Department of Political Science
Interdepartmental Minor in Political Science and Economics
Students on Summer 2020, Fall 2020, or Spring 2021 requirements POLSECNMIN
Requirements
The minor requires at least 18 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
- Political Science courses.
- Core course. One (1) course:
- POLS-Y 204 Institutional Analysis and Governance
- POLS-Y 205 Analyzing Politics
- POLS-Y 303 Formation of Public Policy in the United States
- POLS-Y 394 Public Policy Analysis
- POLS-Y 405 Models and Theories of Political Decision Making
POLS-Y 204 Institutional Analysis and Governance
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduces the design and development of political, economic, and social institutions that support democratic governance or its alternatives. Uses theory to understand connections among individual choice, collective action, institutions, and constitutional order. Institutional analysis as a mode of reasoning about contemporary policy problems, law, and public affairs.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 205 Analyzing Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduces the approaches and techniques used to study politics. Includes an introduction to social science language, concepts, and critical research skills. Overview of political science research approaches, including case study, surveys, and model-building. Emphasizes skills such as interpreting the presentation of data in charts, graphs, and tables, and elementary analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 303 Formation of Public Policy in the United States
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Processes and institutions involved in the formation of public policy in American society.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 394 Public Policy Analysis
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Place of theory and method in examining public policies in relation to programs, institutional arrangements, and constitutional problems. Particular reference to American political experience.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 405 Models and Theories of Political Decision Making
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- One course in political science at the 200 level or above
- Notes
- R: ECON-E 201
- Description
- Introduces collective choice and game theory for understanding how societies make political decisions. Examines how institutions, or the political context in which decisions are made, affect group choices. Theories of individual and group decision making, collective choice, and social dilemmas. Applications to congressional politics, intergovernmental relations, and parliamentary democracies.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Electives. Six (6) additional credit hours:
- POLS-P 301
- POLS-P 302 The Politics of Economic Crisis and Reform
- POLS-P 303
- POLS-Y 204 Institutional Analysis and Governance
- POLS-Y 205 Analyzing Politics
- POLS-Y 300
- POLS-Y 301 Political Parties and Interest Groups
- POLS-Y 302 Public Bureaucracy in Modern Society
- POLS-Y 303 Formation of Public Policy in the United States
- POLS-Y 304 Constitutional Law
- POLS-Y 305 Constitutional Rights and Liberties
- POLS-Y 306 State Politics in the United States
- POLS-Y 307 Indiana State Government and Politics
- POLS-Y 308 Urban Politics
- POLS-Y 313 Environmental Policy
- POLS-Y 317 Voting, Elections, and Public Opinion
- POLS-Y 326 American Social Welfare Policy
- POLS-Y 329 Racial and Ethnic Politics in the United States
- POLS-Y 335 Western European Politics
- POLS-Y 341 Authoritarian Regimes
- POLS-Y 343 The Politics of International Development
- POLS-Y 346 Politics in the Developing World
- POLS-Y 349 Policy Making Around the Globe
- POLS-Y 350 Politics of the European Union
- POLS-Y 376 International Political Economy
- POLS-Y 394 Public Policy Analysis
- POLS-Y 399
- POLS-Y 401 Topics in Political Science
- POLS-Y 405 Models and Theories of Political Decision Making
- Up to three (3) total credit hours of the following:
- POLS-X 477 Field Experience in Political Science
- POLS-Y 490 Senior Seminar in Political Science
- POLS-Y 499 Honors Thesis
POLS-P 302 The Politics of Economic Crisis and Reform
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores the politics of crisis and reform from a comparative and international political economy perspective. In addition to learning general theories of crisis and reform, students will study in-depth case studies of important crisis episodes in the era of industrial capitalism, and seek to understand both the causes and consequences of crisis events.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 204 Institutional Analysis and Governance
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduces the design and development of political, economic, and social institutions that support democratic governance or its alternatives. Uses theory to understand connections among individual choice, collective action, institutions, and constitutional order. Institutional analysis as a mode of reasoning about contemporary policy problems, law, and public affairs.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 205 Analyzing Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduces the approaches and techniques used to study politics. Includes an introduction to social science language, concepts, and critical research skills. Overview of political science research approaches, including case study, surveys, and model-building. Emphasizes skills such as interpreting the presentation of data in charts, graphs, and tables, and elementary analysis of qualitative and quantitative data.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 301 Political Parties and Interest Groups
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Theories of American party activity; behavior of political parties, interest groups, and social movements; membership in groups; organization and structure; evaluation and relationship to the process of representation.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 302 Public Bureaucracy in Modern Society
