The combined major in political science and communication studies offers students the opportunity to integrate the study of politics and government with different forms and mediums of communication. Students complete the core courses in political science along with core courses in communication studies that cover public speaking and persuasion. This combined major highlights the important role played by different forms of communication in shaping politics and government.
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.
BA Language Requirements
All BA students are required to complete the BA language requirements.
NUpath Requirements
All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.
Political Science Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses in Political Science | ||
| POLS 1150 | American Government | 4 |
| POLS 1155 | Comparative Politics | 4 |
| POLS 1160 | International Relations | 4 |
| POLS 2400 | Quantitative Techniques | 4 |
| Political Thought | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Ancient Philosophy and Political Thought | ||
| Modern Political Thought | ||
| American Political Thought | ||
| Contemporary Political Thought | ||
| Methodology | ||
| POLS 2399 | Research Methods in Political Science | 4 |
| or COMM 2301 | Communication Research Methods | |
| Political Science Upper-Division Electives | ||
| Complete two courses in the following range: | 8 | |
POLS 3300 to POLS 5999 | ||
| Political Science Electives | ||
| Complete two courses in the following range: | 8 | |
POLS 2000 to POLS 5999 | ||
Political Science Concentration (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. Requirements for the concentrations are listed below.
- American Political Institutions
- Campaigns and Elections
- Comparative Politics
- Identity, Culture, and Politics
- International Relations and Diplomacy
- Law and Legal Studies
- Public Policy
- Security Studies
Communication Studies Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 1101 | Introduction to Communication Studies | 4 |
| COMM 1112 | Public Speaking | 4 |
| or COMM 2301 | Communication Research Methods | |
Communication Studies Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation Course | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Persuasion and Rhetoric | ||
| Communication Theory | ||
| Principles of Organizational Communication | ||
| Communication in a Digital Age | ||
| Cluster Course | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Sex, Relationships, and Communication | ||
| Global and Intercultural Communication | ||
| Communication and Gender | ||
| Communication Law | ||
| Free Speech in Cyberspace | ||
| Writing-Intensive | ||
| Complete two of the following: | 8 | |
| Mobile Communication | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Communication and Inclusion | ||
| Political Communication | ||
| Great Speakers and Speeches | ||
| Communication Criticism | ||
| Public Relations Principles | ||
| Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media | ||
| Free Speech: Law and Practice | ||
| Communication and Sexualities | ||
| Theories of Conflict and Negotiation | ||
| Nonverbal Social Interaction | ||
| Youth and Communication Technology | ||
| Crisis Communication and Image Management | ||
| Communication Studies Electives | ||
| Complete three additional communication studies courses. | 12 | |
Integrative Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Integrative Courses | ||
| POLS 3320 | Politics and Mass Media | 4 |
| or COMM 3320 | Political Communication | |
| Capstone Requirement | ||
| Complete one of the following. This course also counts toward the political science or communication studies elective requirement: | 4 | |
| Health Communication Campaigns | ||
| Communication and Quality of Life | ||
| Consultation Skills | ||
| Contemporary Rhetorical Theory | ||
| Strategic Communication Capstone | ||
| Online Communities | ||
| Production Capstone | ||
| Political Science Senior Capstone | ||
| Senior Thesis | ||
Political Science and Communication Studies Combined Major Credit Requirement
Complete 84 semester hours in the major.
Communication Studies Major Grade Requirement
No more than two grades below a C in communication studies courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements.
Program Requirement
128 total semester hours required
Concentrations
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 | ||
| If POLS 4947 was replaced by a co-op or internship, an additional elective must be taken. | ||
| Complete two of the following: | 8 | |
| Urban Policies and Politics | ||
| State and Local Politics | ||
| Intergovernmental Relations | ||
| Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections | ||
| Politics and Mass Media | ||
| Presidential Nominating Process | ||
Concentration in Comparative Politics
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Theoretical Requirement | ||
| Complete one of the following: | 4 | |
| Religion and Politics | ||
| Nationalism | ||
| Revolution, Civil War, and Insurrection | ||
| Politics of Developing Nations | ||
| Regional Requirements | ||
| Complete two of the following: | 8 | |
| Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union | ||
| Government and Politics in the Middle East | ||
| Arab-Israeli Conflict | ||
| 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 | ||
| Gender 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 | ||
| International Security | ||
| Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union | ||
| Arab-Israeli Conflict | ||
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 | |
| International Security | ||
or POLS 5408 | International Security | |
| U.S. National Security Policy | ||
| Terrorism and Counterterrorism | ||
| U.S. Foreign Policy | ||
| Revolution, Civil War, and Insurrection | ||
| Arab-Israeli Conflict | ||
| Politics of Developing Nations | ||
Sample Four Years, Two Co-ops
| Year 1 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| COMM 1101 | 4 | COMM 1112 or 2301 | 4 | Communication Studies Foundation Course | 4 | Communication Studies Cluster Course | 4 |
| ENGW 1111 | 4 | POLS 1155 | 4 | Communication Studies Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 |
| POLS 1000 or COMM 1000 | 1 | Foreign Language 2 | 4 | ||||
| POLS 1150 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Foreign Language 1 | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 16 | 8 | 8 | ||||
| Year 2 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| EESH 2000 or EEAM 2000 | 1 | Co-op | Co-op | Communication Studies Writing Intensive | 4 | ||
| POLS 1160 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| POLS 2400 | 4 | ||||||
| Communication Studies Elective | 4 | ||||||
| Foreign Language Culture Course | 4 | ||||||
| 17 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 3 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | Summer 1 | Hours | Summer 2 | Hours |
| POLS 2399 or COMM 2301 | 4 | Co-op | Co-op | Communication Studies Writing Intensive | 4 | ||
| Political Thought Course | 4 | Political Science Elective | 4 | ||||
| Communication Studies Elective | 4 | ||||||
| POLS Upper-Division Elective 1 | 4 | ||||||
| 16 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||||
| Year 4 | |||||||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours | ||||
| Integrative Course | 4 | Capstone | 4 | ||||
| POLS Upper-Division Elective 2 | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Political Science Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| Elective | 4 | Elective | 4 | ||||
| 16 | 16 | ||||||
| Total Hours: 130 | |||||||