Department of Political Science
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Students on Summer 2024, Fall 2024, or Spring 2025 requirements POLSBA
Requirements
The major requires at least 30 credit hours, including the requirements listed below.
- Analyzing Politics. One (1) course:
- POLS-Y 205 Analyzing Politics
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
- American Politics and Public Policy. One (1) course:
- POLS-P 301
- 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 311 Democracy and National Security
- POLS-Y 313 Environmental Policy
- POLS-Y 315 Political Psychology and Socialization
- POLS-Y 316 Public Opinion and Political Participation
- POLS-Y 317 Voting, Elections, and Public Opinion
- POLS-Y 318 The American Presidency
- POLS-Y 320 Judicial Politics
- POLS-Y 321 The Media and Politics
- POLS-Y 324 Gender and Politics
- POLS-Y 325 African American Politics
- POLS-Y 326 American Social Welfare Policy
- POLS-Y 394 Public Policy Analysis
- POLS-Y 395 Quantitative Political Analysis
- POLS-Y 319 The United States Congress
- POLS-Y 329 Racial and Ethnic Politics in the United States
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 311 Democracy and National Security
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Analysis of fundamental tensions between democratic values and the requirements of national security. Topics include homeland security and civil liberties in an age of terror, civil-military relations, oversight of intelligence operations, effects of interventions and wars on democracy abroad and at home, and debates over the morality of United States security policies.
- 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 315 Political Psychology and Socialization
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Analysis of the relationship between personality and politics. Use of major psychological theories and concepts to understand the attitudes and behavior of mass publics and political elites.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 316 Public Opinion and Political Participation
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- The nature of public opinion on major domestic and foreign policy issues; mass political ideology; voting behavior and other forms of political participation; political culture; and the impact of public opinion on political systems.
- 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 318 The American Presidency
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examination of the American presidency both in historical setting and in contemporary context. Topics such as presidential elections, roles and resources of the president, structures and processes of the presidency, presidential leadership and behavior, relationships of the presidency and other participants in policy making.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 320 Judicial Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the American judicial system in the contemporary context. Analysis of the trial and appellate courts with a focus on the United States Supreme Court. Topics include analyses of the structure of the judicial system, the participants in the system, and the policy making processes and capabilities of the legal system. The course concludes with an assessment of the role of courts in a majoritarian democracy.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 321 The Media and Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the contemporary relationship between the media and politics, including use of the media by politicians and public officials, media coverage of governmental activities, and media coverage of campaigns and elections. Course focuses primarily on the United States, but includes comparative perspectives.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 324 Gender and Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Analysis of women in contemporary political systems, domestic or foreign, with emphasis on political roles, participation, and public policy. Normative or empirical examination of how political systems affect women and the impact women have on them. Topics vary semester to semester.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 325 African American Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines the African American political condition, with special emphasis on political thought and behavior. The course analyzes not only how the political system affects African Americans, but also the impact African Americans have on it. Themes for this course may vary.
- Spring 2025CASE DUScourseFall 2024CASE DUScourse
- 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 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 395 Quantitative Political Analysis
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to methods and statistics used in political inquiry, including measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability, sampling, statistical inference and hypothesis testing, measures of association, analysis of variance, and regression.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of ANTH-A 306, CJUS-K 300, ECON-E 370, ECON-S 370, MATH-K 300, MATH-K 310, POLS-Y 395, PSY-K 300, PSY-K 310, SOC-S 371, SPEA-K 300, SPH-Q 381, STAT-K 310, STAT-S 300, STAT-S 301, or STAT-S 303.
- Spring 2025CASE NMcourseFall 2024CASE NMcourse
POLS-Y 319 The United States Congress
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- This course offers students the opportunity to study the legislative branch of American national government. It includes the structure and process of the Senate and House of Representatives, the roles of parties, interest groups, and lobbyists, the legislative process, and the relations of Congress with the other branches of government.
