Mar 29, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Department of Political Science and International Relations


Political Science and International Relations

Telephone: (302) 831-2355
http://www.poscir.udel.edu/
Faculty Listing: https://www.poscir.udel.edu/people/faculty

The Department of Political Science and International Relations administers undergraduate programs in political science and international relations.

Political Science

The Department of Political Science and International Relations offers major programs leading to the B.A. in Political Science, the B.A. in International Relations, the B.A. in Political Science Education, and a joint program with the Department of Languages, Literatures and Cultures leading to a B.A. in French, German, or Spanish/Political Science. Honors degree options are available for all degrees. Minors in Political Science, Politics and Social Justice, and Political Communication are also offered. Political Science students may also consider applying for a 4+1 Master’s in Public Administration degree during their junior year. Students may not double major in Political Science and International Relations nor can they minor in Political Science with majors in Political Science or International Relations.

Political science majors acquire a broad introduction to the study of government and politics within a liberal arts tradition. To graduate with a major in political science, students must maintain a minimum C- grade in all POSC courses. Students may choose a political science major with a concentration (American Politics; Global Politics; Law, Politics & Theory) or without a concentration. Course work for both major options, with or without a concentration, aims to help students develop analytical, written, and oral communication skills and to prepare them for a wide array of careers and active citizenship. Political science majors are strongly encouraged to take advantage of many experiential learning opportunities including internships, undergraduate research, study abroad, and service learning. Detailed explanations of these opportunities are available on the Department’s website: www.udel.edu/poscir. Students should also note that no more than 45 POSC credits will count towards the 124 credits needed to graduate.

The new Politics and Social Justice minor has been designed for students who want to understand and change social injustices and are seeking the necessary theoretical and practical tools to do so. The Department of Political Science and International Relations has partnered with other departments to develop this interdisciplinary program that focuses on both local and global social injustice and social movements.  This minor enables students to understand the causes of domestic and international inequalities in social, economic, and political rights and opportunities. Students will be able to explore both theoretical and practical solutions towards addressing these inequalities, and gain practical experience working with a social justice organization to address these inequalities. Partnering departments include: Africana Studies, Anthropology, History, School of Public Policy and Administration, Sociology/Criminal Justice, Women & Gender Studies.

The Departments of Communication and Political Science and International Relations offers a minor in Political Communication. This minor provides University of Delaware undergraduates with the opportunity to experience multidisciplinary teaching and research in the leading-edge concepts of political communication and digital technology, as expressed and experienced in political campaigns and public policy debates at the local and national levels. In particular, the minor allows Communication and Political Science majors to specialize in Political Communication as well as make the field accessible to students from other majors. The minor will encourage University of Delaware students to become leaders in this rapidly developing field.

Additionally, The Biden School of Public Policy and Administration (Biden School) offers a 4+1 BA/MPA program that allows students to complete both the Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (BA-PS) and the Master of Public Administration (MPA). Political Science majors may apply to the 4+1 accelerated, combined program after completing 60 credit hours. This is typically in the Fall semester of their Junior Year. The completed application will be reviewed by the admissions committee for the MPA. Find out more here.

Study Abroad, Internships, and Undergraduate Research: Political Science majors are strongly encouraged to consider a study abroad experience as a part of their program. Students participating in study abroad programs not only enrich their education through exposure to foreign cultures, but often have the opportunity to take courses, internships, and service learning not offered on the Newark campus. In many instances, study abroad courses may count toward political science major requirements.  Students should check with the Director of Undergraduate Studies when enrolling in study abroad courses and programs, internships, and undergraduate research programs to determine if the specific course, program, or educational experience meets a particular major requirement, or, if some major requirement might be waived by means of study abroad, internships, or undergraduate research programs. A maximum of three (3) credit hours of either POSC464, POSC 466, POSC 468, or POSC498 may count once towards completion of the required 18 hours of upper division coursework.

Transfer Students: Students transferring from outside the University of Delaware should first pursue credit transfer through the UD Transfer Center. Political Science courses not listed in the UD transfer matrix may be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies for review.

Political Science - Residency Requirement: At least 15 credits applicable to the political science major (courses with a POSC prefix) must be taken at the University of Delaware.

International Relations

International Relations (IR) is an interdisciplinary major in the College of Arts and Sciences with core (18 credits), concentration (15 credits), and regional specialization (nine credits) requirements. Students must choose one of four concentrations (Development and Political Economy; Diplomacy and Global Order; U.S. Foreign Policy and National Security; Societies and Beliefs) and one of five regional specializations (Africa; Asia; Europe; Latin America; Middle East). An honors degree option is available. All POSC courses taken for the IR major require a minimum grade of C- or better. Students must also receive a C- or better in 30 of the 42 required credit hours and have a cumulative average of 2.0 in the 42 required hours.

Area Studies and the International Relations Major: International Relations majors should give serious consideration to adding a major or minor in one of the University’s Area Studies programs: African Studies, Asian Studies, European Studies, Islamic Studies, Jewish Studies, and Latin American and Iberian Studies. Course work in these Area Studies programs will allow students to develop much richer and deeper knowledge of these regions. Moreover, most of the courses approved for the regional specialization within the International Relations major are also approved as fulfilling major or minor requirements in Area Studies, thereby facilitating a minor or double major.

Study Abroad, Internships, and Undergraduate Research: International Relations majors are strongly encouraged to consider a study abroad experience as a part of their program. Students participating in study abroad programs not only enrich their education through exposure to foreign cultures, but often have the opportunity to take courses, internships, and service learning not offered on the Newark campus. In many instances, study abroad courses may count toward IR concentration and regional specialization requirements. Similarly, internships and undergraduate research experiences offered from the Newark campus may be applied to IR concentration and regional specialization requirements. Students should check with the Director of Undergraduate Studies when enrolling in study abroad courses and programs, internships, and undergraduate research programs to determine if the specific course, program, or educational experience meets a particular IR major requirement, or, if some major requirement might be waived by means of study abroad, internships, or undergraduate research programs. A maximum of three (3) credit hours of either POSC464, POSC 466, POSC 468, or POSC498 may count once towards completion of the required 18 hours of upper division coursework.

Adding the Major: Students wishing to change their major to international relations must have a minimum grade point average of 2.0.

Transfer Students: Students transferring from outside the University of Delaware should first pursue credit transfer through the UD Transfer Center. Political Science courses not listed in the UD transfer matrix may be submitted to the Director of Undergraduate Studies for review.

International Relations - Residency Requirement: At least nine credits applicable to the International Relations major (courses with a POSC prefix) must be taken at the University of Delaware.

Programs

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