Declaring a Major or Minor
Students wishing to declare a major in Political Science or Environmental Policy, or a minor in Political Science, may do so on WebSTAC. At the time the major is declared, students will be assigned a faculty advisor. Further information can be obtained from Professor Dan Butler.
Advising Procedures
Students beginning their undergraduate work in political science may plan their programs in consultation with their assigned Undergraduate Advisor. It is important that students keep their Undergraduate Advisor fully informed of their progress so that misunderstandings or disagreements can be kept to a minimum.
Political Science Major Requirements
Majors in Political Science must complete ten Political Science Courses (30 graded units) with a C or better. Please note that if you use an AP credit to place out of an introductory course, or do not take PS 363 or 263 (Political Methodology), then you must replace these with other political science classes. See below for more specific course requirements.
Introductory
Two of the following introductory courses:
- 101B: Intro to American Politics
- 102B: Intro to Comparative Politics
- 103B: Intro to International Politics
- 106 or 107: Intro to Political Theory
If you scored a 4 or 5 in AP credit, you may place out of the associated introductory course and replace it with an upper-level course in a related subfield.
Methods
One required methods course:
- 363: Political Methodology OR
- 263: Data Science for Politics
You may place out of this requirement if you have completed a pre-approved alternate course with a C or better. If you take an alternate course, you must replace the credits with a Political Science course of any level.
Pre-approved alternate courses include:
- U25 323 Intro to Quantitative Methods (subject to the limit of six "outside" credit units; do not need replacement course)
- B59 121 Managerial Statistics II (QBA II)
- Math 3200 Elementary to Intermediate Statistics and Data Analysis
- E35 326 Probability and Statistics for Engineering
- L40 3050 Statistics for Sociology
- L11 413 Introduction to Econometrics
Upper Level Courses
Six upper-level (300 or 400) courses (18 units).
Distribution
Most 200, 300, and 400 level courses have a subfield distribution. Courses must be distributed across subfields with at least one course in three of the five subfields:
- American
- Comparative
- International
- Political Theory
- Methods
Click here to view the subfield designations for your courses
Elective
3 units of a Political Science course (any level)
Capstone
Every student must take one 400-level course home based in Political Science as a capstone experience for the major.
*This became a requirement for students who first declared a major or minor in Political Science after July 1st, 2021. Students who declared prior to this do not have this requirement.
Cross-Listed Courses
Courses cross-listed with Political Science change on a semester-by-semester basis. A cross-listed course includes the designation L32; this is the designation you should choose if you want to count credit from cross-listed courses toward your Political Science major/minor. Please note:
- If you are using a course for another major or minor, you may not count it as an advanced credit for your Political Science major.
- The department does not consider petitions to count non-cross-listed courses for credit in Political Science.
- If you have questions about the status of any course, please contact the Director of Undergraduate Studies in Political Science.
Limitations
- No more than 6 units from the following may count toward the major: internship, directed reading, directed research, or teaching practicum.
- No more than 6 units from the following may count toward the major: study abroad, summer school, University College, or transfer credit.
- You cannot double-count any upper-level credits (300 and above) for both a political science major and a second major or minor.
Environmental Policy Major Requirements (Spring 2024 onward)
The requirements in this section pertain to those who declared their Environmental Policy major during or after the Spring 2024 semester. If you declared your major before that time, you have the option of following these requirements, or choose to follow the requirements in the section "Environmental Policy Major Requirements (pre-Spring 2024)."
