Political Science

Henderson Learning Center
Room 215
(785) 231-1010 ext 1737
www.washburn.edu/cas/polisci/

The Political Science Major

Brief General Description: At least 34 credit hours in Political Science are required, to be distributed as follows: Twelve (12) hours of designated lower division PO courses, PO 390 (3 credit hours), PO 450 (1 credit hour), and 12 credit hours of upper division courses with at least 1 three-credit hour upper division course in four of the five sub-field areas.

The remaining six hours necessary to attain the required minimum of 34 hours may be completed by enrolling in any additional lower or upper division political science course.

Designated lower division PO courses (106 or 107; any three from 225,235,245, or 275) are intended to be pre-requisites or "gateway survey courses" for Majors to upper division PO courses within the same area. (Example: a Major must take 106 or 107 to be able to take 308), but a Major may take up to nine (9) total hours of upper division political science courses at Washburn (or have the transfer credit equivalent) without having met the pre-requisite or "gateway survey" required 100/200 level course.

Breakdown of the Requirements of the Major in Political Science:

1. The twelve credit hours of lower division work may be satisfied by:
   1. PO 106 or PO 107 (3 hrs)
   2. Any three courses (9 credit hours) from among: PO 225, 235, 245, or 275
2. The twelve hours of upper division work (300 or 400 level) must include at least one of the designated courses in Four of the Five following areas (A to E).
   1. American Politics
      (Area prerequisite: PO 106, 107 or consent of instructor)
      PO 304 Political Behavior
      PO 305 Policy *
      or
      PO 308 Federalism and Public Policies*
      PO 306 Urban/Metropolitan Government
      PO 320 The Legislative Process
      PO 321 The Presidency
      PO 339 Constitutional Law I
      or
      PO 340 Constitutional Law II
   2. Political Theory
      (Prerequisite for this area: PO 275 or consent of instructor)
      PO 333 Classical & Medieval Political Theory
      PO 334 Modern & Contemporary Political Theory
      PO 356 American Political Theory
   3. Comparative Politics
      (Prerequisite for this area: PO 235 or consent of instructor)
      PO 360 China, Japan and Asian Politics
      PO 361 European Politics
      PO 362 Mexico & Latin American Politics
      PO 365 Democratization and Int'l Political Economy
   4. International Relations
      (Prerequisite for this area: PO 225 or consent of instructor)
      PO 352 Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution
      PO 351 International Organizations and Law
      PO 353 American Foreign Policy
      PO 354 Issues in International Politics & Security
   5. Public Administration
      (Prerequisite for this area: PO 245 or consent of instructor)
      PO 305 Public Policy *
      or
      PO 308 Federalism and Public Policies *
      PO 312 State & Local Govt. Economic Development Policies
      PO 343 Administrative Law
      or
      PO 391 Public Personnel Administration
      PO 393 Public Budgeting
      PO 394 Public Management
      or
      PO 395 Non-Profit Management
      * NOTE: Students can pick PO 305 or PO 308 to apply to ONE area. The same course may not be treated as satisfying two subfield requirements.
3. Students must enroll in PO 390 Research Methods (3 cr. hrs with an added qualitative analysis component) and seniors must take PO 450 Senior Political Science Capstone (1 hr). Seniors must also take the ACAT national political science assessment exam during their final semester.
4. Six (6) additional hours of lower or upper division political science courses.
5. Optional Internship Credits PO 307 - Internship (of up to 6 cr. hours may count toward the major) is an available option for interested students. The prerequisite is PO 107.

Pi Sigma Alpha

The national political science honorary society is represented by a chapter chartered in 1983. Membership is conferred each year on advanced political science students whose grades meet the prescribed national and local requirements.

Bachelor's Degree (BPA) in Public Administration:
Public and Non-Profit Management
Certificate of Non-Profit Management

Mission Statement for Public Administration
The Bachelor of Public Administration Degree and the Certificate of Non-Profit Management are offered through the Department of Political Science. The principal function of these programs is to serve a clientele that seeks a level of expertise and cognition sufficient to the professional development needs of their present or future employment in either the public and/or non-profit sectors of American society, and meeting the elective needs of students interested in the various aspects of public administration.

