Political Science: Legal Studies 3+3 Concentration (4177), B.A.

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Major in Political Science (POSC)

The major provides students with an overview of the discipline of Political Science with particular emphasis on the sub-fields of American politics, public administration, comparative politics, and international relations.  The curriculum exposes students to current scholarship in the fields of political science and to opportunities for developing leadership and career skills through active engagement in experiential learning activities.  By developing students’ abilities to (1) gather and analyze information using current methods of empirical research, (2) engage in critical thinking, and (3) communicate effectively, the major provides students with a strong foundation for careers in public service, law, and academia. 

The B.A. degree with the major in Political Science includes 4 concentrations:

General Political Science
Global Affairs
Legal Studies 3+3
Public Administration

The Legal Studies 3+3 Concentration gives students the opportunity to begin pursuing a law degree at the University of Tennessee’s College of Law in Knoxville, TN, during their fourth year of undergraduate study. Qualified students may apply to the College of Law during their third year of study at UTM. If accepted, students may begin taking law school courses in Knoxville during their fourth year. The coursework earned during that first year in the College of Law will complete the students’ Bachelor of Arts degree at UTM.

General Education	38 hours
Bachelor of Arts	6-12 hours
Major Core Requirements	21 hours
Minor (required)	12-18 hours
Electives	1-13 hours
First Year of Legal Studies at UTK	30 hours
TOTAL	120 hours

Faculty contacts:
Dr. Chris Baxter cbaxter@utm.edu
Dr. Adnan Rasool arasool1@utm.edu

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS

University Degree Requirements

120 credit hours are required
Minimum 30 credit hours completed at The University of Tennessee at Martin
Minimum 60 credits earned at an accredited four-year institution required.
A minimum overall GPA of 2.0 is required.
A minimum institutional GPA of 2.0 is required.
Must meet all General Education Requirements
Must meet all Major Requirements
Must meet all Minor Requirements
Must meet all Exit Exam Requirements
General Education Exam
Major Field Test / Exit Exam
If a student is admitted to the University of Tennessee at Martin with documented entrance deficiencies OR is subject to mandatory placement requirements, then the student must meet those requirements.

COURSEWORK REQUIRED FOR THE DEGREE

General Education Core Curriculum Requirements

Note to students: Some degree programs include required courses for the major that are also options within the University-Wide General Education Requirements. If a student completes a course that simultaneously satisfies both a requirement for the major and a requirement for the University-Wide General Education Requirements, then the student may need to complete additional elective coursework in order to meet the minimum number of credit hours required for the degree.

Bachelor of Arts Requirements

Major in Political Science, B.A. 4170 (21 credit hours)

Program-Specific Degree Requirements

Political Science students are required to take the Educational Testing Service Political Science Major Field Examination to complete the major.
A student must earn a minimum grade of C in every course in the major, exclusive of lower-division prerequisites.

Course Requirements

Core Requirements

Core coursework for this major consists of 21 credit hours.

MATH 210 - Elementary Statistics and Probability Credit(s): 3
POSC 220 - American Political Institutions and Policy Credit(s): 3
POSC 230 - Introduction to World Politics Credit(s): 3
POSC 303 - Scope and Methods of Political Science Credit(s): 3
POSC 341 - Survey of Comparative Politics Credit(s): 3
POSC 321 - International Relations Credit(s): 3
POSC 403 - Senior Seminar Credit(s): 3
Complete additional electives as needed to complete at total of 90 credit hours of undergraduate coursework in addition to 30 hours of first-year coursework completed at the UT Law School.

Concentration in Legal Studies 3+3 4177 (B.A. Degree only)

A student accepted into UT Law School prior to completing the requirements for a BA in Political Science may receive the B.A. in Political Science from UT Martin if the following requirements are met:

The first year of study at UT Law School is satisfactorily completed.
A minimum of 90 hours of college course work is completed, exclusive of those taken at the Law School.
A minimum of 60 hours of course work is completed at an accredited four-year institution, exclusive of those taken at the Law School. At least 25% of the semester hours must be completed at UT Martin.
All requirements for the B.A. degree are met, with the exception of the 36 upper-division hour requirement.