Political Science, B.A. MAP

Major Academic Plans

Major Academic Plans (or MAPS) show the courses you might take each semester to meet your degree requirements in 4 years. Students at Cal Poly Humboldt follow many different paths to graduation. Your educational and career goals, as well as personal interests all contribute to determining the courses you take. We encourage you to discuss course options with an advisor.

The General Education and All-University Requirements in this MAP are in effect for students entering Cal Poly Humboldt with the catalog year of 2023-24. Refer to your degree audit for details on your major and GE catalog year.

Set yourself up for academic success in challenging classes. Add a 1-unit Supplemental Instruction (SI) session.

Explore the Supplemental Instruction

options to see if there’s a match with a class you are taking.

Year 1

Semester 1 (16-18 Units)

GE Area A: Written Communication ENGL 102 - Composition and Rhetoric A Units: 3 OR ENGL 104 - Accelerated Composition and Rhetoric Units: 3
Optional: ENGL 110 - Academic Literacies Support and Seminar Units: 2
Lower Division GE Area A: Critical Thinking Courses
Units: 3
GE Area B: Mathematics: ^[1] STAT 108 - Elementary Statistics Units: 3 OR MATH 103 - Mathematics as a Liberal Art Units: 3
American Institutions/GE Area D: Social Science: PSCI 110 - American Government Units: 3
Major (Core): PSCI 220 - Introduction to Political Theory Units: 3 OR PSCI 240 - Introduction to International Relations Units: 3
Major (Core): PSCI 280 - Core Discussion Seminar Units: 1

^[1] Students in math category 4 should take: (STAT 108I - Elementary Statistics with Integrated Support Units: 3 AND STAT 8 - Support for Elementary Statistics Units: 1 ) OR (MATH 103I - Mathematics as a Liberal Art with Integrated Support Units: 3 AND MATH 3 - Support for Mathematics as a Liberal Art Units: 1 ). Credit earned for math support course (STAT 8 or MATH 3) does not count toward GE, major or graduation units.

Semester 2 (15-17 Units)

If you took ENGL 104 last semester take an elective, other GE or a major course in place of ENGL 103.

GE Area A: Written Communication ENGL 103 - Composition and Rhetoric B Units: 3
Optional: ENGL 110 - Academic Literacies Support and Seminar Units: 2
Lower Division GE Area C: Arts
Units: 3
Lower Division GE Area D: Social Sciences
Units: 3
Major (Core) PSCI 230 - Introduction to Comparative Politics Units: 3
GE Area E: Lifelong Learning Units: 3

Year 2

Semester 3 (15 Units)

GE Area A: Oral Communication COMM 100 - Fundamentals of Speech Communication Units: 3
Lower Division GE Area B: Life Sciences
Units: 3 (Take a course with a lab component)
Lower Division GE Area C: Humanities
Units: 3
GE Area F: Ethnic Studies
Units: 3
Major (Core) PSCI 220 - Introduction to Political Theory Units: 3 OR PSCI 240 - Introduction to International Relations Units: 3

Semester 4 (15-16 Units)

Lower Division GE Area B: Physical Science
Units: 3
Lower Division GE Area C: Arts
OR
Humanities
Units: 3
Major (Concentration) Units: 3-4
American Institutions Units: 3
GE Area D: Social Science Units: 3

Year 3

Semester 5 (14-19 Units)

Major (Core): PSCI 295 - Political Research and Analysis Units: 4
Upper Division GE Area B: Math & Science
Units: 3
Major (Concentration) ^[3] Units: 3-4
Major (Concentration) ^[3] Units: 3-4
Elective Units: 1-4

^[3] Complete 20 units of upper division concentration courses. See Political Science, B.A. (Core)

Semester 6 (15-18 Units)

UD GE Area D: Social Sciences Units: 3 (Take a class that double-counts for DCG)
Major (Concentration) [3] Units: 3-4
Major (Core) Experience: (PSCI 376 and PSCI 377 ) or (PSCI 413 and PSCI 414 ) or PSCI 482 Units: 3
Elective Units: 3-4
Elective Units: 3-4

Year 4

Semester 7 (15-18 Units)

Upper Division GE Area C: Arts & Humanities
Units: 3 (Take a class that double-counts for DCG)
Major (Concentration) ^[3] Units: 3-4
Major (Concentration) ^[3] Units: 3-4
Elective Units: 3-4
Elective Units: 3-4

Semester 8 (13-16 Units)

GWAR and Major (Core): PSCI 485W - Capstone Seminar in Politics Units: 4
Elective Units: 3-4
Elective Units: 3-4
Elective Units: 3-4