Student Learning Outcomes
Public Administration Students at Washburn University, upon graduation, are expected to have acquired basic knowledge in the following subfields:

• the interaction between politics and policy which makes administration necessary and defines its tasks;
• the theories, principles, and problems of complex organizations;
• the theories and practice of management;
• the theories and concepts of organization staffing;
• the means and methods by which governments raise, appropriate, expend, and account for funds; and
• the limits of bureaucratic power under a constitutional, democratic government.

Degrees and Certificates
The Bachelor's in Public Administration (BPA) is offered with an emphasis on Public and Non-Profit Management. The Bachelor of Public Administration (BPA) degree leads to employment in state or local governments, non-profit agencies, the national government, or certain aspects of business relating to human resources management, government relations or government regulations. The BPA degree emphasizes public and non-profit Management. The BPA degree requires 48-51 credit hours (but does not exceed 40 hours in any one discipline) with 18 credit hours selected as cognate courses that also fulfill general education requirements. The Department is active in seeking internships in agencies for our Juniors and Seniors, leading in many cases to full-time employment.

The Certificate of Non-Profit Management is offered jointly with the Department of Human Services. The Certificate of Non-Profit Management is extremely valuable for individuals who seek manager positions or advancement into the field of non-profit agencies (United Way, YMCA, etc). The Certificate is offered in three ways: A. ON-LINE, or B. to any on-campus student with any Major, or C. with fewer required hours as a Major in Public Administration who Minors in Human Services, or a Human Services Major who Minors in Public Administration.

Option A. Available ON-LINE to Working Adults in any outlying location by the Internet, or through campus courses (see list of 9-10 courses immediately below) OR

Option B. Add to any Major or graduate program, with the following courses:
English 100. HS 100 Orientation to Human Services. HS 445 Legal and Ethical Issues. HS 302 Social change and Advocacy. PO 245 Intro to Public Administration. PO 393 Public Budgeting, or PO 346 Non-Profit Fundraising. PO 395 Non-Profit Management. PO 401Program Evaluation, or HS 495 Admin and Evaluation of Human Services. PO 307/HS 481 Internship 6 credit hours.

Total of 27-30 credit hours (9-10 courses)

Option C. 6 courses (18 hours). For any Majors in Public Administration who Minor in Human Services, or any Majors in Human Services who Minor in Public Administration, as follows:

Any Human Services Major with this Minor in Public Administration:
PO 245 Intro to Public Administration
PO 346 Non-Profit Fundraising
PO 391 Public Personnel Administration
PO 393 Public Budgeting and Grants
PO 394 Public Management Techniques
PO 395 Non-Profit Management

Any Public Administration Major with this Minor in Human Services:
HS 100 Orientation to Human Services
HS 251 Theories of Intervention
HS 300 Prevention in Human Services
HS 302 Social Change and Advocacy
HS 305 Case Management
HS 445 Legal and Ethical Issues in Human Services

Required General Education Courses
Students must take the following courses in the General Education Curriculum: EC 200, EC 201, PY 100, CN 150 or 241, SO 101. Students must also take CM 110. These courses also count towards fulfilling the General Education and elective requirements of the University.

II. The Major -- 48-51 cr hrs
PO 245 Intro to Public Administration
(sometime within the first 12 credit hours of the major)
PO 107 State and Local Government
OR
PO 306 Urban Politics
PO 305 Public Policy
OR
PO 308 Federalism & Public Policies
PO 307 Internship 3 or 6 cr hrs
PO 394 Public Management Techniques
PO 401 Program Evaluation
OR
HS 495 Admin. And Eval. Of Human Service Programs
PO 343 Administrative Law
OR
PO 391 Public Personnel Administration
PO 390 Applied Political Research
PO 343 Administrative Law
or
PO 391 Public Personnel Administration
(The one not taken in core)
PO 393 Public Budgeting
PO 394 Public Management Techniques (core)
PO 305 Public Policy
OR
PO 308 Federalism and Public Policies
(The one not taken in core)
AC 224 Financial Accounting
CN 350 Persuasion
OR
CN 201 Organizational Communication
PO 395 Non Profits Management
PO 346 Spec Topics-Pub Admin / Non-Profits...... 6
OR
PO elective by Department permission................ 6

Departmental Honors in Political Science and Public Administration: 3.65 GPA overall and a 3.8 in P.O.

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