Foundations
6 courses (18 credits)
- Intro to Political Science: L32 101B (American Politics); L32 102 (Comparative Politics); L32 103B (International Politics); or L32 106 Or L32 107 (Political Theory)
- Intro to Environmental Policy: L32 2010 (Intro to Environmental Policy)
- Substitutes: L11 451 (Environmental Policy)
- Natural Science on Environment: L41 2950 (Intro to Environmental Biology)
- Substitutes: L41 381 (Intro to Ecology); L19 202 (Intro to Earth & Planetary Science)
- Research Methods: L32 263 (Data Science for Politics) or L32 363 (Quantitative Political Methodology)
- Substitutes: B59 121 (Managerial Statistics II); L24 3200 (Elementary to Intermediate Statistics); E35 326 (Probability & Statistics for Engineering)
- Note: substitute here requires additional upper level polisci course to complete credits
- Policy Analysis: L32 4043 (Public Policy Analysis)
- Substitute: L32 3XXX (Politics of Public Policy; permanent course number forthcoming)
- Normative: L32 3313 (Theories of Social Justice)
- Substitutes: L32 4070 (Global Justice); L30 235F (Intro to Environmental Ethics)
Upper Level Electives
5 courses (15 credits) upper level electives with environmental focus (from preapproved list or by petition in advance), 2 of which must be in Political Science or cross-listed with Political Science
- For examples within Political Science and elsewhere see the preapproved list
Capstone Experiences
2 courses (6 credits) or capstone experiences
Any combination of:
- Internship (credits following polisci rules)
- Experiential learning course (some examples below)
- L82 405 (Sustainability Exchange)
- L82 407 (RESET)
- L82 539 (Interdisciplinary Environmental Clinic)
- Environmental Law Clinic
- New course in Political Science in development with Gephardt Institute (TBD)
- Directed research project / independent study
- Honors thesis (following Political Science rules; but counts for 6 credits in Environmental Policy major)
Political Science Minor (optional)
To complete a Political Science minor with an Environmental Policy major would only take 3 upper level Political Science courses (not duplicated for the Environmental Policy major.)
Environmental Policy Minor
To complete an Environmental Policy minor requires:
- L32 2010 (Intro to Environmental Policy); or substitute as listed for major
- L32 4043 (Public Policy Analysis); or substitute as listed for major
- Plus 3 upper level electives with environmental focus (from the preapproved list)
Please note that the Environmental Policy Minor has not yet been approved, but we expect it to be available beginning AY 25-26.
Environmental Policy Major Requirements (pre-Spring 2024)
The requirements in this section pertain to those who declared their Environmental Policy major before the Spring 2024 semester. If you declared your major before that time, you may follow these requirements, or choose to follow the requirements in the section "Environmental Policy Major Requirements (Spring 2024 onward)."
Environmental Policy Overview Flyer
Students who major in environmental policy will be required to complete 40 graded units (13 courses) distributed as follows:
- 16 units from required foundation courses
- 9 units from research methods requirements
- 9 units from the list of upper-division courses in political science and cognates
- 3 units from a social science breadth requirement
- 3 units from a substantive distribution requirement
At least 24 of those total units must be at the 300-400 level.
We also strongly recommend that students complete a capstone experience. Possible options include a senior honors thesis, the environmental law clinic, or an appropriate internship. We intend to develop more capstone possibilities in the future.
Note that as courses related to environmental policy become available across campus, students can petition Environmental Policy to count them for credit in one of the following divisions by providing the syllabi to the director of the major. Students should do so before enrolling in the courses, as we cannot guarantee that it will count for the major.
Required Courses
Students need to take the following five courses (16 units) to fulfill the foundations requirement:
- EEPS 202: Introduction to Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Science
- Bio 2950: Intro to Environmental Biology
- Pol Sci 2010: Intro to Environmental Policy
- Pol Sci 331: Topics in Politics: Theories of Social Justice*
- Anth 361: Culture and Environment
*Pre-Approved Substitutions for Pol Sci 331: Topics in Politics: Theories of Social Justice
- Pol Sci 4070: Global Justice
- EnSt 235F: Environmental Ethics
- Pol Sci 338 Topics: Environmental Ethics
Research Methods Requirements
Students need to take the following three courses (nine units) to fulfill the research methods requirements:
- Pol Sci 363: Quantitative Political Methodology or 263 Data Science for Politics**
- Econ 1011: Microeconomics
- Pol Sci 4043: Public Policy Analysis or Pol Sci Topics: Politics of Public Policy
**Pre-approved alternate courses (please note, using one of these will require student to take an additional upper-level Political Science course to complete the 40 credits)
- CAPS Pol Sci 323: Introduction to Quantitative Methods
- Business School - Data Analytics 121: Managerial Statistics II
- Math 3200: Elementary to Intermediate Statistics and Data Analysis
- Engineering - Electrical and Systems Engineering: 326 Probability & Statistics for Engineers
Upper-Division Requirements: Political Science
Students need 9 units (three courses) that must come from upper level political science or cognate courses with environmental politics content. The following courses are recently offered examples that fulfill this requirement. See the “Pre-Approved Courses List” document here for other courses that have fulfilled this requirement.
