Major Code: POLISCI
BA degree awarded

40 hours to complete

For the Declaration of Major Form, contact the department(s):

Requirements

Overview

Political Science majors must complete 10 courses (40 semester hours) from departmental offerings or from courses of study approved by the department. These courses must include the following:

  • POLS 100: National Politics in the United States (preferably by the end of the fifth semester) *

  • POLS 208 (formerly 308): Political Science Methods (preferably during the freshman or sophomore year)

  • One course from each of the four major fields: American; International, Comparative and Theory

  • Four elective courses (16 hours) chosen from among departmental offerings

A minimum of eight courses (32 hours) must be taken in classroom courses, six (24 hours) of which must be taken at Emory University or Oxford College.  Political Science majors may get credit for up to four courses (16 hours) taken outside of Emory (AP classes, study abroad programs, Bard Globalization and International Affairs & Washington Semester Programs, transfer and transient credits) that have been approved by the department. 

Additional Requirements and Procedures

1. Students may not double major in Political Science and International Studies; nor may a student major in International Studies and minor in Political Science.

2. Students wishing to apply AP credit towards the comparative politics requirement must supply a syllabus of the Advanced Placement class to Tarbutton Hall, Room 327 for review by the appropriate faculty member.

3. No courses taken pass/fail (S/U) may count toward the major. This means that courses taken abroad in non-Emory approved programs, which as such receive only S/U grades, cannot count toward the major. The only exception is the Washington Semester Program or the Bard International Affairs and Globalization Program. Students may use up to eight hours of Washington Semester credit or Bard credit as elective credit towards the Political Science Major.

4. No more than four 100-level courses may be used to satisfy the major.

5. No more than four hours of internship credit may be used to satisfy the major.

6. POLS 383: The Arab-Israeli Conflict may not be used to fulfill the International Politics requirement for the major.

7. Major status does not guarantee enrollment in any particular course. Some classes may require course prerequisites or other requirements for enrollment.

* Students may use AP credit to waive POLS 100, but must still complete ten additional courses to fulfill the major (the course will add a 5th elective to the major).