Political Science Catalog

Political Science (BA)

Program Director: Shyam K. Sriram, PhD

This major provides students with a comprehensive understanding of Political Science, including American Government, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Philosophy. Political Science supplies students with an ideal academic background for careers in local, state, and federal government; public administration; legal professions; national security; business; education; or academia. The Political Science major also gives students a strong foundation for teaching social studies and can be combined with a major in secondary education. In addition, the Political Science major provides a good basis for graduate study in public policy, international relations, business administration, and journalism.

Students are encouraged to participate in the following experiences that are available through the Political Science Department:

• Mentoring for careers, graduate programs and law school;
• Visits to Congress and the Supreme Court;
• Internships in Buffalo, Albany and Washington, D.C.;
• Experiential learning: Refugee Resettlement in the United States (PSC 338);
• Opportunities for students to present their research papers at conferences and coauthor articles with professors;
• Several student clubs connected with American politics, world politics and the law, including Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society; and Every Campus a Refuge (ECAR).
• Departmental Honors Program.

Each year, the department honors its best graduating seniors with two awards:

• The Pi Sigma Alpha Award is given to the student who best exemplifies academic excellence and the pursuit of knowledge in Political Science.
• The Shirley Chisholm Award is awarded to the Political Science major who combines academic excellence with a demonstrated commitment to public service.

Qualifications

To complete the Political Science major, student must earn a minimum grade of C in each of the following courses: PSC 103, PSC 104, PSC 111, PSC 140, PSC 150 and EDU 303 (formerly HSV303).  Students must also pass PSC 401. In addition, students must maintain a 2.0 overall average to graduate with a degree in Political Science.

Advisement

All students should have an advisor in the major and should contact the department directly to have an advisor assigned if they do not already have one.  Meetings with academic advisors are required prior to students receiving their PIN for course registration each semester. All majors should work closely with their advisor in discussing career expectations, choosing their major electives, developing their entire academic program and planning their co-curricular or supplemental academic experiences.

Résumé Building

The Political Science Department assists students in finding internships that allow them to gain valuable professional experience and contacts. Positions are available in Washington and Albany, as well as in Western New York with political campaigns, local government, the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate, and the New York State Assembly and Senate.

The major’s required senior capstone course, PSC 401, focuses on professional development and career paths related to the major and is offered with cooperation of career planning experts in the Griff Center.

The college’s many study abroad programs offer exciting opportunities to examine politics in other countries or pursue internships. Political Science majors take two, approved, 200-level major electives while studying abroad.

Students may also participate in EuroSim, an international intercollegiate simulation of the European Union, attended by American and European delegations. In even-numbered years students engage in subsidized travel to Europe related to the simulation, and in odd-numbered years the event is held in the United States.

Opportunity for independent study under the guidance of a faculty member is available for juniors and seniors who wish to explore topics that go beyond the department’s normal course offerings.

Double Majors

Students who wish to expand their educational opportunities may decide to declare a double major. This decision may be based on career goals, planned graduate studies, and/or other student interests. Before a student declares a double major, it is important to meet with the appropriate academic departments for advisement.  In order to declare a double major, the student must complete the Major/Minor Declaration form. This form will be submitted electronically and reviewed and approved by each department chairperson as well as the appropriate associate dean. 

Per university policy, each additional major requires a minimum of 15 credits that do not apply to the student's first or subsequent major.  Some double major combinations can be completed within the minimum 120 credit hour degree requirement, but in other cases additional course work may be required. Please note that students will receive only one degree unless completing the dual degree requirement including at least 150 undergraduate credit hours, regardless of the number of majors they complete. Both (all) majors appear on a student’s transcript.

Most of the best majors in Political Science decide to build their resumes and enhance their post-graduate opportunities by earning dual or triple degrees with other programs. The most popular combinations are with International Relations, Criminal Justice, and Communications. Other common dual degrees combine Political Science with Economics, English, History, Modern Language, and Sociology.”

Political Science and Law

The Political Science major is the most common academic major for prospective law students. The college offers a recommended curriculum for pre-law studies, which can be easily combined with the Political Science major. The Political Science Department is the home for the college’s Raichle Pre-Law Center, which offers students mentoring, scholarship and internships. For further information, students should consult with the chair of the Political Science Department and the director of Pre-Law Center.

Minors in Other Disciplines

Minors provide students the opportunity to pursue additional interests but generally do not require as many courses as a major.  Minors generally range from five to eight required courses. To receive a minor, the student must complete at least 9 credit hours of coursework distinct from their other credentials (i.e., majors, other minors). The complete list of minors is available on the Canisius website and in the catalog and provides links to each minor. Some majors and minors can be completed within the minimum 120 credit hour degree requirement, but in some cases additional coursework may be required. Students must complete the appropriate minor request form.

