Goucher College 2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalogue

Nov 27, 2024

Goucher College 2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalogue PLEASE NOTE: This is an archived catalog. Programs are subject to change each academic year.

Political Science Major

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The major places considerable emphasis on the relation between politics in theory and politics in action. The subject matter is arranged into four basic fields: political theory, American politics and public policy, comparative politics, and international politics. Understanding Politics,

PSC 100

, serves as the introduction to the major and minor. After completing the course, students will be required to take one introductory course based on each theme-

PSC 221

243

250

, and one of the Political Theory sequence-

200

201

202

. In addition, all majors are required to complete

PSC 211

-Research Methods. We strongly suggest that majors complete this course before taking more advanced courses in the department. Majors (and minors) will need to bear in mind early on in their degree that some advanced courses may have prerequisites that are specific to each of the subfields. Courses are also offered in constitutional law, women in politics, urban and ethnic politics, and state and local politics. All majors are required to complete an internship, for at least three credits, in politics and public policy. The internship may be either domestic or international in focus and may be taken for a letter grade only.

Take the following required 7 courses:

4 additional elective courses

Take 4 additional elective courses (2 at the 300- level).

Writing Proficiency in the Political Science Major

To fulfill the requirement of writing proficiency in the major, students must demonstrate a proficiency in writing through the following procedure:

Writing proficiency shall be judged on the basis of at least 20 pages of writing drawn from four of the required 200-level courses, (PSC 200 or 201 or 202; PSC 211; 221; 243; and 250).
Students wishing to achieve writing proficiency in a particular course must identify themselves to the professor by the end of the second week of class.
Students are required to submit first drafts of papers as well as the revised version(s), and students must attain a B- grade for the written work. Use of the Writing Center is strongly encouraged.
It is also strongly encouraged that the writing proficiency requirement be completed by the end of the junior year.

Honors in the Major

Students wishing to pursue honors in political science or international relations must have a GPA of 3.5 in the major and an overall GPA of 3.25. By April 15 of their junior year, they must submit to the chair of the department a proposal outlining their thesis project and naming the proposed thesis director. Upon approval, the student must enroll in a two-semester (eight-credit) senior thesis course (PSC 450). One-semester projects are not eligible for honors. At the end of the fall semester, the thesis adviser will determine whether the project has sufficiently progressed to warrant continuation of the pursuit of honors. If not, the student may receive a grade of pass/no pass for those credits. No later than three weeks before the end of the spring semester of the senior year, the student will defend the thesis before a committee of at least three faculty members, a majority of whom are members of the department. The recommendation of the thesis committee will be brought to the department chair. The full department must approve all candidates for honors.