Course Recommendations
Major in Political Science (BS)
Students pursuing the BS in political science should pay careful attention to sequencing the prerequisites and courses for this major. We outline here a few basic principles that we hope are useful to students in their planning. We also provide examples of four-year course sequences.
First-years
Start a calculus sequence. Take introductory courses in a core track and in tools of analysis. Students interested in the data and modeling track are encouraged to take PSC 200 in their first year.
Sophomores
Complete the BS prerequisites by taking either a computer programming course or a course in linear algebra. Take one to two classes in tools of political analysis.
Also take two classes in your core track or to satisfy breadth or electives. At least one of these courses could satisfy upper-level writing or team learning requirements.
Juniors
Complete the tools of analysis requirement. One of your tools courses must be the 3XX version of a PSCI graduate course in statistics or modeling.
Continue taking 200-level (or more advanced) classes for your core track, breadth, and electives. At least one of these courses should satisfy upper-level writing or team learning.
Students interested in the senior honors program should take PSCI 205 by the end of their junior year. Students should submit their petitions for the senior honors program no later than March 15.
Seniors
Aim to complete all requirements for your major by the fall of your senior year, leaving the spring for electives and extra coursework in your major, if desired.
Example Four-Year Course Sequences
Three examples are provided below for hypothetical students with different interests in the prerequisites, core tracks, and 3XX tools course.
Example One
- Prerequisites: MATH 161/162 and computer programming
- Core track: Substantive track (i.e., not data and modeling)
- Graduate tools course: Statistics
| Fall semester | Spring semester | |
|---|---|---|
| First year | MATH 161: Calculus Ia PSCI 200: Data Analysis I Core 1 | MATH 162: Calculus IIa PSCI 205: Data Analysis II (Elective 1) Core 2 |
| Second year | CSC 161: Intro to Programming PSCI 202W: Argument Core 3 | Core 4 Breadth 1 Elective 2 |
| Third year | PSCI 107: Intro to Pos Pol Theory PSCI 404/3XX: Prob and Inference | PSCI 280: Intermed Pos Pol Theory Core 5 |
| Fourth year | Breadth 2 Elective 3 |
Example Two
- Prerequisites: MATH 141/142/143 and linear algebra
- Core track: Substantive track (i.e., not data and modeling)
- Graduate tools course: Modeling
| Fall semester | Spring semester | |
|---|---|---|
| First year | MATH 141: Calculus I PSCI 107: Intro to Pos Pol Theory Core 1 | MATH 142: Calculus II PSCI 280: Intermed PPT (Elective 1) Core 2 |
| Second year | MATH 143: Calculus III PSCI 202W: Argument Core 3 | MATH 165: Linear Algebra and Diff Eq Core 4 Breadth 1 |
| Third year | PSCI 200: Data Analysis I PSCI 407/3XX: Math Modeling | PSCI 205: Data Analysis II Core 5 Elective 2 |
| Fourth year | Breadth 2 Elective 3 |
Example Three
- Prerequisites: MATH 141/142 and computer programming
- Core track: Data and modeling
- Graduate tools course: Statistics
| Fall semester | Spring semester | |
|---|---|---|
| First year | MATH 141: Calculus I PSCI 200: Data Analysis I PSCI 107: Intro to Pos Pol Theory | MATH 142: Calculus II PSCI 205: Data Analysis II (Core 1) PSCI 280: Intermed Pos Pol Theory |
| Second year | CSC 161: Intro to Programming PSCI 202W: Argument Econ 231W: Econometrics (Core 2) | Breadth 1 Elective 1 |
| Third year | PSCI 248: Discrimination (Core 3) PSCI 404/3XX: Prob and Inference | PSCI 288: Game Theory (Core four) Breadth 2 Elective 2 |
| Fourth year | PSCI/INTR 270: Mechanisms of IR (Core 5) Elective 3 |
A student who wants to pursue the BS in political science with a core track in data and modeling will need to pay close attention to the prerequisite, tools, and core track requirements. The data and modeling core track is essentially an expanded tools track. Students cannot use a course like CSC 161 for both the prerequisite requirement and the core track requirement. Similarly, PSCI 205 is required for the data and modeling core track, in which case it cannot be applied to the tools requirement.
In the above example sequence, the courses that satisfy the tools and core track are as listed below.
Tools courses:
- PSCI 200: Data Analysis I
- PSCI 404/3XX: Probability and Inference
- PSCI 107: Intro to Positive Political Theory
- PSCI 280: Intermediate Positive Political Theory
- PSCI 202W: Argument
Data and modeling core track courses:
- PSCI 205: Data Analysis II
- ECON 231W: Econometrics
- PSCI 248: Discrimination
- PSCI 288: Game Theory
- PSCI/INTR 270: Mechanisms in IR