Political Science, Intelligence and National Security Studies, BA
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Intelligence and National Security Studies (370018BA)
More on the Political Science, Intelligence and National Security Studies major
This Political Science degree track will prepare students for the study and practice of intelligence and national security. Thus, the degree track will help educate students for a career in the Intelligence Community, the military, private intelligence (both international and domestic), international diplomacy, national security contractors, law enforcement, business, as well as other career options.
Requirements for 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
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 (DPR) 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.
Requirements
Summary
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
General Education Requirements | 36 | |
College of Arts & Sciences Requirements | 14 | |
Required Courses | 15 | |
Track Core Electives | 6 | |
Core Electives | 11 | |
Additional Credits for Graduation * | 38 | |
Total Hours | 120 |
- *
Bachelor's degrees require a minimum of 120 credit hours for graduation.
Note: A 2.2 cumulative GPA is required for graduation.
Recommended General Education Courses
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree must complete the following General Education coursework. Diversity courses may also fulfill major or Breadth of Knowledge requirements. Integrated and Applied Learning courses may also fulfill requirements in the major. | ||
Students are not required to enroll in the specific courses listed below. However, to facilitate successful degree completion, the academic department strongly encourages completion of the following recommendations. | ||
Academic Foundations | 12 | |
Mathematics, Statistics and Logic: 3 credit hours | ||
Speaking: 3 credit hours | ||
Writing: 6 credit hours | ||
Breadth of Knowledge | 22 | |
Arts/Humanities: 9 credit hours | ||
Natural Sciences: 7 credit hours | ||
Social Sciences: 6 credit hours | ||
Government & Politics in the United States | ||
World Politics & Government | ||
Diversity | ||
Domestic Diversity | ||
Global Diversity | ||
Comparative Politics | ||
Integrated and Applied Learning | 2 | |
Select one class from one of the following subcategories: | ||
Complex Issues Facing Society | ||
Capstone | ||
Review the General Education Requirements page for detailed course listings. | ||
Total Hours | 36 |
College of Arts & Sciences Requirements
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Degree requirements in Arts & Sciences include the demonstration of ability to use another language by completion of the second year of a foreign language. | ||
2 Year Language Proficiency | 14 | |
101 Beginning I | ||
102 Beginning II | ||
201 Intermediate I | ||
202 Intermediate II | ||
Survey of Deaf Culture in America (American Sign Language option only) | ||
Students must also complete a minimum of 40 credits (excluding workshops) consisting of either: | ||
Upper-level (300/400) courses both in and outside of the student’s major; | ||
or other courses outside the major department approved by the student’s major department chair (permission should be obtained prior to enrollment); these may not include workshops |
Required Courses
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
POLIT:100 | Government & Politics in the United States | 3 |
POLIT:150 | World Politics & Government | 3 |
POLIT:300 | Comparative Politics | 3 |
POLIT:301 | Introduction to Political Research | 3 |
POLIT:203 | Introduction to Political Thought | 3 |
Total Hours | 15 |
Track Core Electives
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete six credits: | 6 | |
POLIT:310 | International Politics & Institutions | |
POLIT:328 | American Foreign Policy Process | |
POLIT:419 | Homeland Security Policy and Process | |
POLIT:446 | National Security Intelligence | |
POLIT:448 | Intelligence Analysis |
Track Electives
Code | Title | Hours |
---|---|---|
Complete at least eleven credits: | 11 | |
POLIT:326 | Politics of Developing Nations | |
POLIT:337 | Terrorism: Perpetrators, Politics and Response | |
POLIT:339 | Terrorism and the Constitution | |
POLIT:395 | Internship in Government & Politics | |
POLIT:400 | Political Extremism & Violence | |
POLIT:405 | Politics in the Middle East | |
POLIT:410 | International Security Policy | |
POLIT:413 | Global Public Health Threats | |
POLIT:414 | Wealth and Power Among Nations | |
POLIT:417 | Environmental Security and Climate Politics | |
POLIT:418 | Weapons of Mass Destruction | |
POLIT:445 | Al Qaeda and ISIS | |
POLIT:447 | Counterterrorism | |
POLIT:461 | The Supreme Court & Constitutional Law | |
POLIT:463 | Human Rights in World Politics | |
POLIT:492 | Selected Topics in Political Science | |
SURV:105 | Introduction to Geographic & Land Information Systems | |
SURV:201 | Intermediate Geographic and Land Information Systems | |
COMM:210 | Multiplatform Production | |
COMM:219 | Introduction to Public Relations | |
Total Hours | 11 |
Recommended Sequence
1st Year | ||
---|---|---|
Fall Semester | Hours | |
POLIT:100 | Government & Politics in the United States | 3 |
Speaking Requirement | 3 | |
Writing Requirement | 3 | |
Mathematics, Statistics and Logic Requirement 1 | 3 | |
Foreign Language Requirement | 4 | |
Hours | 16 | |
Spring Semester | ||
POLIT:150 | World Politics & Government | 3 |
POLIT:203 | Introduction to Political Thought | 3 |
POLIT:301 | Introduction to Political Research | 3 |
Writing Requirement | 3 | |
Foreign Language Requirement | 4 | |
Hours | 16 | |
2nd Year | ||
Fall Semester | ||
POLIT:300 | Comparative Politics | 3 |
Track Core Elective | 3 | |
Humanities Requirement | 3 | |
Natural Science with Lab Requirement | 3 | |
Foreign Language Requirement 2 | 3 | |
Hours | 15 | |
Spring Semester | ||
Foreign Language Requirement 2 | 3 | |
Domestic Diversity Requirement | 3 | |
Arts Requirement | 3 | |
General Elective | 3 | |
Track Core Elective | 3 | |
Hours | 15 | |
3rd Year | ||
Fall Semester | ||
Track Elective | 3 | |
Track Core Elective | 3 | |
Complex Issues Requirement | 3 | |
Natural Science Requirement | 3 | |
General Elective | 3 | |
Hours | 15 | |
Spring Semester | ||
Arts/Humanities Requirement | 3 | |
Track Elective | 3 | |
Upper Level Elective | 3 | |
Upper Level Elective | 3 | |
General Elective | 3 | |
Hours | 15 | |
4th Year | ||
Fall Semester | ||
Upper Level Elective | 3 | |
Upper Level Elective | 3 | |
Track Elective | 3 | |
General Elective | 3 | |
General Elective | 3 | |
Hours | 15 | |
Spring Semester | ||
Upper Level Elective | 3 | |
Track Elective | 3 | |
General Elective | 3 | |
General Elective | 4 | |
Hours | 13 | |
Total Hours | 120 |
- 1
STAT:250 Statistics for Everyday Life (or a higher level course in Math or Statistics that satisfies the General Education requirements for this category) is strongly recommended for fulfilling this requirement.
- 2
Foreign Language courses must be at the intermediate level or higher to fulfill that General Education requirement.