Undergraduate Minors

Minor in Political Communication

The Political Communication minor is offered through the Department of Communication Studies. Visit their website for more information. 

A minor in Political Communication consists of 24 appropriate credits (12 credits from the Department of Communication Studies and 12 credits from the Department of Political Science). View the Political Communication Interdisciplinary Minor brochure.

The 12 hours from the Department of Political Science should be taken from the following course groups:

3 hours from:

• PS 3311 -- American Political Thought
• PS 3313 -- Contemporary Political Theory 
• PS 4311 -- Ancient and Medieval Political Thought 
• PS 4312 -- Modern Political Theory (1600 - 1900) 

3 hours from:

• PS 3321 -- Campaigns and Elections
• PS 3322 -- Parties and Party Politics
• PS 3325 -- State and Local Government
• PS 3327 -- The American Founding
• PS 3328 -- Politics in Film
• PS 3332 -- Constitutional Law: Basic Structures and Principles
• PS 3333 -- Constitutional Law: Individual Liberties
• PA 3350 -- Public Policy Process
• PS 4321 -- American Foreign Policy
• PS 4323 -- Latina/o Politics
• PS 4327 -- Religion and American Public Life
• PS 4334 -- Legal Theories and Research

3 hours from:

• PS 3323 -- Congress and the Legislative Process
• PS 3324 -- The American Presidency
• PS 3331 -- The Supreme Court and the Judicial Process

3 hours from:

• PS 3342 -- African Politics
• PS 3343 -- Government and Politics of Latin America
• PS 3344 -- Government and Politics of Western Europe
• PS 3345 -- Government and Politics of Russia
• PS 3346 -- Government and Politics of Asia
• PS 3348 -- Revolution and Nationalism
• PS 3352 -- Theories of International Politics
• PS 3353 -- Issues in World Politics
• PS 3354 -- United States-Latin American Relations
• PS 4331 -- Islamic Law and Politics
• PS 4343 - Politics of Democratization in Developing Countries
• PS 4346 - Organization of American States
• PS 4353 -- International Organizations
• PS 4354 -- Politics of International Economic Relations
• POSI 4315-- The Arab-Israeli Conflict
• POSI 4349a- Spanish Democracy in Comparative Context
• POSI 4349c- Liberty and Property: A Comparison of Australia and the United States
• POSI 4349e- Politics of Mexico

All students minoring in Political Communication are required to take COMM 4345- Political Communication. The remaining nine hours must be selected from the list below:

• COMM 2338-- Public Speaking
• COMM 3302-- Rhetorical Research Methods
• COMM 3345-- Argument and Debate
• COMM 4307-- Media Criticism
• COMM 4321--American Speeches
• COMM 4322-- Rhetoric of Protest Movements
• COMM 4324-- Organizational Rhetoric
• COMM 4331-- Persuasion
• COMM 4338-- Advanced Public Speaking

If a student elects to major in either communication studies or political science, no COMM or POSI course may count both for a major and a minor in political communication.

Minor in Political Science

Political Science minors must take a total of 24 hours, including POSI 2310 and 2320, and either 3300 or 3301. Political science minors need at least one class from four out of the five groups listed, plus one additional advanced course. Advanced level courses are 3000 or 4000 level courses, including options in an Internship (POSI 4380) or an Independent Study (POSI 4379).

I.Political Theory and Methodology

• PS 3311, PS 3313, PS 3314, PS 3315, PS 4311, PS 4312,
• PS 4313 

II. American Government

• PS 3327, PS 4327, PS 3322, PS 3323, PS 3324, PS 3325,
• PS 3328, PS 3326, PS 4324, PS 4323, PS 3321, PS 4325
• PS 4326, PS 4321, PA 3316, PA 4362

III. Public Law and Public Administration

• PS 3332, PS 3333, PS 4334, PS 3334, PS 4333, PS 3331, 
• PA 3300, PA 3330, PA 4352, PA 3310, PA 3340

IV. Comparative Politics

• PS 4342, PS 3341, PS 3347, PS 4331, PS 3348, PS 3352,
• PS 3343, PS 3344, PS 3345, 4346, PS 4343, PS 3346,
• PS 3342, PS 4344 

V. International Relations

• PS 3351, PS 4341, PS 3353, PS 3352, PS 4352, PS 3354,
• PS 4354, PS 4351

 Political Science Minor 2018-2020 Checklist

Minor in Pre-Law

The Pre-Law Minor is designed for students considering law school or those interested in legal studies. Open to students from any major across the university, it can be combined with many degree programs and minors. The minor requires 18 credit hours, including 12 hours of required coursework and 6 hours of electives. 

Required Courses

• ECO 2314 - Principles of Microeconomics or ECO 2301 - Principles of Economics
• ENG 3311 - Practices in Writing and Rhetoric
• PHIL 2330 - Elementary Logic
• PS 3331 - The Supreme Court and the Judicial Process or CJ 2350 - The Courts and Criminal Procedure

Electives (6 Hours)

• ANTH 3303 - Applied Cultural Anthropology
• BLAW 3300 / BLAW 3301 - Legal Environment of Business
• BLAW 3360 - Business Organizations and Government Regulations
• BLAW 3363 - International Business Law
• COMM 3302 - Rhetorical Criticism
• COMM 3345 - Argumentation and Debate
• COMM 4331 - Persuasion or COMM 4332 - Advanced Public Speaking
• CJ 2360 - Fundamentals of Criminal Law
• CJ 4334 - Death Penalty in the United States
• CJ 4350 - Contemporary Legal Issues in Law Enforcement
• HA 3347 - Essentials of Healthcare Law
• HA 4318 - Employment Law in Healthcare Management
• HIST 3368B - Law and Society in Early America
• HIST 3373D - History of American Feminisms, 1960–2020
• HIST 3371C - History Behind the Headlines: Current Debates in a Historical Perspective
• PHIL 3322 - Professional Ethics
• PHIL 3331 - Philosophy of Law
• PHIL 3332 - Social and Political Philosophy
• PS 3313 - Contemporary Political Theory
• PS 3327 - The American Founding
• PS 3332 - Constitutional Law: Basic Structures and Principles

Minor in Public Administration

The Department of Political Science requires 24 semester hours of the following to obtain an undergraduate minor in Public Administration.

Required Courses

• POSI 2310 - Principles of American Government
• POSI 2320 - Functions of American Government
• PA 3300 - Introduction to Public Administration
• PA 3310 - Public Finance Administration
• PA 3311 - Analytical Techniques
• PA 3330 - Public Personnel Administration
• PA 3340 - Administrative Law
• PA 3350 - Public Policy Formulation