BA with a Major in Political Science, Concentration in Urban 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 200Methods of Political Science3
Select two of the following: c6
Introduction to Political Theory
Introduction to Comparative Politics
Introduction to International Relations
POLS 210Introduction to Urban Politics3
POLS 211Chicago's Future3
POLS 301Internship in Political Science6
Select one of the following: d3
Seminar on American Politics
Topics in Comparative Politics
Seminar: Topics in International Relations
Seminar in Political Theory
Six additional semester hours at the 200 level (or above) e6
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

Students should consult the General Education section of the catalog to determine if any of these courses are approved General Education courses.

d

Any of these courses may be used to fulfill the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.

e

Not including POLS 305.

Note: At the discretion of the director of undergraduate studies, students may substitute a course from another department for one of their three courses in urban politics.

Transfer courses in political science must have grades of C or better to count toward the major or minor.

Recommended Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall SemesterHours
ENGL 160 Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts 3
POLS 101 Introduction to American Government and Politics a 3
Foreign Language 4
General Education Requirement course 3-5
 Hours13-15
Spring Semester
ENGL 161 Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research 3
POLS 120
Introduction to Political Theory a
or Introduction to Comparative Politics
or Introduction to International Relations
3
Foreign Language 4
General Education Requirement course 3
General Education Requirement course 3-5
 Hours16-18
Second Year
Fall Semester
POLS 120
Introduction to Political Theory a
or Introduction to Comparative Politics
or Introduction to International Relations
3
Foreign Language 4
General Education Requirement course 3
General Education Requirement course 3
General Education Requirement 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 Requirement course 3
Elective 3
 Hours16
Third Year
Fall Semester
POLS 2xx, POLS 3xx, or POLS 4xx c 3
POLS 201 Political Data Analysis (or Quantitative Reasoning course) b 3
POLS 210 Introduction to Urban Politics 3
General Education Course requirement 3
Elective 3
 Hours15
Spring Semester
POLS 211 Chicago's Future 3
POLS 301 Internship in Political Science 6
Electives 6
 Hours15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
POLS 329
Seminar on American Politics c
or Topics in Comparative Politics
or Seminar: Topics in International Relations
or Seminar in Political Theory
3
Electives 12
 Hours15
Spring Semester
Electives 14-15
 Hours14-15
 Total Hours120
a

POLS 101 and POLS 120 may be used to satisfy two of the nine courses in the General Education Requirement

b

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

c

Any of these courses may be used to fulfill the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.