Introduction

Please click here to see Political Science department information.

Political science focuses on fundamental questions that go to the heart of the human experience. Political science students study critical issues such as war and peace, international affairs, environmental challenges, poverty and racism, and the struggles of oppressed peoples. Such study prepares students for various careers by building analytical and writing skills while encouraging independent thought, respect, and interest in current affairs. Graduates commonly work in fields such as law and government, nonprofit organizations, teaching, journalism, international organizations, business, and election campaigns.

The Political Science department prepares students for informed and creative activism by providing them an opportunity to develop analytical skills. The program incorporates historical, quantitative, experimental, ethnographic, psychological, and creative methodologies while aiming to sensitize students to the essential questions of politics and life. Many of our graduates are community organizers, attorneys or public servants in local, state or federal government. We have become nationally known for our programs in indigenous politics, international human rights, and inner-city community development. Students will find ample opportunity to explore the innovative community engagement programs while receiving real-world experience in a variety of professional and community settings.

The secondary licensure program is a partnership program between the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) and the School of Education & Human Development (SEHD). Secondary Education Licensure students choose a major within CLAS and complete all CORE, CLAS, major, and initial teacher education admission requirements before completing a final professional year of licensure coursework through the SEHD.

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

• This is an on-campus program.

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 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

1. Students must complete a minimum of 39 PSCI credit hours. 

2. Students must complete a minimum of 21 upper division (3000-level and above) PSCI credit hours.

3. 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.

4. Students must complete a minimum of 15 PSCI credit hours with CU Denver faculty.

Program Restrictions, Allowances and Recommendations

Students are responsible for meeting with the advisor in the SEHD to confirm teacher education and licensure requirements. In addition to completing all minimum program requirements above, SEHD secondary education students must complete the following minimum SEHD licensure requirements:

1. Complete the Education Declaration form and all subsequent processes and requirements, including a background check, prior to April 1^st (for students intending to complete their clinical field experience in fall) or November 1^st (for students intending to complete their clinical field experience in spring). Students must meet with the SEHD advisor for detailed information.
2. Student pursuing secondary education licensure must complete the following requirements to be admitted to the Professional (final) Year:
   1. a minimum cumulative CU GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students with a lower GPA may be considered under certain conditions.
   2. all CU Denver Core, CLAS, major, electives, and initial teacher education coursework requirements prior to the start of the Professional Year
   3. the official application and interview process
   4. Deadlines for Professional Year application are February 15^th (for students intending to begin Professional Year in fall) or October 1^st (for students intending to begin Professional Year in spring).
3. Students must complete all initial teacher education and professional (final) year coursework with a minimum grade of B- or higher.

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete the following Political Science major requirements:
Complete the following required courses:		9
PSCI 1001	Introduction to Political Science: The Quest for Freedom and Justice
PSCI 1101	American Political System
PSCI 2011	Logic of Political Inquiry 1
Complete two Political Theory courses from the approved course list:		6
Political Theory
Complete one American Politics course from the approved course list:		3
American Politics
Complete one Comparative Politics course from the approved course list:		3
Comparative Politics
Complete one International Politics course from the approved course list:		3
International Politics
Complete nine additional Political Science (PSCI) elective credit hours.		9
Complete a minimum of three credit hours from the following Experiential Learning courses: 2		3
PSCI 3000	Topics: Conference Participation
PSCI 3840	Independent Study: PSCI
PSCI 3914	The Urban Citizen
PSCI 3939	Internship
PSCI 4840	Independent Study: PSCI
PSCI 4880	Directed Research
PSCI 4914	Community Organizing and Community Development
PSCI 4934	CU at the Capitol
PSCI 4995	Global Study Topics
Complete the Political Science Capstone course, after completing at least 27 credit hours in the major.		3
PSCI 4960	Capstone in Political Science
In addition to the Political Science major requirements, students should complete secondary social science coursework and must complete licensure requirements as outlined by the School of Education and Human Development.
Secondary Social Studies Recommended Courses
SEHD Licensure Requirements
Total Hours		39

¹

This course must be taken by all majors as part of their first 24 credit hours in the program. If this requirement poses a hardship due to such issues as late-declaring majors, scheduling problems, or students transferring in multiple credits, please contact the Department undergraduate advisor to craft a solution.