- 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
- Comparative Politics and International Relations. One (1) course:
- POLS-P 302 The Politics of Economic Crisis and Reform
- POLS-P 303
- POLS-Y 332 Russian Politics
- POLS-Y 333 Chinese Politics
- POLS-Y 334 Japanese Politics
- POLS-Y 335 Western European Politics
- POLS-Y 336 South East Asian Political Systems
- POLS-Y 337 Latin American Politics
- POLS-Y 338 African Politics
- POLS-Y 339 Middle Eastern Politics
- POLS-Y 340 East European Politics
- POLS-Y 341 Authoritarian Regimes
- POLS-Y 342
- POLS-Y 343 The Politics of International Development
- POLS-Y 345 Comparative Revolutions
- POLS-Y 346 Politics in the Developing World
- POLS-Y 347 German Politics
- POLS-Y 349 Policy Making Around the Globe
- POLS-Y 350 Politics of the European Union
- POLS-Y 351 Political Simulations
- POLS-Y 352 The Holocaust and Politics
- POLS-Y 353 The Politics of Gender and Sexuality
- POLS-Y 356 South Asian Politics
- POLS-Y 360 United States Foreign Policy
- POLS-Y 361 Contemporary Theories of International Politics
- POLS-Y 362 International Politics of Selected Regions
- POLS-Y 363 Comparative Foreign Policy
- POLS-Y 364 International Organization: Political and Security Aspects
- POLS-Y 366 Current Foreign Policy Problems
- POLS-Y 367 International Law
- POLS-Y 368 Russian and Soviet Foreign Policy
- POLS-Y 372 The Analysis of International Politics
- POLS-Y 374 International Organization
- POLS-Y 375 War and International Conflict
- POLS-Y 376 International Political Economy
- POLS-Y 395 Quantitative Political Analysis
- POLS-Y 399
- POLS-Y 405 Models and Theories of Political Decision Making
- POLS-Y 407 Problems in Comparative Politics
- POLS-Y 344
- POLS-Y 348 The Politics of Genocide
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 332 Russian Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Political process and government structure in the Russian state. Political institutions inherited from tsarist empire and the Soviet state (1917-1991), history of subsequent political reform. Political problems of ethnic conflict, creating democratic institutions, and of transition from socialism to market economy.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 333 Chinese Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores contemporary politics and policy issues in the People\'s Republic of China. Influence of revolutionary practice and ideology; analysis of contemporary economic, political and social organizations; examination of policy issues including social reforms, economic growth, and democratization and globalization.
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 334 Japanese Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Political development of Japan, with emphasis on changing attitudes toward modernization; cultural and sociological factors affecting the functioning of contemporary political institutions; and the implication of Japanese experience in modernization of other developing societies.
- 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 336 South East Asian Political Systems
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Covers the governmental organization, and the political behavior and traditions, of countries in the South East Asian region. Addresses regional issues of political and economic development, and international issues regarding the relationship of the region to the rest of the world.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 337 Latin American Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Comparative analysis of political change in major Latin American countries, emphasizing alternative explanations of national and international developments; examination of impact of political parties, the military, labor and peasant movements, Catholic Church, multinational corporations, regional organizations, and United States on politics; public policy processes in democratic and authoritarian regimes.
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 338 African Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores politics in Sub-Saharan Africa. Examines relevance of "traditional" political systems; impact on colonialism; building new nations and states; authoritarian regimes; process of democratization; management of ethnic, regional, religious and class conflict; political challenges of economic development; role of international actors, including the United States, United Nations, World Bank, and non-governmental organizations; and globalization.
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 339 Middle Eastern Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Political culture and change in selected Middle Eastern and North African countries. Topics include political elites, traditional cultures, modern political ideology, institutions of political control, conflict management, and social reform policies.
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 340 East European Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Compares political change in the East European states, and emphasizes the legacies of authoritarianism and communism and the post-communist transition to democracy. Topics include the building of political institutions, the inclusion of citizens into the polity, the reform of the economy, the management of ethnic and social conflicts, and integration into the European Union.
- 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 345 Comparative Revolutions
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Analysis of major modern revolutions. Focus on the social, economic, and political causes of revolutions; the rise of revolutionary movements; and the strategies for gaining and consolidating power.
- 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 347 German Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Survey of the German political system including governmental institutions, the origins and role of political parties, opportunities for citizens to participate in politics, and current political culture. Special attention is paid to the question of how well Germany's democracy functions after experiencing several regime changes.
- 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 351 Political Simulations
- Credits
- 1–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- May be taken alone or in conjunction with related political science courses
- Description
- A course tied to simulations of international organizations such as the European Union, the United Nations, or the Organization of American States.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 3 credit hours.
POLS-Y 352 The Holocaust and Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examination of the socioeconomic conditions and political ideologies leading up to the Holocaust, and the political, administrative, and social context for the genocide from the vantage of perpetrators, victims, and bystanders. Focus on the individual, national, and international responses to and responsibilities for the Holocaust. Consideration of the Holocaust's legacies for the postwar world.