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines public bureaucracy, with special emphasis upon the United States, as a political phenomenon engaging in policy-making and in the definition of the terms of policy issues. Considers the role of bureaucratic instruments in promoting social change, and in responding to it.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 303 Formation of Public Policy in the United States
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Processes and institutions involved in the formation of public policy in American society.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 304 Constitutional Law
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- American political powers and structures; selected Supreme Court decisions interpreting American constitutional system.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 305 Constitutional Rights and Liberties
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Extent and limits of constitutional rights; selected Supreme Court decisions interpreting American constitutional system.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 306 State Politics in the United States
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Comparative study of politics in the American states. Special emphasis on the impact of political culture, party systems, legislatures, and bureaucracies on public policies.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 307 Indiana State Government and Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Constitutional foundations, political development, organizational and functional process and growth, and current problems of Indiana government. Readings, case studies, problems.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 308 Urban Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Political behavior in modern American communities; emphasizes the impact of municipal organization, city officials and bureaucracies, social and economic notables, political parties, interest groups, the general public, and protest organizations on urban policy outcomes.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 313 Environmental Policy
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the processes of social decision reconciling human demands on the natural world with the ability of nature to sustain life and living standards. Analyzes the implications for public policies in complex sequential interactions among technical, economic, social, and political systems and considers the consequences of alternative courses of action.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 317 Voting, Elections, and Public Opinion
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Determinants of voting behavior in elections. The nature of public opinion regarding major domestic and foreign policy issues; development of political ideology; other influences on the voting choices of individuals and the outcomes of elections; relationships among public opinion, elections, and the development of public policy.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 326 American Social Welfare Policy
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Values and social welfare policy. Development, current status, politics and proposals for reform of social security and private pensions, income maintenance policy, health care, and housing. The future of the welfare state.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 329 Racial and Ethnic Politics in the United States
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- A survey of minority group politics in the United States. The course examines the socioeconomic position and political history of various demographic groups and highlights key public policy debates central to the future of ethnic politics and race relations in the United States. Compares theories of racial formation in the context of a political system predicated on majority rule.
- Spring 2025CASE DUScourseFall 2024CASE DUScourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 335 Western European Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Development, structure, and functioning of political systems, primarily in France, Italy, and Germany. Political dynamics of European integration.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of POLS-Y 335 or EURO-W 301.
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 341 Authoritarian Regimes
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Comparative study of Fascism, Nazism, and communism as institutional arrangements for governing modern societies. The political process in the one-party "movement regime."
POLS-Y 343 The Politics of International Development
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the key debates and issues regarding how "poor" countries develop economically and socially. Analyzes the interactions between politics and economics in the development process at the global, national, and local levels. Cases for comparison will include countries from Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Middle East.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 346 Politics in the Developing World
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Focuses on politics in the developing world (Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East). Comparison of political history; experiences of colonialism and post-colonial authoritarian systems; political economy; development and globalization; democratization and management of protest and conflict; and interactions with international actors and transnational social movements.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 349 Policy Making Around the Globe
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Compares public policies and policy making among both advanced industrial democracies and the developing world. Surveys policy areas such as immigration, health care, education, and workers' rights.
