Political Science, Bachelor of Arts
The major in Political Science introduces students to the principal fields of inquiry in political science. This major provides a program of study for students considering careers in a variety of fields, including public service, law, community affairs, international relations and politics. In the major’s advanced course offerings, students may select courses from any of the four subfields presented: Law, Courts and Politics which explores the intersection of the legal system and the broader political system; Justice and Politics, which examines the political philosophy and various societal values that underlie contemporary views of justice; American and Urban Politics and Policy, which emphasizes the role of political institutions in shaping solutions to contemporary urban problems; and Comparative/International Politics and Human Rights, which explores the global dimensions of politics and governance.
Learning outcomes. Students will:
- Initiate, develop, and present independent research.
- Write effectively, engage in intellectually grounded debate, and form and express cogent arguments.
- Develop skills in critical thinking in order to become knowledgeable citizens capable of reasoned judgments on contemporary political issues.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major subfields of political science.
Credits Required.
| Political Science Major |
39-45 |
| General Education |
42 |
| Electives |
33-39 |
| Total Credits Required for B.A. Degree |
120 |
Co-Coordinators. Professors Jennifer Rutledge (Assessment Coordinator, 646-557-4710, jrutledge@jjay.cuny.edu); Janice Bockmeyer (Advising Coordinator, 212.237.8196, jbockmeyer@jjay.cuny.edu); Michael Yarbrough (Advising Coordinator, 646-557-4615, myarbrough@jjay.cuny.edu), and Katie Zuber (Advising Coordinator, kzuber@jjay.cuny.edu), Department of Political Science
Advisor. Ms. Catherine Kleint, Academic Advisement Center (ckleint@jjay.cuny.edu)
Advising resources. Political Science Major Advising Resources including a Sample Four-year Plan of Study. Political Science Major Checklist
Prerequisite. POL 101 which can fulfill the College’s general education requirement in the Flexible Core: U.S. Experience in its Diversity area, is a prerequisite for several courses in the major.
Experiential learning opportunities. Students in the Political Science major have various opportunities for experiential learning. Students can participate in four credit-bearing internship programs during their junior and senior years. The New York City Internship program places students in the local offices of city, state and federal elected representatives. Students can apply to intern in the N.Y. State Legislature in Albany for a semester or in Washington, D.C. during the summer term. The Judicial Internship places students with judges in New York state courts. In addition, students can engage in undergraduate research opportunities, either working individually with a faculty member as a research assistant or on their own project or working collaboratively with a group of three or more students with a faculty member. Finally, students in the major can participate in John Jay's nationally recognized and award-winning Model United Nations program.
Additional information. Students who enrolled for the first time at the College or changed to this major in September 2020 or thereafter must complete the major in the form presented here. Students who enrolled prior to that date may choose either the form shown here or the earlier version of the major. A copy of the earlier version may be obtained in the 2019-20 Undergraduate Bulletin.
Part One. Foundation Courses
All students will take six courses: POL 101 and five additional courses, one per category listed below.
Required
| POL 101 | American Government & Politics | 3 |
| Total Credit Hours: | 3 |
Category A. Law, Courts and Politics
| POL 235 | Judicial Processes and Politics | 3 |
Category B. Political Theory
Select one
Category C. Urban Politics and Public Policy
Select one
| POL 206 | Introduction to Urban Politics | 3 |
| POL 234 | Introduction to Public Policy | 3 |
Category D. International/Comparative
Select one
Category E. American Politics
Select one
| POL 214 | Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Social Movements | 3 |
| POL 215 | U.S. Congress | 3 |
| POL 220 | The American Presidency | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 18
Part Two. Research Methods
Required
| POL 225 | Introduction to Research in Politics | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 3
Part Three. Supervised Research Experience in Political Science
Optional
| POL 385 | Supervised Research Experience in Political Science | 3 |
| POL 387 | Faculty Mentored Research Experience in Political Science | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 0-6
Part Four. Political Science Electives
Students must take fifteen credits from the course offerings listed below. Courses taken as foundations requirements (Part One) do not count towards this part of the major. Students have three options for completing this part of the major.
