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 (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.

Requirements

Summary

Course List
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

Course List
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
POLIT 100	Government & Politics in the United States
POLIT 150	World Politics & Government
Diversity
Domestic Diversity
Global Diversity
POLIT 300	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

Course List
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
SLPA 222	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

Course List
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

Course List
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

Course List
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

Plan of Study Grid
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.