Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Requirements

• At least 28 units for the major must be from upper-division courses (300–699).
• Courses that fulfill the core and breadth requirements must be taken for a letter grade. CR/NC grading is not accepted for core and breadth courses.
• All Core, Breadth, GWAR, and culminating experience (senior seminar) courses must be completed with a grade of C- or better.
• Students in the major or minor may take up to 4 units CR/NC only for courses that satisfy part of the elective requirement.
• One Political Science (PLSI) GWAR course must be taken. The GWAR (writing emphasis) course must be taken in the Political Science department, even if a student has completed a GWAR course in another department.

Program Learning Outcomes

1. Students demonstrate knowledge of the American political system, comparative knowledge of diverse political systems and dynamics around the world, and a variety of theoretical traditions from different cultures and societies.
2. Students demonstrate critical thinking skills and proficiency in expressing complex ideas and arguments through writing, demonstrate proficiency in political research and analysis, an ability to conduct basic empirical analysis in political topics, and an ability to do textual exegesis in their written work.
3. In their senior culminating experience, students demonstrate the ability to develop thoughtful and persuasive research projects of their own, in an area of political science.
4. Students demonstrate citizenship skills, including the ability to appreciate human diversity, communicate ideas effectively, engage in community life, and link theory to practice by applying political science knowledge to actual problem-solving and community service.

Political Science (B.A.) — Minimum 40 units

Core Requirements (13 units)

Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR)

At least one upper-division writing-emphasis course in one of the breadth areas or as an elective. These are ordinary courses that emphasize writing skills, and are indicated with a GW suffix in the class schedule (e.g., the GWAR version of PLSI 418 is PLSI 418GW). A GWAR course counts as either a Breadth or Elective course.

Breadth Requirement (9-12 units)

Upper-division Political Science courses chosen to include at least one course in at least three of these four sub-fields:

1. American Politics

2. Comparative Politics

3. Political Theory

4. Public Law

Electives (8-11 units)

It is recommended that elective units be taken in Political Science. However, up to eight upper-division units may be selected from related departments with consent of a major advisor.

Senior Seminar: Culminating Experience (3-4 units)

Note: A minimum of 40 upper division units must be completed for the degree (including upper division units required for the major, general education, electives, etc.). A student can complete this major yet not attain the necessary number of upper division units required for graduation. In this case, additional upper division courses will be needed to reach the required total.

Complementary Studies

Twelve units of complementary studies are required of all candidates for the B.A. degree in Political Science. These units must come from courses bearing a prefix other than PLSI that are not cross-listed with Political Science. Students can satisfy this requirement by completing a related minor, a secondary major, or through an approved Study Abroad program.

Complementary Studies courses should have a direct bearing on the study of politics or deepen and enrich the study of politics. Such courses are typically found in departments like International Relations, Urban Studies and Planning, or Philosophy, and in the College of Ethnic Studies.

Eight of the twelve Complementary Studies units may count toward the major as elective units if approved in advance by a Political Science advisor. Students must consult with an advisor in the department to ensure that their choices fulfill the department’s requirements.

Courses from the following departments will be considered to be part of Complementary Studies for political science. Any minor automatically fulfills complementary studies and, depending on one’s emphasis, foreign languages can also fulfill complementary studies if they are associated with a focus on comparative politics and/or area studies.

Africana Studies
American Indian Studies
Anthropology
Asian American Studies
Criminal Justice
Environmental Studies
Ethnic Studies
History
Humanities
International Relations
Latina/Latino Studies
Philosophy
Sexuality Studies
Sociology
Urban Studies and Planning
Women and Gender Studies

Students who have earned AA-T or AS-T degrees and are pursuing a similar B.A. degree at SF State are required to fulfill the Complementary Studies requirement as defined by the major department. Students should consult with a major advisor about how transfer units and/or SF State units can best be applied to this requirement in order to ensure degree completion within 60 units.

General Education Requirements

Note: LD = Lower-Division; UD = Upper-Division.

First-Time Student Roadmap (4 Year)

Find the correct roadmap (A, B, C, or D):

1. Select the row that matches your English Course choice for A2.*
2. Select the column that matches your QR Category (found at your student center under Math Alert).
3. Click the Roadmap that lines up with your row and column.

For example, if you are taking ENG 104 as your first English course and your student center math alert says you are QR Category III, you should choose Roadmap D.

*Composition for Multilingual Students: If taking ENG 209 as your first English course, choose the ENG 114 row. If taking ENG 204 for your first English course, choose the ENG 104/ENG 105 row.

Transfer Student Roadmap (2 Year)

For students with an AA-T in Political Science. This roadmap opens in a new tab.

For students with an AA-T in Law, Public Policy and Society. This roadmap opens in a new tab.

This degree program is an approved pathway (“similar” major) for students earning the ADT in Political Science

California legislation SB 1440 (2009) mandated the creation of the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) to be awarded by the California Community Colleges. Two types of ADTs are awarded: Associate in Arts for Transfer (AA-T) and Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T). 

