Oklahoma State University

1299

Political Science Political Science is, on the one hand, an ancient discipline with roots in Plato and Aristotle, and on the other, it is one of the most recent of the social sciences with roots in the early twentieth century. Political scientists study political institutions, the political behavior of individuals and groups, the formulation of public policy, the relations among states, and also enduring moral issues, such as what is justice and how leaders should be chosen. Political science, by its very nature, blends normative and empirical issues. Questions about democracy, participation, justice and representation have both empirical and evaluative components. The discipline attempts to understand who participates in the political process and, when they do not, what it means for society. A major in Political Science offers the student a front row seat in the analysis of these questions. The principal fields of study in Political Science are political theory, public law, comparative politics, international relations, public administration and American politics. Students may pursue the Bachelor of Arts (45 hours of political science and related coursework in addition to General Education and college requirements), or the Bachelor of Science degree (45 hours of political science and related coursework in addition to General Education and college requirements) in Political Science with a concentration in any of the fields of study. Either degree option requires a minimum of 24 hours of political science in courses numbered 3000 or above, three of which are a capstone experience. Additional courses numbered 3000 or above from related areas of economics, English, foreign languages and literature, geography, history, philosophy, psychology, religion or sociology are necessary to reach the required hours of the degree option. The minimum GPA is 2.50 with a minimum grade of "C" in all upper-division political science and related upper-division coursework. Additional flexibility in the degree program is offered through internships, and opportunities to work with professors in developing independent study courses in areas where the department may not offer regular coursework. Students may also pursue political science as a second degree, or as a minor to complement other areas of study. The minor in political science requires 15 hours of coursework numbered 3000 or above, and must include three fields of political science. At least three of the hours must be taken in a field other than American politics, public law and public administration. The required GPA for a minor is 2.50. The political science major prepares students for a wide range of local, state, national and international careers, in and around government. It also provides preparation for admission to law school; teaching at the secondary level; urban and regional planning; political journalism; the conduct and analysis of foreign policy; and for graduate study in political science. At a more general level, political science has great career versatility for students. While the major does focus on the subject matter of government and politics, it also develops students' skills in critical analysis, written and oral communications, leadership and judgment. Such skills, prepare students for a wide range of options throughout their professional lives. Undergraduate Programs

• Law and Legal Studies (LLS), Minor (p. 1303) • Political Science (POLS), Minor (p. 1304) Graduate Programs The Department of Political Science offers a Master of Arts degree in political science. Candidates for the Master of Arts degree in political science complete a foundation of 15 hours of study and devote their remaining hours to specialization in two of the following areas: American politics, comparative politics and international relations, with further specialization within these areas also possible. The plan is designed to prepare professional political scientists for careers in research and teaching, as well as administrative and policy positions in local, state or national government and international affairs. For more information, go to our website polsci.okstate.edu (https:// polsci.okstate.edu). Admission Requirements for Master’s Degree Programs Any student having a bachelor's degree with an overall 3.00 grade-point average (on a 4.00 scale) may be admitted as a student in full standing. Those with less than an overall 3.00 grade-point average are considered for admission on a probationary basis. All graduate students in the MA program would benefit from completion of an undergraduate statistics class. A GRE exam score is required for the MA program. Degree Requirements for the MA in Political Science In addition to the general requirements of the Graduate College, requirements for the Master of Arts degree in political science are listed below. 1. A minimum of 33 credit hours in political science or closely related courses. These include: Code Title Hours Research Methods and Foundations of Political Science POLS 5103 Research Design 3 POLS 5013 Quantitative Methods 3 Proseminars POLS 5703 ProSeminar in American Politics 3 POLS 5403 ProSeminar in Comparative Politics 3 POLS 5203 ProSeminar in International Relations 3 Electives Select at least six hours in two of the following subfields: 9 American Politics

Comparative Politics International Relations

Select six hour thesis

• Political Science, BA (p. 1305) • Political Science, BS (p. 1308)

A minimum of 21 hours of political science graduate seminars (seminars numbered 5000 or above) is required. The student must successfully defend the thesis orally before the faculty committee. 2. Minimum 3.00 grade-point average, with only one grade of "C" allowed.

• Political Science: Pre-Law, BA (p. 1311) • Political Science: Pre-Law, BS (p. 1313)

• Campaigns and Lobbying (CAML), Minor (p. 1301) • Intelligence and Security Analysis (INSA), Minor (p. 1302)