Program: Political Science, B.A. - Texas Tech University

Apr 08, 2025

2016-2017 Undergraduate and Graduate Catalog

About the Political Science Bachelor’s Program

The political science curriculum is designed to provide students with a solid foundation and broad understanding of the discipline of political science and to allow them to specialize in areas of particular substantive interest. Political science provides excellent instruction for students interested in politics, law, journalism, teaching, or civil service. Insight into political values, domestic policy issues, and foreign policy are invaluable for students interested in such careers as well as for careers in business.

Students seeking an undergraduate degree in political science must complete 33 hours of coursework within the department. Political science majors are required to take POLS 1301 , POLS 2302 , POLS 3314 , POLS 3361 , POLS 3371 , and 18 hours of upper-level POLS courses (must include 6 hours of writing intensive courses).

Under state law, all students who receive bachelor’s degrees from Texas Tech must have received credit for 6 semester hours in political science, covering the federal and Texas constitutions. Students will normally fulfill this requirement by completing POLS 1301 , which is a prerequisite for all upper-division political science courses, and POLS 2302 .

Recommended Curriculum

First Year

Fall

POLS 1301 - American Government, Organization 3 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 1301 - Essentials of College Rhetoric 3 Semester Credit Hours
HIST 2300 - History of the United States to 1877 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHIL 2310 - Logic 3 Semester Credit Hours
OR
Math 3 Semester Credit Hours *
IS 1100 - RaiderReady: Freshman Seminar 1 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 13

Spring

POLS 2302 - American Public Policy 3 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 1302 - Advanced College Rhetoric 3 Semester Credit Hours
HIST 2301 - History of the United States Since 1877 3 Semester Credit Hours
PHIL 2310 - Logic 3 Semester Credit Hours
OR
MATH 3 Semester Credit Hours *
Language, Philosophy, & Culture 3 Semester Credit Hours *

Total: 15

Second Year

Fall

POLS 3371 - Comparative Politics 3 Semester Credit Hours
Foreign Language (2000 level) 3 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 2000-level Literature 3 Semester Credit Hours
Creative Arts 3 Semester Credit Hours *
Personal Fitness and Wellness 1 Semester Credit Hours
Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 16

Spring

POLS 2107 - Federal and Texas Constitutions 1 Semester Credit Hours
POLS 3361 - International Politics 3 Semester Credit Hours
Foreign Language (2000 level) 3 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 2000-level Literature 3 Semester Credit Hours
Life and Physical Sciences 4 Semester Credit Hours *
Personal Fitness and Wellness 1 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 15

Third Year

Fall

POLS Writing Intensive Course 3 Semester Credit Hours
Oral Communication 3 Semester Credit Hours *
Life and Physical Sciences 4 Semester Credit Hours *
Social & Behavioral Sciences 3 Semester Credit Hours *
Minor 3 Semester Credit Hours **

Total: 16

Spring

POLS Jr/Sr Course 6 Semester Credit Hours
POLS 3314 - Introduction to Political Analysis 3 Semester Credit Hours
Minor 6 Semester Credit Hours **

Total: 15

Fourth Year

Fall

POLS Writing Intensive Course 3 Semester Credit Hours
Minor 3 Semester Credit Hours **
Language, Philosophy, & Culture 3 Semester Credit Hours *
Creative Arts 3 Semester Credit Hours *
Elective or Minor (if needed) 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 15

Spring

POLS Jr/Sr Course 3 Semester Credit Hours
POLS Jr/Sr Course 3 Semester Credit Hours
Minor 3 Semester Credit Hours **
Minor 3 Semester Credit Hours **
Multicultural 3 Semester Credit Hours
(Choose from the university’s multicultural list.)

Total: 15

Total Hours: 120

40 hours must be at the junior/senior level; 6 hours must be writing intensive in the major.

* Choose from the university’s core curriculum .

Foreign Language

A student must complete 6 hours at the sophomore level or above in a single language. The prerequisite for all sophomore language courses is credit for the freshman level. This credit can be determined through a credit by examination. The score attained on the exam will determine whether the student is placed in a second-year course, a 5-hour review course, or in some cases the first or second semester of a beginning (first-year) language course. See Arts and Sciences General Degree Requirements for further explanation.