Department of Political Science and Public Administration

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Political Science is the systematic study of politics. In its broadest sense, politics includes the decision‑making and decision‑enforcing processes concerned with the use of valued resources for any group that makes and enforces rules for its members. In this department the emphasis is upon the parts of these processes involving the government.

The Department of Political Science and Public Administration seeks to follow the aims of the liberal arts tradition. It also seeks to provide political science and public administration students with an educational background that will prepare them for a wide range of career opportunities from the fields of Law, Government Foreign Service, Public Administration, Journalism, “Practical Politics,” and Teaching. The Department does this by offering a B.A. with four concentration options: General Political Science, Pre-Law, Public Policy and Administration, and International Studies. Students with a GPA of a 3.4 or higher are eligible to apply for the Political Science B.A. and Master of Public Administration five-year combined program.  This program allows students to earn both degrees in five years by taking graduate courses during their senior year of the undergraduate work.

The Department also offers the Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.) degree with concentrations in General Public Administration, Criminal Justice, Emergency Management, and Health Administration. For complete information about programs and courses, see the Graduate School section of the catalog.

Programs

• Political Science, Academic Concentration

• Political Science, B.A., and Public Administration, M.P.A., Five-Year Combined Track
• Political Science, General Option, B.A.
• Political Science, International Studies Option, B.A.
• Political Science, Pre-Law Option, B.A.
• Political Science, Public Policy and Administration Option, B.A.

• General Political Science, Minor
• International Studies Minor
• Legal Studies, Minor
• Public Administration, Minor

Courses

• PAD 2010. American State and Local Government, Administration and Policy (3 credits)
• PAD 3100. Introduction to Public Administration (3 credits)
• PAD 3190. Public Policy and Analysis (3 credits)
• PAD 3440. Introduction to Budgeting and Financial Management (3 credits)
• PAD 3600. Introductory Internship in Public Administration (3 credits)
• PAD 3610. Advanced Internship in Public Administration (3 credits)
• PAD 3640. Practicum in Public Administration (6 credits)
• PAD 3980. Directed Research in Public Administration I (1-3 credits)
• PAD 3990. Directed Research in Public Administration II (1-3 credits)
• PAD 4010. Introduction to Non-Profit Management (3 credits)
• PAD 4500. Policy Studies (3 credits)
• PAD 4530. Advanced Public Administration (3 credits)
• PAD 4530/5510. Advanced Public Administration (3 credits)
• PAD 4770. Topics in Public Policy (3 credits)

• PLS 1000. Introduction to Political Science (3 credits)
• PLS 1010. Introduction to American National Government (3 credits)
• PLS 2000. Introduction to Comparative Politics (3 credits)
• PLS 2010. American State & Local Government, Administration & Policy (3 credits)
• PLS 2060. Model United Nations (3 credits)
• PLS 2070. Model Arab League (3 credits)
• PLS 2150. North Carolina Politics and Government (3 credits)
• PLS 2170. Judicial Process and Behavior (3 credits)
• PLS 2220. Introduction to Asian Studies (3 credits)
• PLS 2330. Introduction to Theory and Methodology (4 credits)
• PLS 2510. Introduction to World Politics (3 credits)
• PLS 3010. Political Parties and Interest Groups in the United States (3 credits)
• PLS 3025. Fundamentalisms (3 credits)
• PLS 3030. Political Thought (3 credits)
• PLS 3040. Legislative Process in the United States (3 credits)
• PLS 3050. Public Opinion and Elections in the American Political System (3 credits)
• PLS 3060. The American Presidency (3 credits)
• PLS 3100. Constitutional Law (3 credits)
• PLS 3110. Constitutional Law of Individual and Equal Rights (3 credits)
• PLS 3120. Law of Criminal Procedure (3 credits)
• PLS 3220. International Political Economy (3 credits)
• PLS 3312. Political Geography (3 credits)
• PLS 3520. Writing in Political Science (3 credits)
• PLS 3600. Introductory Internship in Political Science (3 credits)
• PLS 3610. Advanced Internship in Political Science (3 credits)
• PLS 3620. International Issues (3 credits)
• PLS 3750. Politics in the Developing World (3 credits)
• PLS 3800. International Organizations (3 credits)
• PLS 3810. International Law (3 credits)
• PLS 3980. Directed Research in Political Science I (1-3 credits)
• PLS 3990. Directed Research in Political Science II (1-3 credits)
• PLS 4020. Selected Topics in American Government (3 credits)
• PLS 4050. Washington Internship (6-12 credits)
• PLS 4100. Theories of International Relations (3 credits)
• PLS 4170. International Security Policy (3 credits)
• PLS 4180. Special Topics in Theory, Philosophy, and Methodology (3 credits)
• PLS 4190. Topics in Terrorism (3 credits)
• PLS 4200. Special Topics in Comparative Politics (3 credits)
• PLS 4225. Environmental Politics and Policy (3 credits)
• PLS 4300. Special Topics in International Politics (3 credits)
• PLS 4320. Indigenous Social Movements in Latin America (3 credits)
• PLS 4400. Comparative Public Administration (3 credits)
• PLS 4510. American Foreign Policy (3 credits)
• PLS 4990. Independent Study in Political Science (1-3 credits)

• PLSS 3000. Regional Area Studies (3 credits)
• PLSS 3100. Regional Area Studies (3 credits)

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