About Political Science

Political science is a broad, diverse field of study that creates a wide variety of intellectual and professional opportunities for students and scholars. Political scientists study governments, public policies, political processes and systems, and political behavior in both the national and international contexts. We employ humanistic and social scientific approaches, theories, and methodologies to describe, explain and make predictions about political processes, systems and dynamics of all countries and regions of the world. Political science students most often go on to careers in federal, state and local government; law; business; international organizations; non-governmental and nonprofit organizations and advocacy groups; campaign organizations and political parties; polling; political communication and journalism; electoral politics; research; and teaching at all levels of education. 

The Department of Politics

At CCU, the Department of Politics is committed to high impact learning through a combination of skills-based training, active and experiential learning, classroom simulations and hands-on application of theory to practice. Our students don't just learn about the legislative process: they compete in a statewide student legislature. Our Model United Nations team doesn’t just compete with schools from around the Southeast: it coaches elementary school students in their own Model UN competition. Our students learn public opinion in the classroom and then put polls and surveys into the field; they study public policy and produce policy analysis briefs that are of use to citizens and elected officials alike. Our students pursue independent, guided research on topics that stoke their curiosity and passion, presenting and publishing that work before they even graduate college. We want our students to leave our department with skills that will allow them to hit the job market or graduate school with confidence and a real edge on other graduates.

We firmly believe that the most important skills a student can acquire during the college years are critical thinking, analysis, reading and writing. The capacity to read with comprehension and a critical eye and to write with clarity and precision are crucial for career advancement in almost any field, as are textual and data analysis skills. These are the skills that a liberal arts major is designed to promote, and the political science faculty at Coastal Carolina University is committed to promoting these skills.

Degree in Three: B.A. in Political Science

Our Degree in Three program is designed to accelerate the best and most motivated students through our curriculum without sacrificing those high-impact experiences or skill acquisition. To participate, students must be admitted to CCU and the Degree in Three program. The department's Degree in Three course plan should be followed faithfully to ensure completion in the three-year time frame, so it is crucial that students regularly meet with their academic advisor to make sure that everything is right on track.

Degree in Three Course Plan: B.A. in Political Science

Year 1

Fall	Credit Hours	Spring	Credit Hours	May/SUI/SUII	Credit Hours	Grand Total
ENGL 101	3	ENGL 102/211	3	POLI 307/315/316**	3
UNIV 110	3	CORE Creative Expression	3	GEOG 121	3
CORE Humanistic	3	CORE Humanistic	3	Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
Science with Lab	4	Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
POLI 101 or POLI 201	3	POLI 101 or POLI 201	3
		POLI 200	3
Total	16		18		9	43

 Year 2

Fall	Credit Hours	Spring	Credit Hours	May/SUI/SUII	Credit Hours	Grand Total
CORE Human Health and Behavior	3	Foreign Language	3	POLI 300	3
Foreign Language	3	POLI Primary Track	3	POLI Primary Track	3
MATH 139*	3	POLI Primary Track	3	Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
POLI 307/315/316**	3	POLI Secondary Track	3
POLI 307/315/316**	3	Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3	Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
Total	18		18		9	45

 Year 3

Fall	Credit Hours	Spring	Credit Hours	May/SUI/SUII	Credit Hours	Grand Total
POLI Upper-level Theory	3	POLI Primary Track or POLI 497	3
POLI Primary Track or POLI 497***	3	Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
POLI Secondary Track	3	Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3	Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3	Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
Elective, Cognate or Minor Class	3
Total	18		15		33	45
GRAND TOTAL CREDITS						121

* Placement in Math is determined by your score on Math placement test. Those who do not place into MATH 139 may be required to take MATH 129L prior to this requirement. In that event, simply substitute a course from Year 1/Spring semester for Math in Year 1/Fall semester.

** All of these are required courses for the major, but do not need to be taken in any particular sequence. You should complete these courses during sophomore year, taking one of them during Fall semester of Year 2 and the other two during Spring semester of Year 2.

*** POLI 497, the Capstone course for the major, can only be taken if you have completed 90 hours of coursework; however, that requirement may be waived on a case-by-case basis for three-year degree students. It can be taken in either the Fall or Spring semester of your senior year. If you take it in Fall, you should take your final class in your primary concentration in Spring, and vice versa.