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 350 Politics of the European Union
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Study of the politics of the European Union (EU). Assesses past and present dynamics of economic and political integration in Europe, the structure and work of European Union institutions, and EU public policies such as the Single Market, the common currency, common foreign and security policy, and trade.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 376 International Political Economy
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Theories about the interaction between the international economic and political systems are the subject of this course. Works from each of the main traditions -- liberal, Marxist, and statist -- will be assigned. Specific topics covered will include (among others): the politics of trade, aid, foreign investment, and international monetary affairs; theories of dependency and imperialism; the politics of international competition in specific industries; the stability/ instability of international economic regimes.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 394 Public Policy Analysis
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Place of theory and method in examining public policies in relation to programs, institutional arrangements, and constitutional problems. Particular reference to American political experience.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 401 Topics in Political Science
- Credits
- 2–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Topic varies with the instructor and year; consult the online
- Repeatability
- May be repeated once for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 405 Models and Theories of Political Decision Making
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- One course in political science at the 200 level or above
- Notes
- R: ECON-E 201
- Description
- Introduces collective choice and game theory for understanding how societies make political decisions. Examines how institutions, or the political context in which decisions are made, affect group choices. Theories of individual and group decision making, collective choice, and social dilemmas. Applications to congressional politics, intergovernmental relations, and parliamentary democracies.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-X 477 Field Experience in Political Science
- Credits
- 1–6 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Junior or senior standing, 15 credit hours of political science, and project approval by instructor
- Description
- Faculty-directed study of aspects of the political process based on field experience. Directed readings, field research, research papers. Certain internship experiences may require research skills.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 6 credit hours in POLS-X 477 and POLS-Y 481.
POLS-Y 490 Senior Seminar in Political Science
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- Senior standing or consent of department
- Notes
- Research paper required
- Description
- Seminar sessions arranged to present papers for evaluation and criticism by fellow students. Subject matter varies by semester.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
POLS-Y 499 Honors Thesis
- Credits
- 1–12 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Consent of instructor and departmental honors director
- Description
- None
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 12 credit hours.
- Core course. One (1) course:
- Economics courses.
- Fundamentals of Economics I. One (1) course:
- ECON-B 251 Fundamentals of Economics for Business I
- ECON-E 251
- ECON-S 251 Fundamentals of Economics for Business I: Honors
ECON-B 251 Fundamentals of Economics for Business I
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- First course in a two-course sequence that introduces business students to essential economic concepts. Examines the economic notions of cost and gains from trade, determinants of economic growth, consumer and firm behavior in competitive and non-competitive environments, the effects of taxation, externalities, moral hazard and adverse selection, and basic game theory.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of ECON-B 251 or ECON-E 251.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
ECON-S 251 Fundamentals of Economics for Business I: Honors
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- Must be a Hutton Honors student
- Description
- First in a two-course sequence that introduces honors business students to essential economic concepts. Examines economic notions of cost and gains from trade, determinants of economic growth, consumer and firm behavior in competitive and non-competitive environments, effects of taxation, externalities, moral hazard and adverse selection, and basic game theory.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of ECON-S 251, ECON-B 251, or ECON-E 251.
- Fundamentals of Economics II. One (1) course:
- ECON-B 252 Fundamentals of Economics for Business II
- ECON-E 252 Fundamentals of Economics II
ECON-B 252 Fundamentals of Economics for Business II
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- ECON-B 251
- Description
- Continuation of Fundamental of Economics for Business I. After a review of the major types of markets, explores macroeconomic concepts, beginning with measurement and the National Income Accounts, and then moving to cycle fluctuations and performance of stock markets. Concludes with microeconomic and macroeconomic perspectives in two areas: labor markets and globalization will applications in business contexts.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of ECON-B 252 or ECON-E 252.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
ECON-E 252 Fundamentals of Economics II
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- ECON-E 251 or ECON-B 251
- Description
- Continuation of Fundamental of Economics I. After a review of the major types of markets, explores macroeconomic concepts, beginning with measurement and the National Income Accounts, and then moving to cycle fluctuations and performance of stock markets. Concludes with microeconomic and macroeconomic perspectives in two areas: labor markets and globalization.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of ECON-E 252 or ECON-B 252.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Elective. Three (3) additional credit hours:
- Any ECON-E 300–399 except ECON-E 321; ECON-E 370
- Any ECON-E 400–499 except ECON-E 496
- Any ECON-X 300–399 except ECON-X 373
- Fundamentals of Economics I. One (1) course:
- Minor GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- Minor GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the minor—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
- Minor Minimum Grade. Except for the GPA requirement, a grade of C- or higher is required for a course to count toward a requirement in the minor.
