Politics and International Affairs Programs
Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
The Bachelor of Arts in Political Science introduces students to the major subfields, debates, methods, and approaches to the study of government and politics. Students take four foundational courses, at least seven upper division courses offered from across the discipline, and a senior capstone class.
The five foundational courses are: American Politics, U.S. and World Affairs, Introduction to Comparative Politics, and Statistics.
The department offers upper division coursework in three concentrations:
Students will each select one of the three concentrations. Each concentration consists of several upper division courses in that area (four for World Politics, three for American Politics, and three for Law and Politics), along with a mix of upper division other courses offered by the department. Each student is required to take at least one course in political theory or game theory.
Department Student Learning Outcomes indicate areas of emphasis in the course of study. Different courses emphasize different learning outcomes; the senior seminar capstone gives students a chance to integrate these skills.
The Senior Seminar Capstone course involves research in an area within the student's concentration. This insures that the student has encountered related topics from a variety of perspectives within that concentration. The particular subject within that concentration is of the students own choosing. Thus, each student will have the chance to investigate an area of politics in depth, and comment on the dynamics of the politics in that issue area, and shed light on causes of those political events. In the capstone course students will have the opportunity to bring the wealth of knowledge have gained into the area of politics they find most interesting.
Combined Bachelor of Arts/Masters in Public Administration
A combined BA/MPA program between the State University of New York at Fredonia and the Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy at the University at Albany, SUNY gives outstanding undergraduate students the opportunity to join Rockefeller’s nationally ranked MPA program before graduation. Eligible students are granted admission to Rockefeller College of Public Affairs and Policy without the need to take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE). For selected students, admission to the College occurs during the junior year. As a result of enrolling in Rockefeller’s national ranked graduate coursework as an undergraduate, students will be able to complete the MPA degree more quickly. After completing the bachelor’s degree, students should be able to finish the MPA in about one-and-a-half years.
The Department also offers a Minor in Political Science.
Students should see a faculty adviser or the department chairperson to discuss a choice of program and the careers open within the major. Regardless of the program chosen, the members of the department are dedicated to sharing with students the excitement and challenge of politics in today's world.
Related Programs
Legal Studies Minor
The Legal Studies Minor is an interdisciplinary program available for students interested in various areas of the law. Departments offering courses include Politics and International Affairs, Business Administration, Sociology, Criminal Justice, and Psychology, and Philosophy. We also offer courses related to the interdisciplinary Criminal Justice program. Please see their links for more information.
Geographic Information Systems
This program is sponsored jointly by Politics and International Affairs and the Department of Geosciences. More information is available on the GIS web page.
Certificate in International Political Economy
A certificate program in International Political Economy is available. The program is open only to Business Administration and Economics majors.
Social Science Adolescence Education
Students wishing to teach political science in the secondary schools may obtain provisional certification by completing the Social Studies Adolescence Education program. Students in all education programs are required to demonstrate competence in a foreign language. This requirement may be satisfied in any one of the following four ways: (1) completion of course work at the 116 level at Fredonia, or (2) transferring of two successful college semesters, or (3) scoring at the 50th percentile or higher on the CLEP exam, or (4) completion of three years of high school language with a passing Regents score (passing = 65). The College Core Curriculum foreign language requirement differs from the certification requirement and must be satisfied for degree conferral. For information on on admission and sequence of courses please see the College of Education.
Course Search | Course Descriptions
Questions? Please contact the Chair of the Department.
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