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 353 The Politics of Gender and Sexuality
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Exploration of how different social, economic, and political practices have influenced the construction of gender and sexuality outside of the United States. Examines the interplay between gender relations and characteristics of public and private institutions.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 356 South Asian Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to the legacy of British colonialism in South Asia, to the development and decay of political institutions, to questions of economic growth, to social movements, and to regional conflicts.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 360 United States Foreign Policy
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Analysis of institutions and processes involved in the formation and implementation of American foreign policy. Emphasis is on post-World War II policies.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 361 Contemporary Theories of International Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Theories used in the study of international politics: systems theory, field theory, conflict theory, alliance and coalition theories, balance-of-power theories, and an introduction to game and bargaining theory.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 362 International Politics of Selected Regions
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- The region studied will vary with the instructor and the year. Current information may be obtained from the Department of Political Science.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated once for credit, with permission of the departmental undergraduate advisor.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 363 Comparative Foreign Policy
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Compares factors that influence foreign policy and the foreign policy process. Focuses on domestic or internal sources of foreign policy behavior, including impact of individual leaders, group decision-making processes, bureaucratic politics, ideology and political culture, historical experience, and type of political system. Classroom simulations are central to the course.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 364 International Organization: Political and Security Aspects
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- International organizations as lateral extensions of the Western state system, exercising influence in accordance with a variety of strategies. Strategies employed by the United Nations in the political and security area.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 366 Current Foreign Policy Problems
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Critique of foreign policy issues: communism, containment, imperialism, and others. Research papers and classroom presentation for critical discussion.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 367 International Law
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Sources and consequences of international law; relationship to international organizations and world order; issues of national sovereignty, human rights, conflict resolution, international property rights, world trade, environmental change, and other topics.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 368 Russian and Soviet Foreign Policy
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- R: POLS-Y 332
- Description
- Behavior of Russia and U.S.S.R. in world affairs from 1945 to the present. Emphasis on impact of geographic assets and vulnerabilities, historical experience, domestic politics, and the changing international environment.
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 372 The Analysis of International Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- R: POLS-Y 109 or equivalent
- Description
- Introduction to the systematic study of international politics, focusing on the major approaches of decision making (microanalysis) and the international system (macroanalysis) and on a number of specific methodologies, such as game theory, content analysis, simulation, and quantitative/ statistical techniques.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 374 International Organization
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Examines assumptions about the causes, functions, results, and structures of international (intergovernmental) organizations. Theory is combined with case study of the United Nations particularly. The European Community and regional organization examples provide a basis for understanding an evolving phenomenon.
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 375 War and International Conflict
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- The nature of war. Theories and evidence on the causes of war. Discussion of the ways in which war has been conceived and perceived across time and of methods employed to study the phenomenon of war.
- 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 395 Quantitative Political Analysis
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Introduction to methods and statistics used in political inquiry, including measures of central tendency and dispersion, probability, sampling, statistical inference and hypothesis testing, measures of association, analysis of variance, and regression.
- Repeatability
- Credit given for only one of ANTH-A 306, CJUS-K 300, ECON-E 370, ECON-S 370, MATH-K 300, MATH-K 310, POLS-Y 395, PSY-K 300, PSY-K 310, SOC-S 371, SPEA-K 300, SPH-Q 381, STAT-K 310, STAT-S 300, STAT-S 301, or STAT-S 303.
- Spring 2025CASE NMcourseFall 2024CASE NMcourse
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-Y 407 Problems in Comparative Politics
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Exploration of issues and themes in the field of comparative politics. Includes advanced methodological, empirical, and theoretical approaches. Topics vary.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
POLS-Y 348 The Politics of Genocide
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Comparative study of major twentieth-century genocides. Examines the political conditions, ideologies, and movements leading up to mass murder, and the ethnic and global context of genocide. Focuses on the question of responsibility and accountability from the viewpoints of perpetrators, victims, and bystanders in the national and international communities.
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
- Spring 2025CASE SHcourseFall 2024CASE SHcourse
- Political Theory. One (1) course:
- POLS-Y 379 Ethics and Public Policy
- POLS-Y 381 Classical Political Thought
- POLS-Y 382 Modern Political Thought
- POLS-Y 383 Foundations of American Political Thought
- POLS-Y 384 Developments in American Political Thought
- POLS-Y 386
- POLS-Y 388 Marxist Theory
- POLS-Y 406 Problems in Political Philosophy
POLS-Y 379 Ethics and Public Policy
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- This course examines the ethical responsibilities of public officials in democratic societies. It explores such topics as the meaning of moral leadership, the appeal to personal conscious in public decision making, and the problem of "dirty hands" among others. A special concern is how institutional arrangements affect moral choices.
- Spring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
POLS-Y 381 Classical Political Thought
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- An exposition and critical analysis of the major political philosophers and philosophical schools from Plato to Machiavelli.
