Political Science: General Political Science Concentration (4171), B.S.

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) - 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.S. degree with the major in Political Science includes 3 concentrations:

General Political Science
Global Affairs
Public Administration

The General Political Science Concentration requires the six core Political Science courses. Students then complete the major with their choice of Political Science electives chosen from across the Political Science subfields.

General Education	38 hours
Bachelor of Science Requirements	11-14 hours
Major Core Requirements	21 hours
Concentration Courses	15 hours
Minor (required)	18 hours
Electives (sufficient to reach a total of 120 hours)	14-17 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
42 credits in Upper Division coursework (courses numbered 300-499)
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 Science Requirements

Major in Political Science, B.S. 4170 (36 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 321 - International Relations Credit(s): 3
POSC 341 - Survey of Comparative Politics Credit(s): 3
POSC 403 - Senior Seminar Credit(s): 3

Concentration in General Political Science 4171

Upper-division (300-400) Political Science courses Credit(s): 15
Paralegal courses POSC 391, POSC 392 and POSC 393 cannot be used for the major hours requirement.
A minor is required for this B.S. degree.