BA with a Major in Political Science, Concentration in International Politics

Degree Requirements

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete university, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Political Science degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.

Summary of Requirements
Major Requirements33
General Education and Electives to Reach Minimum Total Hours87
Total Hours120

General Education

 See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.

Major Requirements

Required Courses
POLS 101Introduction to American Government and Politics a,b3
POLS 130Introduction to Comparative Politics a3
POLS 184Introduction to International Relations a,c3
POLS 200Methods of Political Science3
Select one of the following: d3
POLS 349
Topics in Comparative Politics
POLS 389
Seminar: Topics in International Relations
Six additional POLS courses at the 200 level or above, two of which must be at the 300 level or 400 level. For students in the concentration, three of these six POLS courses must be from the following list: e18
POLS 204
Democracy and Its Discontents
POLS 226
Political Parties in Modern Democracies
POLS 231
Politics and Society of China
POLS 232
Politics and Government of Korea
POLS 234
Politics and Government of Western Europe
POLS 236
Politics and Government of Eastern Europe
POLS 242
Government and Politics of Latin America
POLS 243
Politics and Government of the Middle East
POLS 274
The Politics of Blackness in Latin America
POLS 275
Gender in Latin America
POLS 281
United States Foreign Policy
POLS 283
International Political Economy
POLS 284
International Security
POLS 286
The United Nations and Other International Organizations
POLS 287
International Law
POLS 296
Fascism and Dictatorship in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean
POLS 342
European Union: Politics and Institutions
POLS 348
Seminar: Political Problems of Developing Societies
POLS 384
International Relations Theory
Total Hours33
a

This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society General Education category.

b

This course is approved for the Understanding U.S. Society General Education category.

c

This course is approved for the Exploring World Cultures General Education category.

d

Either POLS 349 or POLS 389 may be used to fulfill the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.

e

Another course related to international politics may count toward this requirement with the approval of the director of undergraduate studies. Examples may include a course offered by another department or taken in a study abroad program, or a related guided internship.

Recommended Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
Select one of the following: 3
POLS 130
 Introduction to Comparative Politics a  
POLS 184
 Introduction to International Relations a,b  
Foreign Language 4
General Education Core course 3-5
 Hours13-15
Spring Semester
ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
Select one of the following: 3
POLS 130
 Introduction to Comparative Politics a  
POLS 184
 Introduction to International Relations a,b  
Foreign Language 4
General Education Core course 3
General Education Core course 3-5
 Hours16-18
Second Year
Fall Semester
POLS 101 Introduction to American Government and Politics a,c 3
Foreign Language 4
General Education Core course 3
General Education Core course 3
General Education Core course 3
 Hours16
Spring Semester
POLS 200 Methods of Political Science 3
POLS 2xx, POLS 3xx, or POLS 4xx 3
Foreign Language 4
General Education Core course 3-5
Elective 3
 Hours16-18
Third Year
Fall Semester
POLS 201 Political Data Analysis d 3
POLS 2xx, POLS 3xx, or POLS 4xx 3
POLS 204
or POLS 226
or POLS 231
or POLS 232
or POLS 234
or POLS 236
or POLS 242
or POLS 243
or POLS 274
or POLS 275
or POLS 281
or POLS 283
or POLS 284
or POLS 286
or POLS 287
or POLS 296
or POLS 342
or POLS 348
or POLS 384
 Democracy and Its Discontents
or Political Parties in Modern Democracies
or Politics and Society of China
or Politics and Government of Korea
or Politics and Government of Western Europe
or Politics and Government of Eastern Europe
or Government and Politics of Latin America
or Politics and Government of the Middle East
or The Politics of Blackness in Latin America
or Gender in Latin America
or United States Foreign Policy
or International Political Economy
or International Security
or The United Nations and Other International Organizations
or International Law
or Fascism and Dictatorship in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean
or European Union: Politics and Institutions
or Seminar: Political Problems of Developing Societies
or International Relations Theory
 3
Electives 6
 Hours15
Spring Semester
POLS 2xx, POLS 3xx, or POLS 4xx 3
POLS 204
or POLS 226
or POLS 231
or POLS 232
or POLS 234
or POLS 236
or POLS 242
or POLS 243
or POLS 274
or POLS 275
or POLS 281
or POLS 283
or POLS 284
or POLS 286
or POLS 287
or POLS 296
or POLS 342
or POLS 348
or POLS 384
 Democracy and Its Discontents
or Political Parties in Modern Democracies
or Politics and Society of China
or Politics and Government of Korea
or Politics and Government of Western Europe
or Politics and Government of Eastern Europe
or Government and Politics of Latin America
or Politics and Government of the Middle East
or The Politics of Blackness in Latin America
or Gender in Latin America
or United States Foreign Policy
or International Political Economy
or International Security
or The United Nations and Other International Organizations
or International Law
or Fascism and Dictatorship in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean
or European Union: Politics and Institutions
or Seminar: Political Problems of Developing Societies
or International Relations Theory
 3
Electives 8-9
 Hours14-15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
POLS 204
or POLS 226
or POLS 231
or POLS 232
or POLS 234
or POLS 236
or POLS 242
or POLS 243
or POLS 274
or POLS 275
or POLS 281
or POLS 283
or POLS 284
or POLS 286
or POLS 287
or POLS 296
or POLS 342
or POLS 348
or POLS 384
 Democracy and Its Discontents
or Political Parties in Modern Democracies
or Politics and Society of China
or Politics and Government of Korea
or Politics and Government of Western Europe
or Politics and Government of Eastern Europe
or Government and Politics of Latin America
or Politics and Government of the Middle East
or The Politics of Blackness in Latin America
or Gender in Latin America
or United States Foreign Policy
or International Political Economy
or International Security
or The United Nations and Other International Organizations
or International Law
or Fascism and Dictatorship in Southern Europe and the Mediterranean
or European Union: Politics and Institutions
or Seminar: Political Problems of Developing Societies
or International Relations Theory
 3
Electives 12
 Hours15
Spring Semester
POLS 349
or POLS 389
 Topics in Comparative Politics e
or Seminar: Topics in International Relations
 3
Electives 12
 Hours15
 Total Hours120
a

This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society General Education category.

b

This course is approved for the World Cultures General Education category.

c

This course is approved for the Understanding U.S. Society General Education category.

d

Satisfies Quantitative Reasoning requirement (with a grade of C or better) but is not required for the major. To be eligible, students must first satisfy the math prerequisite.

e

Either POLS 349 or POLS 389 may be used to fulfill the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.