- Minor Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 9 credit hours in the minor must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Minor Residency. At least 9 credit hours in the minor must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
Minor Area Courses
-
Unless otherwise noted below, the following courses are considered in the academic program and will count toward academic program requirements as appropriate:
- Any course at the 100–499 level with the
ECON or POLS
subject area prefix—as well as any other subject areas that are deemed functionally equivalent - Any course contained on the course lists for the academic program requirements at the time the course is taken—as well as any other courses that are deemed functionally equivalent—except for those listed only under Addenda Requirements
- Any course directed to a non-Addenda requirement through an approved exception
- Any course at the 100–499 level with the
- NULL:
Exclusions
The following courses cannot be applied toward minor requirements:
- ECON-E 115 Everyday Economics
- ECON-E 175 Economics for Educators
- ECON-E 496 Foreign Study in Economics
- ECON-X 373 Internship in Economics
ECON-E 115 Everyday Economics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- Cannot be counted toward a major, interdepartmental major, or minor in economics
- Description
- Establishes the foundation necessary to achieve economic literacy by providing an introduction to economic concepts and institutions encountered in daily life: credit markets, inflation, interest rates, taxes, retirement savings, insurance, and the fundamental economic principles underlying these markets.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
ECON-E 175 Economics for Educators
- Description
- Designed for students preparing to be teachers. Covers basic concepts and analytical techniques in both microeconomics and macroeconomics. Emphasis is placed on active learning exercises, discussion and analysis of current events, group problem solving and other instructional techniques useful in primary and secondary education.
- Additional information
- Credit hour, prerequisite, and other information cannot be displayed for this course. If this is a course outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, please see the appropriate school's bulletin for additional information.
ECON-E 496 Foreign Study in Economics
- Description
- Course involves planning of research project during year proceeding summer abroad. Time spent in research abroad must amount to at least one week for each credit hour granted. Research must be presented by end of semester following foreign study. Does not count toward a major or minor in economics.
- Additional information
- Credit hour, prerequisite, and other information cannot be displayed for this course. If this is a course outside of the College of Arts and Sciences, please see the appropriate school's bulletin for additional information.
ECON-X 373 Internship in Economics
- Credits
- 1–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- Consent of department
- Notes
- Does not count toward a major or minor in economics
- Description
- Supervised work experience in an academic or business environment, including as a teaching assistant for undergraduate classes. Performance evaluation by a faculty mentor.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 3 credit hours in ECON-X 373 and ECON-Y 398.
- Grading
- S/F grading.
This program of study cannot be combined with the following:
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics (ECONBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Mathematics (ECONMATHBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science (ECONPOLSBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics and Economics (MATHECONBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Science (PHILPOLSBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (POLSBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics (POLSECONBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy (POLSPHILBA)
- Interdepartmental Minor in Economics and Political Science (ECONPOLMIN)
- Minor in Economics (ECONMIN)
- Minor in International Economics (INTECONMIN)
- Minor in Political Science (POLSMIN)
Exceptions to and substitutions for minor requirements may be made with the approval of the unit's Director of Undergraduate Studies, subject to final approval by the College of Arts and Sciences.