- Spring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
- Spring 2025CASE GCCcourseFall 2024CASE GCCcourse
POLS-Y 382 Modern Political Thought
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- An exposition and critical analysis of the major political philosophers and philosophical schools from Machiavelli to the present.
- Spring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
POLS-Y 383 Foundations of American Political Thought
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores the evolution of American political ideas from colonization through ratification of the Constitution and its implementation.
- Spring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
POLS-Y 384 Developments in American Political Thought
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Explores the evolution of American political ideas under the Constitution of the United States, and its promises and problems.
- Spring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
POLS-Y 388 Marxist Theory
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Origin, content, and development of Marxist system of thought, with particular reference to philosophical and political aspects of Russian Marxism.
- Spring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
POLS-Y 406 Problems in Political Philosophy
- Credits
- 3
- Prerequisites
- None
- Description
- Centers on conflicting interpretations of justice, liberty, and equality, as well as certain problems of democracy, including the tension between majority rules and minority rights, and the correlation of rights and duties. Topics vary.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated with a different topic for a maximum of 6 credit hours.
- Spring 2025CASE AHcourseFall 2024CASE AHcourse
- Senior Seminar. One (1) course:
- POLS-Y 490 Senior Seminar in Political Science
- POLS-Y 499 Honors Thesis
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.
- Electives.
- Focus Area Electives. Six (6) credit hours:
- Additional courses from the American Politics and Public Policy list
- Additional courses from the Comparative Politics and International Relations list
- Additional courses from the Political Theory list
- 200–499 Electives. Three (3) additional credit hours:
- Any POLS-P 200–299
- Any POLS-P 300–399
- Any POLS-P 400–499
- Any POLS-X 200–299
- Any POLS-X 300–399
- Any POLS-X 400–499
- Any POLS-Y 200–299 except POLS-Y 205
- Any POLS-Y 300–399
- Any POLS-Y 400–499
- Free Elective. Six (6) additional credit hours:
- Any POLS-P 100–499
- Any POLS-X 100–499
- Any POLS-Y 100–499 except POLS-Y 205
- Focus Area Electives. Six (6) credit hours:
- Major GPA, Hours, and Minimum Grade Requirements.
- Major GPA. A GPA of at least 2.000 for all courses taken in the major—including those where a grade lower than C- is earned—is required.
- Major 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 major.
- Major Upper Division Credit Hours. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed at the 300–499 level.
- Major Residency. At least 18 credit hours in the major must be completed in courses taken through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- College Breadth. At least 58 credit hours must be completed in courses from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines outside of the major area.
Major 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
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
Restrictions
The following restrictions apply to the minimum credit hours required in the major:
- No more than three credit hours may count toward the major:
- POLS-Y 351 Political Simulations
POLS-Y 351 Political Simulations
- Credits
- 1–3 credit hours
- Prerequisites
- None
- Notes
- May be taken alone or in conjunction with related political science courses
- Description
- A course tied to simulations of international organizations such as the European Union, the United Nations, or the Organization of American States.
- Repeatability
- May be repeated for a maximum of 3 credit hours.
This program of study cannot be combined with the following:
- Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science (ECONPOLSBA)
- Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Political Science (PHILPOLSBA)
- 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)
- Interdepartmental Minor in Political Science and Economics (POLSECNMIN)
- Minor in Political Science (POLSMIN)
Exceptions to and substitutions for major 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.
The Bachelor of Arts degree requires at least 120 credit hours, to include the following:
- College of Arts and Sciences Credit Hours. At least 100 credit hours must come from College of Arts and Sciences disciplines.
- Upper Division Courses. At least 42 credit hours (of the 120) must be at the 300–499 level.
- College Residency. Following completion of the 60th credit hour toward degree, at least 36 credit hours of College of Arts and Sciences coursework must be completed through the Indiana University Bloomington campus or an IU-administered or IU co-sponsored Overseas Study program.
- College GPA. A College grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.000 is required.
- CASE Requirements. The following College of Arts and Sciences Education (CASE) requirements must be completed:
- CASE Foundations
- CASE Breadth of Inquiry
- CASE Culture Studies
- CASE Critical Approaches: 1 course
- CASE Foreign Language: Proficiency in a single foreign language through the second semester of the second year of college-level coursework
- CASE Intensive Writing: 1 course
- CASE Public Oral Communication: 1 course
- CASE Sustainability Literacy: 1 course
- Major. Completion of the major as outlined in the Major Requirements section above.
Most students must also successfully complete the Indiana University Bloomington General Education program.