Political Science, BA

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (370000BA) 

More on the Political Science major

Successful graduates of this program go on to graduate or law school, manage campaigns, run for office, work in state and local government or for various federal government agencies, including the U.S. Marshall’s Office, U.S. State Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Environmental Protection Agency, and Amnesty International.

Statement of Policies – Admission

For students enrolled at The University of Akron and for students wishing to transfer directly to Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences from other institutions, the following criteria must be satisfied for admission to the Department of Political Science:

• The student must be admissible to Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
• A minimum grade point average of 2.20 must be met in all university work, including transfer credits
• A minimum grade point average of 2.20 must be met in all work in Political Science, including university and transfer credits. Only credits earned at an accredited institution of post-secondary education, as recognized by The University of Akron, will be considered for transfer credit, and only those grades will be considered in the grade point average. 

Retention

Students in the Political Science programs must maintain a minimum grade point average of 2.20 overall and a minimum of 2.20 grade point average in Political Science courses (including transfer credit) in order to remain in the program. A student who fails to maintain the 2.20 cumulative average (including transfer credit) will be placed on academic probation. Failure to raise the average after one semester will result in dismissal from the program. The student may not apply for readmission for at least one semester.

The following information has official approval of The Department of Political Science and The Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences, but is intended only as a supplemental guide. Official degree requirements are established at the time of transfer and admission to the degree-granting college. Students should refer to the Degree Progress Report (Stellic) which is definitive for graduation requirements. Completion of this degree within the identified time frame below is contingent upon many factors, including but not limited to: class availability, total number of required credits, work schedule, finances, family, course drops/withdrawals, successfully passing courses, prerequisites, among others. The transfer process is completed through an appointment with your academic advisor.

Three year accelerated option: for first time students who have earned credits for at least the first year of courses. Credits can be earned through qualifying scores on appropriate Advanced Placement (AP) exams or through College Credit Plus Program (CCP) courses. Credits for qualifying AP scores or CCP courses are determined by the appropriate academic department. Departments may assign varied course credit, depending on the student’s score on an AP exam or grade in a CCP course. Students may also receive credit by examination or via placement tests, where appropriate.

Requirements

Summary

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Bachelor's degrees require a minimum of 120 credit hours for graduation.

Note: A 2.2 cumulative GPA is required for graduation. 

College of Arts & Sciences Requirements

Political Science Core

Political Science 300/400 Level Courses 

¹

Nine credits must be at the 400 level or above. 

²

No more than 3 credits of a Selected Topics course (POLIT 392 Selected Topics in Political Science) may be applied toward completion of the major requirements.

³

No more than 4 credits from an internship (POLIT 395 Internship in Government & Politics) may be applied toward completion of the major requirements.