Denver General Graduation Requirements
- CU Denver Core Curriculum
- College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Graduation Requirements
- Click here for information about Academic Policies
Program Requirements
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Students must complete a minimum of 39 credit hours, from approved courses.
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Students must complete a minimum of 21 upper division (3000-level and above) credit hours, from approved courses.
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Students must earn a minimum grade of C- (1.7) in all courses that apply to the major and must achieve a minimum cumulative major GPA of 2.0. Courses taken using P+/P/F or S/U grading cannot apply to program requirements.
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Students must complete a minimum of 15 PSCI credit hours with CU Denver faculty.
Program Restrictions, Allowances and Recommendations
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Students with significant pre-existing political or civic engagement experience in the community, or for whom the experiential- learning requirement poses a hardship may petition the chair to waive the experiential-learning requirement; the overall requirement of 39 credit hours for Political Science graduation will still apply.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete the following program requirements: | 39 | |
| Complete the following required courses: | 9 | |
| Introduction to Political Science: The Quest for Freedom and Justice | ||
| American Political System | ||
| Logic of Political Inquiry | ||
| Complete two Public Policy and Administration courses from the approved course list: | 6 | |
| Public Policy and Administration | ||
| Complete one American Politics course from the approved course list: | 3 | |
| American Politics | ||
| Complete one Comparative Politics and International Relations course from the approved course list: | 3 | |
| Comparative Politics and International Relations | ||
| Complete one Political Theory course from the approved course list: | 3 | |
| Political Theory | ||
| Complete 9 additional hours of PSCI courses. | 9 | |
| Complete a minimum of three credit hours from the following Experiential Learning courses: | 3 | |
| Topics: Conference Participation | ||
| Independent Study: PSCI | ||
| The Urban Citizen | ||
| Internship | ||
| Independent Study: PSCI | ||
| Directed Research | ||
| Community Organizing and Community Development | ||
| CU at the Capitol | ||
| Global Study Topics | ||
| Complete the Political Science Capstone course, after completing at least 27 credit hours in the major. | 3 | |
| Capstone in Political Science | ||
Public Policy and Administration
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete two of the following | 6 | |
| Politics of Climate Change | ||
| Race, Gender, Law and Public Policy | ||
| Federal Law and American Indians | ||
| Politics of the Budgetary Process | ||
| State Politics: Focus Colorado | ||
| Local Governance and Globalization | ||
| Political Parties and Pressure Groups | ||
| Local Government and Administration | ||
| Comparative Governance: Environment and Society | ||
| Denver Politics | ||
| Conflict Resolution and Public Consent Building | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| U.S. Health Policy | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Global Ecological Crises | ||
| Non-Profits and Social Change | ||
| Community Organizing and Community Development | ||
| CU at the Capitol | ||
American Politics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following | 3 | |
| Race, Gender, Law and Public Policy | ||
| Political Movements: Race and Gender | ||
| Power and Empowerment in the United States | ||
| Federal Law and American Indians | ||
| Film and Politics | ||
| The Urban Citizen | ||
| Media and Politics | ||
| State Politics: Focus Colorado | ||
| Local Governance and Globalization | ||
| Political Parties and Pressure Groups | ||
| The Presidency | ||
| Urban Politics, Planning, and Development | ||
| Gentrification and Social Equity | ||
| Local Government and Administration | ||
| Seminar: American Politics | ||
| Denver Politics | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| American National Security | ||
| U.S. Health Policy | ||
| Environmental Politics | ||
| Non-Profits and Social Change | ||
| Contemporary Culture and Politics in America | ||
| Constitutional Law I | ||
| Constitutional Law II | ||
| Judicial Politics | ||
| Labor and Working Class Politics | ||
| Immigration Politics | ||
| Chicano and Latino Politics | ||
| Seminar on U.S. and China Relations | ||
| Women and the Law | ||
| Contemporary Issues in Civil Liberties | ||
| Community Organizing and Community Development | ||
| CU at the Capitol | ||
Comparative Politics and International Relations
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following* | 3 | |
| Political Systems of the World | ||
| World Politics | ||
| Islamophobia | ||
| Power and Empowerment in the United States | ||
| Local Governance and Globalization | ||
| Comparative Governance: Environment and Society | ||
| Comparative Politics: Europe | ||
| Third World Politics | ||
| Politics, Power, and Profit | ||
| Indigenous Political Systems | ||
| Indigenous Politics | ||
| Gender Politics in the Middle East: Beyond Orientalism & Islamism | ||
| Political Systems of the Middle East and North Africa | ||
| The Arab-Israeli Peace Process | ||
| Islamic Politics and Culture | ||
| Civil Resistance in Theory and Practice | ||
| Corruption in the U.S. and Abroad | ||
| East Asia in World Affairs | ||
| Political Systems of Sub-Saharan Africa | ||
| Social Movements, Democracy and Global Politics | ||
| Women's Rights, Human Rights: Global Perspectives | ||
| International Politics: Human Rights | ||
| Dictatorships in 21st Century | ||
| Democracy and Democratization | ||
| The United Nations in World Affairs | ||
| Politics and Markets in Latin America | ||
| American Foreign Policy | ||
| American National Security | ||
| International Security | ||
| Populist Movements around the World | ||
| Gender, Development and Globalization | ||
| Social Justice And Globalization | ||
| International Law | ||
| Conflict Resolution and Public Consent Building | ||
| Conflicts and Rights in International Law | ||
| The Politics of War Law | ||
| International Relations: War or Peace? | ||
| Advanced International Political Economy: Globalization | ||
| Global Ecological Crises | ||
| Advanced Indigenous Peoples' Politics | ||
| Political System of Russia and Its Neighbors | ||
| International Women's Resistance | ||
| Politics and Governments of South Asia | ||
| Politics and Government of China | ||
| Comparative Political Leadership | ||
| Seminar on U.S. and China Relations | ||
| The Middle East in World Affairs | ||
| Political Violence | ||
| Strategies of Peacebuilding | ||
| Community Organizing and Community Development | ||
| Global Study Topics | ||
Political Theory
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following: | 3 | |
| Religion and Politics | ||
| Theories of Social and Political Change | ||
| Early Political Thought | ||
| Modern Political Thought | ||
| Law, Politics and Justice | ||
| Coercion and the State | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Gender and Politics | ||
To learn more about the Student Learning Outcomes for this program, please visit our website.
To review the Degree Map for this program, please visit our website.