2017-18 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
    Mar 18, 2024  
2017-18 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Political Science (B.A.) [POL]


This major in the Political Science Department  examines the broad range of concerns surrounding people and the power of government; it provides a strong grounding in American government, comparative/international politics and political theory.

Political science majors are expected to complete a core curriculum covering the basics of U.S. and world politics, research techniques and political theory. In addition, students are expected to explore the different fields of political science through upper division course work. Finally, all students must complete a capstone course either through a seminar or internship experience.

Students seeking to earn the B.A. in political science at SUNY Cortland plus a master's degree in public administration at Binghamton University are required to earn their 120 credit-hour B.A. in seven semesters. In the seventh semester, accepted students will take undergraduate courses at SUNY Cortland and graduate courses at Binghamton University. The first six credits earned at Binghamton will, when combined with a minimum of 114 undergraduate credit hours at Cortland, serve to complete the undergradaute degree. All degree requirements in the student's Cortland catalog apply to the B.A. This program allows motivated students to complete both their undergraduate and graduate degrees within one five-year time span.

Career Potential

  • State or federal legislative aide
  • Campaign manager
  • Local, state or federal elected representative
  • Journalist/reporter
  • Federal Agent

A. Required Courses: 12 credit hours


B. Other: 24 credit hours


Political Science Elective Courses: 18 credit hours


At least 15 credit hours of Political Science courses must be at the 300 level and above.

Total Credit Hours Required for Graduation: 120


Example of the B.A. in Political Science over four years


General Education (GE); Foreign Language

Total credit hours for semester: 16


First Year Spring


Total credit hours for semester: 16


Second Year Fall


POL elective (3 cr. hr.)
Foreign language 201 (3 cr. hr.)
GE course (3 cr. hr.)
GE course (3 cr. hr.)
POL elective (3 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 15


Second Year Spring


GE course (3 cr. hr.)
GE course (3 cr. hr.)
POL elective (3 cr. hr.)
Foreign language 202 (3 cr. hr.)*

Total credit hours for semester: 15


Third Year Fall


Total credit hours for semester: 15


Third Year Spring


POL elective (3 cr. hr.)
POL elective (3 cr. hr.)
Elective/minor (3 cr. hr.)
Elective/minor (3 cr. hr.)
Elective (3 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 15


Fourth Year Fall


POL elective (3 cr. hr.)
Elective/minor (3 cr. hr.)
Elective/minor (3 cr. hr.)
Elective/minor (3 cr. hr.)
Elective (3 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 15


Fourth Year Spring


Elective/minor (3 cr. hr.)
Elective (3 cr. hr.)
Elective (3 cr. hr.)
Elective (3 cr. hr.)
POL internship (3 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 15


Example of the B.A. and M.P.A. over five years


The course loads for semesters one-seven assume that the student has no prior credit transferred into Cortland and takes no Summer or Winter session courses. Students have the option to lighten their loads by taking courses over the summer and during the winter break.

Total credit hours for semester: 16


First Year Spring


Total credit hours for semester: 16


Second Year Fall


Total credit hours for semester: 16


Second Year Spring


POL elective – Writing Intensive (3 cr. hr.)
POL elective 300 level (3 cr. hr.)
Foreign language 202 level (3 cr. hr.)
GE elective (GE 9) (3 cr. hr.)
GE elective (GE 10 – Presentation Skills) (3 cr. hr.)
Elective (3 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 18


Third Year Fall


Total credit hours for semester: 18


Third Year Spring


Apply to Binghamton.

Total credit hours for semester:18


Fourth Year Fall


POL 400 level – Public Adminstration Seminar (capstone) (6 cr. hr.)
Transfer credit: PAFF 510 (4 credits) and PAFF 526 (2 credits)
    prerequisites for the M.P.A. that will not count in graduate credit totals
Electives at Cortland (12 cr. hr.)

Total credit hours for semester: 18


Total credit hours for the B.A. at Cortland: 120


Fourth Year Spring


PAFF 520: 21st Century Governance (4 credits)
PAFF 521: Foundations of Public Service (4 credits)
PAFF 5XX: Evidence-Based Decision-Making (4 credits)
PAFF 501: Professional Writing (2 credits)

Total graduate credits for semester: 14


Fifth Year Fall


PAFF 591: Problem Definition (1 credit)
PAFF 594: Internship (2 credits)
PAFF XXX: Managing People in Organizations (3 credits)
PAFF XXX: Elective (3 credits)
PAFF XXX: Elective (3 credits)

Total graduate credits for semester: 12


Fifth Year Spring


PAFF 527: Public and Nonprofit Finance (4 credits)
PAFF 590: Praxis through Cases (2 credits)
PAFF 595: Capstone (3 credits)
PAFF XXX: Elective (3 credits)

Total graduate credits for semester: 12


Total credits for the M.P.A. at Binghamton: 38