Note: no specific degree is required for admission as an upper-division student. However, the ADT includes specific guarantees related to admission and graduation and is designed to clarify the transfer process and strengthen lower-division preparation for the major.

An ADT totals 60 units and in most cases includes completion of all lower-division General Education requirements and at least 18 units in a specific major. (The Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Science AS-T degrees defer 3 units in lower-division GE area C and 3 units in lower-division GE area D until after transfer.) Students pursuing an ADT are guaranteed admission to the CSU if minimum eligibility requirements are met, though not necessarily to the CSU campus of primary choice.

Upon verification that the ADT has been awarded prior to matriculation at SF State, students are guaranteed B.A. or B.S. completion in 60 units if pursuing a “similar” major after transfer. Determinations about “similar” majors at SF State are made by faculty in the discipline.

Degree completion in 60 units cannot be guaranteed when a student simultaneously pursues an additional major, a minor, certificate, or credential.

A sample advising roadmap for students who have earned an ADT and continue in a "similar" major at SF State is available on the Roadmaps tab on the degree requirements page for the major. The roadmap displays:

• How many lower-division units required for the major have been completed upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
• Which lower-division requirements are considered complete upon entry based on the award of a specific ADT;
• How to complete the remaining 60 units for the degree in four semesters.

Students who have earned an ADT should seek advising in the major department during the first semester of attendance.

General Advising Information for Transfer Students

1. Before transfer, complete as many lower-division requirements or electives for this major as possible.
2. The following courses are not required for admission but are required for graduation. Students are strongly encouraged to complete these units before transfer; doing so will provide more flexibility in course selection after transfer.
   • a course in U.S. History
   • a course in U.S. & California Government

For information about satisfying the requirements described in (1) and (2) above at a California Community College (CCC), please visit http://www.assist.org. Check any geographically accessible CCCs; sometimes options include more than one college. Use ASSIST to determine:

• Which courses at a CCC satisfy any lower-division major requirements for this major;
• Which courses at a CCC satisfy CSU GE, US History, and US & CA Government requirements.

Remedial courses are not transferable and do not apply to the minimum 60 semester units/90 quarter units required for admission.

Additional units for courses that are repeated do not apply to the minimum 60 units required for upper-division transfer (for example, if a course was not passed on the first attempt or was taken to earn a better grade).

Before leaving the last California Community College of attendance, obtain a summary of completion of lower-division General Education units (IGETC or CSU GE Breadth). This is often referred to as a GE certification worksheet. SF State does not require delivery of this certification to Admissions, but students should retain this document for verifying degree progress after transfer.

Credit for Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College-Level Examination Program courses: AP/IB/CLEP credit is not automatically transferred from the previous institution. Units are transferred only when an official score report is delivered to SF State. Credit is based on the academic year during which exams were taken. Refer to the University Bulletin in effect during the year of AP/IB/CLEP examination(s) for details regarding the award of credit for AP/IB/CLEP.

Students pursuing majors in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines often defer 6-9 units of lower-division General Education in Areas C and D until after transfer to focus on preparation courses for the major. This advice does not apply to students pursuing associate degree completion before transfer.

Transferring From Institutions Other Than CCCs or CSUs

Review SF State's lower-division General Education requirements. Note that, as described below, the four basic skills courses required for admission meet A1, A2, A3, and B4 in the SF State GE pattern. Courses that fulfill the remaining areas of SF State’s lower-division GE pattern are available at most two-year and four-year colleges and universities.

Of the four required basic skills courses, a course in critical thinking (A3) may not be widely offered outside the CCC and CSU systems. Students should attempt to identify and take an appropriate course no later than the term of application to the CSU. To review more information about the A3 requirement, please visit http://bulletin.sfsu.edu/undergraduate-education/general-education/lower-division/#AAEL.

Waiting until after transfer to take a single course at SF State that meets both US and CA/local government requirements may be an appropriate option, particularly if transferring from outside of California.

All Students Must Meet the Transfer Eligibility Requirements Outlined Below for Admission.

For more information, visit the Undergraduate Admissions section.

• Complete 60 or more transferable semester units or 90 or more quarter units.
• Earn a college grade point average of 2.0 or better in all transferable courses. Non-local area residents may be held to a higher GPA standard.
• Be in good standing at the last college or university attended.
• Complete 30-semester units (45-quarter units) of General Education, including four basic skills courses:
  1. One course in oral communication (same as CSU GE Area A1)
  2. One course in written composition (same as CSU GE Area A2)
  3. One course in critical thinking (same as CSU GE Area A3)
  4. One course in mathematics or quantitative reasoning (same as CSU GE Area B4)
• The four basic skills courses and a minimum of 60 transferable semester units (90-quarter units) must be completed by the spring semester prior to fall admission, or by the fall semester prior to spring admission. Earn a C- or better grade in each basic skills course.