Political Theory 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete two of the following		6
PSCI 4057	Religion and Politics
PSCI 4207	Theories of Social and Political Change
PSCI 4407	Early Political Thought
PSCI 4417	Modern Political Thought
PSCI 4427	Law, Politics and Justice
PSCI 4437	Coercion and the State
PSCI 4457	American Political Thought
PSCI 4564	Gender and Politics

American Politics

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete one of the following		3
PSCI 3034	Race, Gender, Law and Public Policy 1
or PSCI 3035	Political Movements: Race and Gender
PSCI 3064	Power and Empowerment in the United States
PSCI 3214	Federal Law and American Indians
PSCI 3347	Film and Politics
PSCI 3914	The Urban Citizen
PSCI 4009	Politics of the Budgetary Process
PSCI 4014	Media and Politics
PSCI 4024	State Politics: Focus Colorado
PSCI 4025	Local Governance and Globalization
PSCI 4034	Political Parties and Pressure Groups
PSCI 4044	The Presidency
PSCI 4074	Urban Politics, Planning, and Development
PSCI 4075	Gentrification and Social Equity
PSCI 4084	Local Government and Administration
PSCI 4094	Seminar: American Politics
PSCI 4124	Denver Politics
PSCI 4236	American Foreign Policy
PSCI 4237	American National Security
PSCI 4330	U.S. Health Policy
PSCI 4354	Environmental Politics
PSCI 4414	Non-Profits and Social Change
PSCI 4444	Contemporary Culture and Politics in America
PSCI 4477	Constitutional Law I
PSCI 4487	Constitutional Law II
PSCI 4494	Judicial Politics
PSCI 4535	Labor and Working Class Politics
PSCI 4545	Immigration Politics
PSCI 4554	Chicano and Latino Politics
PSCI 4726	Seminar on U.S. and China Relations
PSCI 4827	Women and the Law
PSCI 4837	Contemporary Issues in Civil Liberties
PSCI 4914	Community Organizing and Community Development
PSCI 4934	CU at the Capitol

¹

PSCI 3034 Race, Gender, Law and Public Policy or PSCI 3035 Political Movements: Race and Gender will also count as CU Denver Core Cultural Diversity, so students are advised to complete one of these courses.

Comparative Politics

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete one of the following		3
PSCI 3022	Political Systems of the World 2
PSCI 4085	Comparative Governance: Environment and Society
PSCI 4105	Comparative Politics: Europe
PSCI 4115	Third World Politics
PSCI 4144	Indigenous Political Systems
PSCI 4146	Indigenous Politics
PSCI 4150	Gender Politics in the Middle East: Beyond Orientalism & Islamism
PSCI 4155	Political Systems of the Middle East and North Africa
PSCI 4156	The Arab-Israeli Peace Process
PSCI 4165	Islamic Politics and Culture
PSCI 4186	East Asia in World Affairs
PSCI 4195	Political Systems of Sub-Saharan Africa
PSCI 4206	Social Movements, Democracy and Global Politics
PSCI 4215	Women's Rights, Human Rights: Global Perspectives
PSCI 4225	Democracy and Democratization
PSCI 4245	Populist Movements around the World
PSCI 4248	Gender, Development and Globalization
PSCI 4265	Social Justice And Globalization
PSCI 4446	Advanced Indigenous Peoples' Politics
PSCI 4505	Political System of Russia and Its Neighbors
PSCI 4555	International Women's Resistance
PSCI 4605	Politics and Governments of South Asia
PSCI 4615	Politics and Government of China
PSCI 4645	Comparative Political Leadership
PSCI 4807	Political Violence
PSCI 4914	Community Organizing and Community Development
PSCI 4995	Global Study Topics

²

PSCI 3022 Political Systems of the World and PSCI 3042 World Politics  will also count as CU Denver Core International Perspectives, so students are advised to complete one of these courses to complete the Comparative or International Politics requirement.

