Minor in Political Science

APU political science minors learn about law, justice, and political power as they prepare for roles as informed leaders.

21 units

Requirements

Select seven courses (21 units total), of which no more than 6 units may be in common with the student’s major.

The Department of History and Political Science maintains the following requirements for each of the minors it offers:

  1. Students must complete all prerequisites for any HIST or POLI course with a C- or better before taking the course (except as noted in the course description).
  2. Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0 in all political science and history courses required for the minor.
  3. Students must complete each HIST or POLI course with a C- or higher for the course to meet a degree requirement in the Department of History and Political Science.
Core Courses
POLI 150American Government 13
POLI 160Introduction to Politics3
Select one of the following:3
Intro to International Relations
State and Local Government
Introduction to Criminal Law
Introduction to Legal Transactions
Elective Courses
Select a minimum of four of the following:12
History of American Foreign Affairs
Political Geography
Comparative Politics
Seminar in International Relations
Constitutional Law: Fundamental Freedoms
Constitutional Law: Criminal Justice
Constitutional Law: National Powers
Seminar on Legal Studies
Classical Political Thought
Modern Political Thought
The American Founding
Terrorism and Counterterrorism
Theories of International Relations
Diplomacy and Foreign Policy
National Security
Politics of Developing Countries
History and Politics of the Non-Western World
Political Science Practicum
Seminar on American Politics
The American Presidency
Congress
The Federal Judiciary
Women in Politics
Regional Studies
International Organizations
Principles and Practice of Research Design
Political Topics
Readings
Directed Research
Thesis/Project
Total Units21
1

Meets the General Education Civic Knowledge and Engagement requirement.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete this program shall be able to:
  1. American Government: Explain the principles, purposes, and main features of American government.
  2. International Politics: Explain the main features of international politics.
  3. Political Philosophy: Analyze the writing of major thinkers in the history of political philosophy.
  4. Christian Foundation: Articulate a Christian understanding of politics and government.
  5. Professional Writing: Demonstrate ability to write and cite sources to professional standards within the discipline.