- Pol Sci 3211: Public Opinion and American Democracy
- Pol Sci 332B: Environmental and Energy Issues
- Pol Sci 3760: Globalization, Urbanization, and the Environment
- Pol Sci 4043: Public Policy Analysis
- Pol Sci 4070: Global Justice
- Pol Sci 4792: Globalization and National Politics
Upper-Division Requirements: Social Science
Students need 3 units (one course) that must come from upper level social science courses with environmental politics content not in political science. The following courses are recently offered examples that fulfill this requirement. See the “Pre-Approved Courses List” document here for other courses that have fulfilled this requirement.
- ANTH 3472 Global Energy & the American Dream
- ANTH 379: Archaeology and Climate Change
- ANTH 4282: Political Ecology
- ANTH 4456 Ethnographic Fieldwork: Energy Politics
- ECON 451: Environmental Policy
- SOC 4810: Global Structures
Upper-Division Requirements: Substantive Distribution Requirements
Students need 3 units (one course) that must come from upper level courses with environmental politics content outside of the core divisions above. The following courses are recently offered examples that fulfill this requirement. See the “Pre-Approved Courses List” document here for other courses that have fulfilled this requirement.
- Anth 373 Intro to GIS for Anthropologists
- Bio 381: Intro to Ecology
- EEPS 323: Biogeochemistry
- EECE 210: Introduction to Environmental Engineering
- EnSt 407 RESET: Renewable Energy & Decarbonizing the Grid
- EnSt 539: Interdisciplinary Environmental Law
- INTER D 405: Sustainability Exchange
Limitations
- No more than 6 units from the following may count toward the major: internship, directed reading, directed research, or teaching practicum.
- No more than 6 units from the following may count toward the major: study abroad, summer school, CAPS, or transfer credit.
- You cannot double-count any upper-level credits (300 and above) for both a environmental policy major and a second major or minor.
Minor Requirements
Students choosing Political Science as a minor field must take a minimum of 15 graded units of course work with a C or better, including at least 9 advanced units. No more than three units may be counted from among the following: Directed Readings, Directed Research, Teaching Practicum, CAPS, or credits from another institution including study abroad. You cannot double-count any credits for a political science minor with any other major or minor.
Subfield Concentrations
All political science majors have the option of "concentrating" their six course distribution requirements by successfully completing three upper-level courses in one of six subfields:
- American Politics
- Comparative Politics
- International Relations
- Political Methodology
- Political Theory
About the Concentrations
Subfield concentrations signal that students have depth in a particular subfield of the discipline. They also prepare students for writing their senior theses in that subfield. Because of this, students may count classes as part of their subfield concentration whether or not they are using that class to fulfill the 30 credits required for their major. For example, students may complete L32 3255 and count it towards a legal studies minor, but use it as part of their subfield concentration in American politics.
Limitations
- Consistent with its aim of encouraging subject mastery, to count for a subfield concentration students must complete the class for a quality grade.
- A course that counts for two different subfields may only be used towards one subfield concentration.
Declaring a Subfield Concentration
To declare a subfield concentration, complete a subfield concentration form and submit it to Professor Dan Butler. Concentrations will appear on the student's transcript after graduation and may be particularly helpful for students interested in graduate or professional school.