International Politics

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete one of the following		3
PSCI 3042	World Politics 2
PSCI 3050	Islamophobia
PSCI 3064	Power and Empowerment in the United States
PSCI 4025	Local Governance and Globalization
PSCI 4105	Comparative Politics: Europe
PSCI 4115	Third World Politics
PSCI 4126	Politics, Power, and Profit
PSCI 4144	Indigenous Political Systems
PSCI 4146	Indigenous Politics
PSCI 4150	Gender Politics in the Middle East: Beyond Orientalism & Islamism
PSCI 4155	Political Systems of the Middle East and North Africa
PSCI 4156	The Arab-Israeli Peace Process
PSCI 4165	Islamic Politics and Culture
PSCI 4176	Civil Resistance in Theory and Practice
PSCI 4185	Corruption in the U.S. and Abroad
PSCI 4186	East Asia in World Affairs
PSCI 4195	Political Systems of Sub-Saharan Africa
PSCI 4206	Social Movements, Democracy and Global Politics
PSCI 4215	Women's Rights, Human Rights: Global Perspectives
PSCI 4216	International Politics: Human Rights
PSCI 4224	Dictatorships in 21st Century
PSCI 4225	Democracy and Democratization
PSCI 4226	The United Nations in World Affairs
PSCI 4235	Politics and Markets in Latin America
PSCI 4236	American Foreign Policy
PSCI 4237	American National Security
PSCI 4240	International Security
PSCI 4248	Gender, Development and Globalization
PSCI 4265	Social Justice And Globalization
PSCI 4266	International Law
PSCI 4274	Conflict Resolution and Public Consent Building
PSCI 4276	Conflicts and Rights in International Law
PSCI 4280	The Politics of War Law
PSCI 4286	International Relations: War or Peace?
PSCI 4326	Advanced International Political Economy: Globalization
PSCI 4365	Global Ecological Crises
PSCI 4446	Advanced Indigenous Peoples' Politics
PSCI 4505	Political System of Russia and Its Neighbors
PSCI 4555	International Women's Resistance
PSCI 4605	Politics and Governments of South Asia
PSCI 4615	Politics and Government of China
PSCI 4726	Seminar on U.S. and China Relations
PSCI 4736	The Middle East in World Affairs
PSCI 4807	Political Violence
PSCI 4808	Strategies of Peacebuilding
PSCI 4878	War, Film, and International Law
PSCI 4995	Global Study Topics

²

PSCI 3022 Political Systems of the World and PSCI 3042 World Politics will also count as CU Denver Core International Perspectives, so students are advised to complete one of these courses to complete the Comparative or International Politics requirement.

Secondary Social Studies Recommended Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
In order to prepare for the Social Studies licensure, students should take all of the following courses:
These courses will also count toward Political Science CU Denver and CLAS graduation requirements, as identified.

Anthropology

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
ANTH 1303	Introduction to Biological Anthropology
ANTH 2102	Culture and the Human Experience

*

ANTH 1303 Introduction to Biological Anthropology Will count as CU Denver Core Nat/Phys Science with lab. ANTH 2102 Culture and the Human Experience will count toward either CU Denver Behavioral Science or CLAS Behavioral Science.

Economics

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
ECON 2012	Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics

*

Will count as CU Denver Core Social Sciences or CLAS Social Science.

Geography 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
GEOG 1102	World Regions Global Context
GEOG 1202	Introduction to Physical Geography

*

​GEOG 1202 Introduction to Physical Geography will count as CLAS Nat/Phys Science without lab and GEOG 1102 will count as CU Denver Core Social Science or CLAS Social Science.

History

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
HIST 1361	U.S. History to 1876
HIST 1362	U.S. History Since 1876

*

HIST 1361 U.S. History to 1876 and HIST 1362 U.S. History Since 1876 will fulfill the CU Denver Core Humanities and the CLAS Humanities requirements.

Political Science 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
PSCI 3022	Political Systems of the World
or PSCI 3042	World Politics
PSCI 3034	Race, Gender, Law and Public Policy
or PSCI 3035	Political Movements: Race and Gender

*

PSCI 3022 Political Systems of the World or PSCI 3042 World Politics will count as CU Denver Core International Perspectives.

---

PSCI 3034 Race, Gender, Law and Public Policy or PSCI 3035 Political Movements: Race and Gender will count as CU Denver Core Cultural Diversity.

Psychology

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
PSYC 1005	Introduction to Psychology II

*

Will count toward either CU Denver Behavioral Science or CLAS Behavioral Science.

SEHD Licensure Coursework Requirements

Students must complete SEHD licensure requirements located here. 

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.