The computer science and political science combined major offers both a strong computer science foundation and a deep understanding of global and societal needs. You will become an engaged citizen of the world, participating in interdisciplinary scholarship and translational research to address regional and global issues.
Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.
Universitywide Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
Computer Science Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Science Overview | ||
| Must be taken in alignment with your home college: | ||
| CS 1200 | First Year Seminar | 1 |
| or POLS 1000 | Political Science at Northeastern | |
| CS 1210 | Professional Development for Khoury Co-op | 1 |
| or EESH 2000 | Professional Development for Co-op | |
| Computer Science Fundamental Courses | ||
| CS 1800 and CS 1802 | Discrete Structures and Seminar for CS 1800 | 5 |
| CS 2500 and CS 2501 | Fundamentals of Computer Science 1 and Lab for CS 2500 | 5 |
| CS 2510 and CS 2511 | Fundamentals of Computer Science 2 and Lab for CS 2510 | 5 |
| Computer Science Required Courses | ||
| CS 3000 | Algorithms and Data | 4 |
| CS 3200 | Database Design | 4 |
| CS 3500 and CS 3501 | Object-Oriented Design and Lab for CS 3500 | 5 |
| IS 2000 | Principles of Information Science | 4 |
| Khoury Elective Courses | ||
| With advisor approval, directed study, research, project study, and appropriate graduate-level courses may also be taken as upper-division electives. | ||
| Complete 12 semester hours of upper-division CS, CY, DS, or IS courses that are not already required. Choose courses within the following ranges: | 12 | |
CY 2000 or higher, except CY 4930 | ||
DS 2500 or higher, except DS 4900 | ||
IS 2000 or higher, except IS 4900 | ||
Political Science Courses
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Political Science Requirements | ||
| POLS 1150 | American Government | 4 |
| POLS 1155 | Comparative Politics | 4 |
| POLS 1160 | International Relations | 4 |
| POLS 2399 | Research Methods in Political Science | 4 |
| POLS 2400 | Quantitative Techniques | 4 |
| Political Theory | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Ancient Philosophy and Political Thought | ||
| Modern Political Thought | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Contemporary Political Thought | ||
| Political Science Capstone | ||
| POLS 4701 | Political Science Senior Capstone | 4 |
| Political Science Electives | ||
| Complete four courses in the following range: | 16 | |
POLS 2000 to POLS 5999 | ||
Political Science Concentrations (Optional)
If you are working toward one of the following concentrations, declare it with your advisor so that it may be added to your record.
- American Political Institutions
- Campaigns and Elections
- Comparative Politics
- Identity, Culture, and Politics
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- Law and Legal Studies
- Public Policy
- Security Studies
Integrative Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Integrative Requirement | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Science, Technology, and Public Policy | ||
| International Political Economy | ||
| International Law | ||
Supporting Course
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Issues in Race, Science, and Technology | ||
| The Law, Ethics, and Policy of Data and Digital Technologies | ||
| Cyberlaw: Privacy, Ethics, and Digital Rights | ||
| Literature and Digital Diversity | ||
| History of Technology | ||
| Bostonography: The City through Data, Texts, Maps, and Networks | ||
| Knowledge in a Digital World | ||
or PHIL 1300 | Knowledge in a Digital World | |
| Technology and Human Values | ||
| The Twenty-First-Century Workplace | ||
| Environment, Technology, and Society | ||
| Computers and Society | ||
Computer Science Writing Requirement
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| College Writing | ||
| ENGW 1111 | First-Year Writing | 4 |
| or ENGW 1102 | First-Year Writing for Multilingual Writers | |
| Advanced Writing in the Disciplines | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Advanced Writing in the Technical Professions | ||
| Advanced Writing in the Social Sciences | ||
| Advanced Writing for Prelaw | ||
| Interdisciplinary Advanced Writing in the Disciplines | ||
Required General Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete 28 semester hours of general electives. | 28 | |
Khoury College GPA Requirement
A minimum 2.000 GPA is required in all CS, CY, DS, and IS courses.
Computer Science and Political Science Major Credit Requirement
100 semester hours required in the major
NUpath Requirements Satisfied
- Engaging with the Natural and Designed World
- Conducting Formal and Quantitative Reasoning
- Analyzing and Using Data
- Writing in the First Year
- Writing-Intensive in the Major
- Advanced Writing in the Disciplines
- Demonstrating Thought and Action in a Capstone
Integrating Knowledge and Skills Through Experience is satisfied through co-op.
