The academic requirements for political science represent a specialized course of study within the larger context of a diverse liberal arts education. Not only are these requirements designed to provide a focused and rigorous approach to the core concepts of the discipline, but they also allow ample opportunities for exploration in other subjects and departments throughout the university. By studying political science at DePauw, you will develop comprehensive expertise in your field while enjoying the benefits of a well-rounded education.
Nine
6 total. Must complete three of four subfield introductory courses (POLS 110, POLS 130, POLS 150, POLS 170), a course from any level in the other subfield, POLS 318 and POLS 450.
Three (including POLS 450)
The senior requirement consists of the completion of POLS 450 with a grade of C or better.
POLS 156 cannot be counted as credit for a political science major.
POLS 318, Research Design and Writing in Political Science was added as a requirement for the major, effective Fall 2014.
POLS 318, Research Design and Writing in Political Science, required of all majors, fulfills the writing in the major requirement. The course provides an overview of some of the quantitative and qualitative research methods political scientists use to draw conclusions about the political world. It also teaches students the writing skills specific to political science. By the end of the course, it is expected that students would have learned how to find an interesting topic and pose a research question; how to obtain and analyze data (qualitative or quantitative); how to read and think critically and use various methods of inquiry (theoretical, historical, comparative, behavioral, and post-behavioral); and how to formulate a thesis statement and write a scholarly literature review. Students are required to (1) write a series of short essays that engage with a variety of research tools and methods (argument, critique, textual analysis, content analysis, discourse analysis, participant-observation method, interviews, etc.); (2) engage in peer review exercise, and (3) write a literature review, a research proposal, and/or an analytical or argumentative paper. They receive feedback from the instructor on each assignment and are expected to revise drafts in response to comments received. To satisfy the major's requirement in political science, a student must earn the grade of C or above in the course.
Five
Two from POLS 110, POLS 130, POLS 150, POLS 170
One
Leveraging the resources of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the political science major and minor at DePauw are housed in the Department of Political Science. This department facilitates the systematic study of how people and societies make the political decisions that affect their lives.