For Political Science majors considering a career in business and/or a master of business administration (MBA) degree, preparation can be obtained by pursuing a minor in Business Management (18 credits).  Many Political Science students will also benefit by taking macroeconomics and microeconomics (ECO 101 and ECO 102) as free electives.

Department Honors Program

The Political Science Honors Program provides an opportunity for outstanding students in the major to go beyond the usual course offerings. Majors who take part in the program will engage in original research under the close supervision of a faculty member. The research project provides the opportunity for students to do independent study on a topic of their own choosing. Participants in the All-College Honors Program may use their senior thesis to fulfill this requirement, provided that this project is prepared under the direction of a member of the Political Science Department.

Taking part in the Honors program can also make students more competitive after graduation, whether for further schooling or employment. For example, students applying for graduate school or law school in their senior year can refer to the research paper in their application. At the same time, participation on the Departmental Honors Program will enable students’ faculty advisors to write more detailed and enthusiastic letters of recommendation for these applications.

Requirements

• Students may apply in the spring of their junior year or in their senior year
• Grade point average overall (to apply for the program and upon graduation): 3.30
• Grade point average for major courses (to apply for the program and upon graduation): 3.50
• Honors Research: a lengthy paper involving original research in the field of Political Science under the direction of a member of the Political Science Department

Curriculum

An Ignatian Foundation

All undergraduate students must complete either the Canisius Core Curriculum or the All-College Honors Curriculum. Many schools refer to their college-wide undergraduate requirements as "general education" requirements. We believe that the core curriculum and the honors curriculum are more than a series of required classes; they provide the basis for a Jesuit education both with content and with required knowledge and skills attributes that are central to our mission.

Free Electives

Students may graduate with a bachelor's degree with more but not less than 120 credit hours. Free electives are courses in addition to the Canisius Core Curriculum or All-College Honors Curriculum and major requirements sufficient to reach the minimum number of credits required for graduation. The number of credits required to complete a bachelor's degree may vary depending on the student's major(s) and minor(s).

Major Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Required Courses
PSC 103	The American Constitution	3
PSC 104	American Political Process	3
PSC 111	Western Political Tradition	3
PSC 140	International Relations	3
PSC 150	Comparative Government and Politics	3
PSC 401	Political Science Capstone (see course listings for details)	1
EDU 303	Research Methods in the Social Sciences	3
5 Political Science electives (at least 2 of these must be at the 300- or 400-level)		15
Total Credits		34

Major Electives (five courses)

Students must complete five Political Science electives, at least two of which must be at the 300/400 level. The following qualify as major electives: any PSC course, CRJ 221, CRJ 222, ECO 401, ECO 411, HIS 280, HIS 345, HIS 394, . With prior approval, up to two major electives (below the 300 level) may be taken in approved study abroad programs. With prior approval, PSC 499 and All-College Honors thesis directed by faculty members in the Political Science Department may be counted as major electives. Student are encouraged to pursue internships and earn credit for these via PSC 498, but these are pass-fail credits and may not be counted as major electives.

Additional Course Considerations

Aside from the provisions noted above for courses taken abroad, all required and elective courses in the major and minors must be taken at Canisius University. In general, PSC 103, PSC 104, PSC 140, and PSC 150 may be taken in any sequence. It is strongly recommended that these four courses, along with PSC 111 and EDU 303, be completed before the beginning of the junior year.

Roadmap

Recommended Semester Schedule for Major Course Requirements

Freshman
Fall	Spring
PSC 103	PSC 104
PSC 150	PSC 140
Sophomore
Fall	Spring
PSC 111	EDU 303
PSC Major Elective	PSC Major Elective (300/400 level)
Junior
Fall	Spring
PSC Major Elective (300/400 level)	PSC Major Elective
Senior
Fall	Spring
PSC 401	PSC Major Elective

Learning Goals and Objectives

Student Learning Goal 1

All successful Political Science majors will develop knowledge of the fields of Political Science and will be able to use and apply that knowledge.

Students will:

Student Learning Goal 2

All successful Political Science majors will be able to think critically, conduct research and communicate effectively.

Students will:

Student Learning Goal 3

All successful Political Science majors will be able to articulate issues associated with leadership in public affairs as well as articulate issues associated with ethics in public affairs.

Students will:

Minors

• Political Science Minor

• Law and Public Policy Minor

Combined Degree Programs

• 3+3 Political Science BA/JD (University at Buffalo)

Courses