Program Requirement
133 total semester hours required
Concentration in American Political Institutions
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete four of the following: | 16 | |
| State and Local Politics | ||
| The U.S. Congress | ||
| Judicial Process and Behavior | ||
| Public Policy and Administration | ||
| Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections | ||
| Campaign Strategy | ||
Concentration in Campaigns and Elections
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses | ||
| POLS 3160 | Campaign Strategy | 4 |
| POLS 3302 | Judicial Process and Behavior | 4 |
| Campaigns and Elections Electives | ||
| Complete two of the following: | 8 | |
| Urban Policies and Politics | ||
| State and Local Politics | ||
| Local Campaigns and Elections | ||
| Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections | ||
| Politics and Mass Media | ||
Concentration in Comparative Politics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Theoretical Requirement | ||
| Complete two of the following: | 8 | |
| The Holocaust and Comparative Genocide | ||
| Democratic Erosion | ||
| Immigration Politics | ||
| Religion and Politics | ||
| Nationalism | ||
| Revolution, Civil War, and Insurrection | ||
| Politics of Developing Nations | ||
| Regional Requirements | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union | ||
| Government and Politics in the Middle East | ||
| Experiential/Practicum Requirement | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Model Arab League | ||
| Model NATO | ||
| Dialogue of Civilizations: Government and Politics Abroad | ||
Concentration in Identity, Culture, and Politics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Course | ||
| POLS 3418 | Nationalism | 4 |
| Electives | ||
| Complete three of the following: | 12 | |
| Immigration Politics | ||
| Music and Politics in America and Abroad | ||
| Religion and Politics | ||
| Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Public Policy | ||
| Law and Society | ||
Concentration in International Relations and Diplomacy
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Experiential/Practicum Requirement | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Model United Nations | ||
| Model Arab League | ||
| Dialogue of Civilizations: International Politics Abroad | ||
| Core Courses | ||
| Complete three of the following: | 12 | |
| International Political Economy | ||
| International Law | ||
| Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union | ||
| International Security | ||
Concentration in Law and Legal Studies
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete four of the following: | 16 | |
| American Political Thought | ||
| The U.S. Congress | ||
| Judicial Process and Behavior | ||
| Race, Inequality, and the Law | ||
or AFAM 3323 | Race, Inequality, and the Law | |
| Law and Society | ||
| International Law | ||
| Global Governance | ||
| U.S. Constitutional Law | ||
| U.S. Civil Liberties | ||
Concentration in Public Policy
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirement | ||
| POLS 3307 | Public Policy and Administration | 4 |
| Electives | ||
| Complete three of the following: | 12 | |
| Business and Government | ||
| Urban Policies and Politics | ||
| State and Local Politics | ||
| Growth and Decline of Cities and Suburbs | ||
| Science, Technology, and Public Policy | ||
| Environmental Politics and Policy | ||
| U.S. Foreign Policy | ||
Concentration in Security Studies
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Complete four of the following: | 16 | |
| U.S. National Security Policy | ||
| Terrorism and Counterterrorism | ||
| U.S. Foreign Policy | ||
| Revolution, Civil War, and Insurrection | ||
| Politics of Developing Nations | ||
| International Security | ||
Sample Plan of Study
Four Years, Two Co-ops in Spring/Summer 1
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| CS 1200 or POLS 1000 | 1 | CS 2510 and CS 2511 | 5 | CS 3500 and CS 3501 | 5 | Elective | 4 |
| CS 1800 and CS 1802 | 5 | IS 2000 | 4 | Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| CS 2500 and CS 2501 | 5 | POLS 1155 | 4 | ||||
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | POLS 1160 | 4 | ||||
| POLS 1150 | 4 | ||||||
| 19 | 17 | 9 | 8 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| CS 1210 or EESH 2000 | 1 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | Elective | 4 |
| CS 3000 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| CS 3200 | 4 | ||||||
| POLS 2399 | 4 | ||||||
| POLS thought elective | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| POLS 2400 | 4 | Co-op | 0 | Co-op | 0 | ENGW 3302, 3308, 3311, or 3315 | 4 |
| Khoury elective 1 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| POLS elective 1 | 4 | ||||||
| POLS elective 2 | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Computing and social issues | 4 | POLS 4701 | 4 | ||||
| Khoury elective 2 | 4 | Khoury elective 3 | 4 | ||||
| POLS elective 3 | 4 | POLS elective 4 | 4 | ||||
| POLS integrative requirement | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 134 | |||||||
Four Years, Two Co-ops in Summer 2/Fall
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| CS 1200 or POLS 1000 | 1 | CS 2510 and CS 2511 | 5 | CS 3000 | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| CS 1800 and CS 1802 | 5 | IS 2000 | 4 | Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| CS 2500 and CS 2501 | 5 | POLS 1155 | 4 | ||||
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | POLS 1160 | 4 | ||||
| POLS 1150 | 4 | ||||||
| 19 | 17 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| CS 3200 | 4 | CS 1210 or EESC 2000 | 1 | Elective | 4 | Co-op | 0 |
| CS 3500 and CS 3501 | 5 | POLS 2400 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||
| POLS 2399 | 4 | Khoury elective 1 | 4 | ||||
| POLS thought elective | 4 | POLS elective 1 | 4 | ||||
| POLS elective 2 | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 17 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| Co-op | 0 | Computing and social issues | 4 | ENGW 3302, 3308, 3311, or 3315 | 4 | Co-op | 0 |
| Khoury elective 2 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| POLS elective 3 | 4 | ||||||
| POLS integrative requirement | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Co-op | 0 | POLS 4701 | 4 | ||||
| Khoury elective 3 | 4 | ||||||
| POLS elective 4 | 4 | ||||||
| Elective | 4 | ||||||
| 0 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 134 | |||||||