Courses

The 18 credits of course work include at least one course in each of the following political science areas:

American Politics
Theory/Methodology
Comparative Politics
International Relations

Six of these 18 credits must be at the 400 level. A grade of "C" or better is required in all courses that you take to fulfill requirements for the minor.

Convenient and Flexible

Each course is taught using a blend of web technology, print, and other media to maximize flexibility while maintaining teacher and student interaction. As a Penn State online student, you have the opportunity to learn when and where it's most convenient for you.

Course List - Undergraduate Minor in Political Science

Choose at least one course from each of the following four areas:

American Politics
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Introduction to American National Government	PL SC 001	Introduction to development and nature of American political culture, constitutional/structural arrangements, electoral/policy processes; sources of conflict and consensus.	3 credits
Rights in America	PL SC 110	This course explores the historical and contemporary struggles of particular groups within American society to expand their rights.	3 credits
Analyzing Public Policy in the American State	PL SC 404	This course provides students with the tools to empirically evaluate policy proposals and outcomes in the American states. Prerequisite: PL SC 001, PL SC 309 (concurrent)	3 credits
Politics and the Media	PL SC 468	An examination of how politics and public policy affect and are shaped by the news media, as a political institution, in America. Prerequisite: PL SC 001 or PL SC 003	3 credits
American Constitutional Law	PL SC 471	The origins of judicial review, landmark decisions of the Supreme Court, and their impact on the American form of government. Prerequisite: PL SC 001	3 credits
The American Legal Process	PL SC 472	Analysis of the roles, procedures, and policies characterizing the American legal system. Prerequisite: PL SC 001	3 credits
American Judicial Behavior	PL SC 473	Analyzes behavior of judges and other participants in the legal process; examines how and why courts function as policymaking bodies. Prerequisite: PL SC 001	3 credits
Congress and the Presidency	PL SC 480W	This course examines states, markets, power, production, and the relations between the various transnational agents who act in these areas. Prerequisite: PL SC 001	3 credits
Policy Making and Evaluation	PL SC 490	Advanced analysis of public policy, emphasizing policy evaluation and the factors that determine policy success and failure. Prerequisite: PL SC 001	3 credits

International Relations
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
International Relations	PL SC 014	Characteristics of modern nation-states and forces governing their international relations; nationalism; imperialism; diplomacy; current problems of war and peace.	3 credits
Strategy and Politics	PL SC 410	This course examines political behavior using social choice theory and game theory. Prerequisite: PL SC 001, PL SC 003, or PL SC 014	3 credits
International Political Economy	PL SC 412	The transnational politics of trade, investment, aid, raw materials, and the environment; nation-states, multinational corporations, and the U.N. Prerequisite: ECON 102, ECON 104 or I B 303	3 credits
International Relations Theory	PL SC 418W	A survey of traditional and contemporary conceptual frameworks and theoretical approaches for the analysis of international relations. Prerequisite: PL SC 014	3 credits
The Politics of Terrorism	PL SC 439	Analysis of political terrorism as a violent alternative for peaceful change and traditional warfare in the nuclear age. Prerequisite: CRIMJ 100 or PL SC 014 or permission of program	3 credits
American Foreign Policy	PL SC 442	Principles of American foreign policy; processes of policy formulation; roles of the President, Congress, the State Department, and other government agencies. Prerequisite: PL SC 014	3 credits
International Relations of the Middle East	PL SC 467	The international relations of the Middle East, stressing national security policies of regional and outside actors, and major contemporary conflicts. Prerequisite: PL SC 014 or HIST 181	3 credits

Comparative Politics
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Introduction to Comparative Politics	PL SC 003	Introduction to study of comparative government and politics: normative/ empirical theories; government functions in modern societies; representative structures and processes.	3 credits
Comparative Politics--Western Europe	PL SC 020	Comparative analysis of political cultures, interest groups, parties, and decision-making processes in principal Western European political systems.	3 credits
Society and Cultures in Modern Israel	PL SC 060	An introduction to the society and cultures of the State of Israel from 1948 to the present.	3 credits
Governments and Politics of Western Europe	PL SC 455	Comparative analysis of political and governmental structures of major West European nations; main functions and processes of such structures. Prerequisite: PL SC 003 or PL SC 020	3 credits
Politics and Institutions of Latin-American Nations	PL SC 456	Social forces and processes, governmental institutions, foreign policies of major states of Latin America. Prerequisite: PL SC 003 or PL SC 020	3 credits

Theory/Methodology
Title	Abbreviation	Description	Credits
Contemporary Political Ideologies	PL SC 007	Critical analysis of contemporary political ideologies such as liberalism, conservatism, socialism, anarchism, fascism, feminism, and environmentalism.	3 credits
Scientific Study of Politics	PL SC 10	This course introduces students to both the scientific study of politics and the way that study advances our understanding of political actors, events, processes, and institutions.	3 credits
Introduction to Political Theory	PL SC 017	Introduction to basic issues in political theory through analysis of selected major political thinkers.	3 credits
Introduction to Political Research	PL SC 308	Introduction to conceptualization, research design, and measurement in political research. Prerequisite: any 3 credits in political science	3 credits
Quantitative Political Analysis	PL SC 309	Data analysis and statistical applications in political research, including data processing; inferential statistics; contingency analysis; correlation and regression; multivariate analysis. Prerequisite: any 3 credits in political science	3 credits
Analyzing Public Policy in the American States	PL SC 404	This course provides students with the tools to empirically evaluate policy proposals and outcomes in the American states. Prerequisite: PL SC 001, PL SC 309 (concurrent)	3 credits
Strategy and Politics	PL SC 410	This course examines political behavior using social choice theory and game theory. Prerequisite: PL SC 001, PL SC 003, or PL SC 014	3 credits
Analysis of Electoral Politics	PL SC 429	The new politics, its technology, and the strategic perspectives that underlie it. Prerequisite: PL SC 001 and PL SC 309	3 credits
Congress and the Presidency	PL SC 480W	This course examines states, markets, power, production, and the relations between the various transnational agents who act in these areas. Prerequisite: PL SC 001	3 credits

Course Availability

If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.