Government Major – Bachelor of Arts

Program Competencies

Students are expected to possess:

  1. The ability to exhibit knowledge of political conditions within the United States including the working of formal and informal institutions and the role of conflict, special interest, power and inequities in the policy making process.
  2. An understanding of the political systems in other countries, the relations between countries, and the functioning of international institutions. This is the basis for comparative study and evaluation of the United States political system.
  3. The ability to analyze the impact of government policies on social and economic conditions in the United States and other countries.
  4. The ability to recognize and value the varied nature of the human condition across individuals and culture groups through the practice of political analysis.
  5. The ability to use methods of political investigation, to conduct original studies, and to present findings from those investigations in written and oral formats.
  6. The ability to access and use electronic databases, information sites, and various online resources.

Assessment Procedures

Capstone course

Major Field Achievement Test

Preliminary assessment administered in GOVT 289 — Methods of Political Inquiry

Program Requirements (Government Major)

General Education

GOVT 230Introduction to Comparative Politics

3

GOVT 499CSenior Seminar

3

Total Credit Hours:36

Refer to the General Education section for a complete listing of general education requirements for the University.

Major Requirements

Required Introductory Courses

Complete the following:

GOVT 141United States Government

3

GOVT 180Introduction to Political Theory

3

GOVT 230Introduction to Comparative Politics

3

GOVT 289Methods of Political Inquiry

3

Total Credit Hours:12

Required Advanced Subfield Courses

Choose one course in each of the four subfields:

1. American Politics
GOVT 305Political Behavior

3

GOVT 321Constitutional Law: Governmental Powers

3

GOVT 322Courts and Civil Liberties

3

GOVT 324Environmental Law and Policy

3

GOVT 328Law, Government and Privacy in the Computer Age

3

GOVT 342The American Presidency

3

GOVT 343Political Parties and Elections

3

GOVT 344Kentucky Government

3

GOVT 347American Public Policy

3

GOVT 349African-American Politics

3

GOVT 351Public Administration

3

GOVT 353Public Personnel Administration

3

GOVT 354Congress and the Federal Bureaucracy

3

GOVT 355Women and Politics

3

GOVT 410Seminar in American Politics

3

GOVT 451Seminar in Bureaucracy and Public Management

3

GOVT 452Seminar in Public Law

3

2. Political Theory
GOVT 312Western Political Thought

3

GOVT 314American Political Thought

3

GOVT 316Modern Ideologies

3

GOVT 317Feminist Political Thought

3

GOVT 318Twentieth Century Political Thought

3

GOVT 440Seminar in Political Theory

3

3. Comparative Politics
GOVT 301Comparative Politics of Development

3

GOVT 302Politics and Culture

3

GOVT 303Comparative Constitutional Law and Politics

3

GOVT 304Politics of Transition

3

GOVT 329North American Politics: United States and Canada

3

GOVT 330Parliamentary Democracies

3

GOVT 331Politics of the Middle East and North Africa

3

GOVT 332Politics of Latin America and the Caribbean

3

GOVT 333Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa

3

GOVT 334Russia and Eastern European Governments

3

GOVT 337Politics of Asia

3

GOVT 430Seminar in Comparative Politics

3

4. International Politics
GOVT 360United Nations and World Organizations

3

GOVT 362Current World Problems

3

GOVT 364International Relations

3

GOVT 367Politics of International Economic Relations

3

GOVT 368Human Rights and Global Justice

3

GOVT 420Seminar in International Relations

3

Total Credit Hours:12

Required Advanced Elective Courses

Complete the following:

GOVT 499CSenior Seminar

3

GOVT electives

Total Credit Hours:6

GOVT 499C: (counted in general education)

GOVT Electives: (any 300 or 400-level GOVT or PS course)

Government majors must write a senior paper in GOVT 499C. Three members of the government faculty will read the paper. The student must receive a grade of "C" or better on the paper from two of the three faculty members to pass the course.

Minor

Total Credit Hours:21

Free Electives

Free Electives

variable

Total Credit Hours:33

Total Credit Hours: 120