Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Students begin their course work by completing introductory courses within five subfields of the discipline (American government, public policy, international relations, comparative government, and political theory), in order to be broadly trained in the full scope of Political Science. In addition, they are required to complete courses in Empirical Research Methods and Economic Politics (added econ, is this ok?), which will enrich their own skill set and marketability, while also preparing them to understand the research they will examine as they proceed with their work in the major.
The full requirements for the major can be found in the WVU Catalog.
WVU Political Science Overview
Choose the General Track or from four Areas of Emphasis
Beyond their introductory work, students may then choose to proceed with course work in the General Political Science track, if they are broadly interested in the discipline, or, alternatively, they may specialize in a subfield that best matches their interests. We offer four Areas of Emphasis:
- Pre-Law and Legal Studies
- American Politics, Policy, and Business
- International Relations, Comparative Politics, and National Security
- Elections & Campaigns
Completing work in a specialized subfield may be to a student's benefit when they enter the job market or apply to law or graduate school.
Capstone Experience
Students will conclude their work in Political Science at WVU with a Capstone experience. This should be an experience that both pulls together what a student has learned in class, and calls for the student to put that knowledge to use in a new context and personally build upon it. Capstone experiences may include such activities as internships, research projects, service learning, Model United Nations, and study abroad.