Bachelor of Arts
Political Science
The Political Science program engages students in hands-on, project-based learning to prepare them for careers in many fields including government, security, law, education, non-profit organizations, and business. Political Science majors and minors work on real-word problems including: learning how to prepare legal briefs and argue the law in moot court; conducting survey research for campaigns and elections; preparing human rights and economic development reports for international organizations; and assessing global and national security threats. Our students learn how to conduct research and investigate local, national, and world topics that interest them. All majors complete an internship in news media and political communications with the Marlin Fitzwater Center for Communications. Seniors in their senior seminar complete research around academic and career interests they have developed during their time at the University. With our relatively few requirements, Political Science majors commonly pick up additional majors and minors in History, Criminal Justice, English, Intelligence/Security Studies, and Business. Political Science students are leaders on campus and commonly serve in student government, campus clubs, and participate actively in Division II and intramural athletics.
Majors, Minors and Certificates
Courses
PO110: Political Violence
Credits 3Political violence occurs in a variety of forms, ranging from organized masses engaged in state-sponsored conflict (i.e., war) to a lone assassin’s bullet striking down a national leader. This course examines both of these forms and more. Attention is also given to the following question: Is there any moral justification for the use of violence in pursuit of a political goal? Addresses GLE Learning Outcomes Humanities, Critical Thinking and Written Communication.
PO111: Politics In Popular Culture
Credits 3An investigation into the interactions between politics and popular culture in American society. Particular attention will be given to the role of the mass media and the popular arts in the political system. The objective is to draw important political lessons from questions about these relationships between culture and politics. Addresses GLE Learning Outcomes Humanities (HM), Ethical Reasoning (ER) and Intercultural Knowledge (IK).
PO200: Research Methods/Political Science
Credits 3Deals with the application of quantitative and qualitative research methods to the study of political science. Students will learn how to formulate, operationalize, test, and evaluate empirical hypotheses regarding everyday political phenomena.
PO201: U.S. Government
Credits 3Examines the institutions, participants, and processes that characterize political activity in the United States. Focus is not only on the contemporary nature of American government but also on the original design of the Framers and how it has been implemented over time. Addresses GLE Learning Outcomes: Civic Knowledge and Engagement, Inquiry & Analysis, Information Literacy and Social Science
PO202: State and Local Government
Credits 3Examines the actors, institutions, policies, and politics of American state and local governments and how they interact with each other and the federal government. Issues such as comparative taxation, political participation, the legal system, and government services such as education, environmental regulations, and health will be investigated. Addresses GLE Learning Outcomes Social Science (SS), Civic Knowledge & Engagement (CE), Inquiry & Analysis (IA), and Information Literacy (IL)
PO205: International Relations
Credits 3Examines the actors, institutions, and processes that have shaped the political, military, economic, and social life of the planet in the post-World War II era. Particular attention is given to the role of the nation-state and the challenges to it posed by a variety of non-state actors. Major world issues such as overpopulation and ethnic conflict are explored in order to demonstrate that the complexities surrounding these phenomena make their solution problematic within the current global framework. Addresses GLE Learning Outcomes: Social Science (SS), Critical Thinking (CT) and Critical Reading (CR).
PO206: Comparative Politics
Credits 3A survey of major governmental systems in various geographic regions of the world, with emphasis on ideology, structure, and political behavior as they characterize these forms of government. Addresses GLE Learning Outcomes; Social Science (SS), Critical Thinking (CT) and Inquiry and Analysis (IA)
PO321: Constitutional Law and Moot Court
Credits 3Inquiry and analysis into the development of constitutional principles, judicial law, and jurisprudence around controversies arising from the separation of powers, federalism, civil liberties, civil rights and criminal procedure. Close attention is given to the court as a political institution that influences public policy. The course concludes with students preparing for and participating in a moot court, where they will be lawyers trying or justices hearing a Supreme Court case. Prerequisite: any PO class or Second Semester Freshman Status. Fall semester.
PO322: Campaign, Election & Policy Process
Credits 3Inquiry and analysis into the operation of federal campaigns and elections; into the forces driving public and foreign policymaking; into the interactions between the electoral and policymaking processes; and into public opinion as cause and effect in both processes. All students participate in a practicum on election campaign strategy or on public/foreign policy decision making. In presidential election years, the practicum focuses on the New Hampshire Primary. Prerequisite: any PO class or Second Semester Freshman Status. Fall semester.
PO330: Global Security and Diplomacy
Credits 3Inquiry and geopolitical analysis into security threats arising from state and non-state actors pursuing their interests; into foreign policy approaches to address such threats; and into forms of hard and soft power exercised by actors in the international system. Hard power dimensions covered: military force, weapons of mass destruction, terrorist activity, cyberattacks, intelligence capabilities, economic sanctions. Soft power dimensions covered: diplomacy, international law, ideology and religion. The course concludes with students preparing diplomatic dossiers on a security or conflict issue and assuming the role of diplomats in a mock meeting of an intergovernmental organization (e.g., the UN, NATO, etc.). Prerequisite: any PO class or Second Semester Freshman Status. Spring semester.
PO331: Prosperity and Freedom in the World
Credits 3Inquiry and comparative analysis into forces driving nations to be ruled by democratic or authoritarian rule and into factors determining the degree to which nations are wealthy or impoverished. The social impacts of regime type, ethnic/sectarian divisions, and economic conditions are examined as well. The course concludes with students acting as policy advisors (to a government or intergovernmental organization) on the subject of a human rights concern or economic development problem facing a particular nation or geographic region. Prerequisite: any PO class or Second Semester Freshman Status. Spring semester.
PO332: Disinformation and Propaganda
Credits 3Examines the factors that make people vulnerable to disinformation, propaganda, and conspiracy theories. Issues such as the role of technology, social media, and political polarization, will be evaluated. Both contemporary and historic examples of the use of disinformation, propaganda, and conspiracy theories will be investigated, including the use of these tactics by governments, media, and non-state actors. Prerequisite: any PO class or Second Semester Freshman Status.
PO410: Sr Research Sem in Political Sci
Credits 3Required of all Political Science majors. The seminar will be oriented around a broad topic chosen by the professor and fitted to the research needs of students in Political Science subdisciplines. Prerequisite: limited to senior Political Science majors.
PO491: Field-Based Exp - Political Science
Credits 1 9Field-Based Experience in Political Science (1-9 credits). An internship designed to facilitate applied learning of political science. Goals and objectives are contracted prior to registration and designed to complement or directly relate to political science course work and student interests. The 1 credit required field-based experience course for the major consists of a minimum of 40 hours in a semester which includes on-the-job work and documentation procedures. This internship can be done in conjunction with the Fitzwater Center participating in Tuesday Briefings, Politics FitzU, or election polling and coverage, or an outside entity with approval of Political Science faculty. Prerequisite: recommendation of Political Science Faculty. May be repeated for elective credit.
PO499: Independent Study In Political Sci
Credits 1 3Independent Study in Political Science (1-6 credits). Offers an opportunity to explore an area of study not included in the catalog listing of approved courses. The topic of an Independent Study should be selected and carefully designed by the student and faculty sponsor, and must meet with the approval of the Dean or Dean's designee. Normally, the student will be expected to have a cumulative grade point average of 3.00 and possess the appropriate background and interest to pursue the proposed area of study. A “Proposal for Independent Study” form may be obtained from the Registrar’s website. Independent Study courses are assigned numbers of 299, 399 or 499, depending on the level of the course.