1. Take five 3-credit courses, three of which must be at the 300-level or higher
2. Take a 3-credit internship course (LWS 375) and four 3-credit courses, two of which must be at the 300-level or higher
3. Take a 6-credit internship course (LWS 378, POL 406, POL 407, or POL 408) and three 3-credit courses, one of which must be at the 300-level or higher
Note: POL 407 is a 15-credit internship course, but only 6 credits can be applied towards Part Four of the major. The other 9 credits will count as general electives towards your degree.
Students can take any of the courses listed below to complete Part Four of the major. The courses are presented in subfield groups. Students who wish to specialize in a particular subfield or area are encouraged to take more courses from that area.
Law, Courts and Politics
| POL 280 | Selected Topics in Political Science | 3 |
| POL 301 | Constitutional Powers | 3 |
| POL 305 | Constitutional Rights and Liberties | 3 |
| POL 308 | State Constitutional Law and Politics | 3 |
| POL 313/LAW 313 | The Law and Politics of Race Relations | 3 |
| POL 316 | The Politics of Rights | 3 |
| POL 318 | The Law and Politics of LGBTQ Rights | 3 |
| POL 319 | Gender and Law | 3 |
| POL 344 | The Law and Politics of Immigration | 3 |
| POL 420 | Senior Seminar in Law, Courts and Politics | 3 |
Justice and Politics
American and Urban Politics and Policy
| POL 203 | Introduction to State Government, Politics and Policy | 3 |
| POL 206 | Introduction to Urban Politics | 3 |
| POL 210 | Comparative Urban Political Systems | 3 |
| POL 214 | Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Social Movements | 3 |
| POL 215 | U.S. Congress | 3 |
| POL 220 | The American Presidency | 3 |
| POL 232 | Media and Politics | 3 |
| POL 234 | Introduction to Public Policy | 3 |
| POL 237 | Gender and Politics | 3 |
| POL 280 | Selected Topics in Political Science | 3 |
| POL 302 | Voting and Public Opinion | 3 |
| POL 344 | The Law and Politics of Immigration | 3 |
| POL 440 | Senior Seminar in American and Urban Politics and Policy | 3 |
Comparative/International Politics and Human Rights
| LLS 220 | Human Rights and Law in Latin America | 3 |
| POL 210 | Comparative Urban Political Systems | 3 |
| POL 242/HIS 242/LLS 242 | U.S. Foreign Policy in Latin America | 3 |
| POL 246 | Politics of Global Inequality | 3 |
| POL 250 | International Law and Justice | 3 |
| POL 257 | Comparative Politics | 3 |
| POL 259/LAW 259 | Comparative Criminal Justice Systems | 3 |
| POL 260 | International Relations | 3 |
| POL 280 | Selected Topics in Political Science | 3 |
| POL 320 | International Human Rights | 3 |
| POL 322 | International Organizations | 3 |
| POL 325 | Transnational Crime | 3 |
| POL 328 | International Security | 3 |
| POL 331 | Government and Politics in the Middle East and North Africa | 3 |
| POL 362 | Terrorism and Politics | 3 |
| POL 450 | Senior Seminar in International Relations and Comparative Politics | 3 |
Internship Courses
| POL 406 | Seminar and Internship in New York City Government and Politics | 6 |
| POL 407 | New York State Assembly/Senate Session Internship Program | 15 |
| POL 408 | CUNY Washington, D.C. Summer Internship Program | 6 |
| LWS 375 | Law and Society Internship | 3 |
| LWS 378 | Law and Society Internship Intensive | 6 |
Total Credit Hours: 15
Part Five. Senior Requirement
| POL 409 | Colloquium for Research in Government and Politics | 3 |
Total Credit Hours: 3
Total Credit Hours: 39-45