USF 2002-2003 Undergraduate Catalog - Pages 101 - 104
Course Descriptions - Faculty - Printable Degree Requirements
The Department of Government and International Affairs includes programs in International Studies, Political Science, and Public Administration. Its goal is to provide students the opportunity to study the nature of government, politics and administration at the local, national and international levels, as well as the interdisciplinary nature of the international system. Towards that end it offers students a choice of two undergraduate degrees, one in International Studies and another in Political Science. The Department of Government and International Affairs provides students with a range of courses of study and areas of concentration, including electives offered through the Public Administration program. For more specific details students are advised to consult the description of each specific program below.
The major in International Studies enables students to undertake programs of study which emphasize (a) preparation for careers in international activities, or (b) the study of particular international themes or topics, or (c) the study of particular regions or cultures. Each student develops a course of study designed to fulfill his or her career and educational goals in consultation with the International Studies Advisor.
Students wishing to transfer to USF should complete the A.A. degree at the community college. Some courses required for the major may also meet General Education Requirements thereby transferring maximum hours to the university. If students transfer with fewer than 60 semester hours of acceptable credit, the students must meet the university’s entering freshman requirements including ACT or SAT test scores, GPA, and course requirements.
The transfer student should also be aware of the immunization, foreign language, and continuous enrollment policies of the university.
While the INT program does not have mandatory prerequisites, a student may apply up to 10 credit hours of lower level courses from the following list: AFS 2250, Culture and Society in Africa, ANT 2410, Cultural Anthropology; GEA 2000, World Regional Geography; CPO 2002, Comparative Politics; INR 2002, Introduction to International Relations; REL 2300, Introduction to World Religions; or GEB 2350, Doing Business Around the World.
Upper-level Course Requirements
The major consists of a minimum of 37 semester hours. At least 18 of these hours (six courses) must be from the International Studies Program offerings. The six required courses are
It is recommended that the student complete INR 3003 before taking INR 3081.
The additional 19 hours may be selected from elective courses from within the International Studies Program or from course offerings of other departments, which are approved by the major advisor as having adequate international or cross-cultural content.
With the approval of the major advisor, credits earned in INR 4900 (1-3) and INR 4910 (1-3) may be used to augment or substitute for the foregoing requirements. Students are encouraged, but not required, to engage in study abroad programs, a large number of which have been approved by the USF International Affairs Center. Credits earned in such programs apply toward graduation and many also apply to the INT major. A limited number of internships are available to provide students with real-world experience while earning credits in the major.
Required Supporting Courses
Students must pass a 2000 level foreign language course (that is, at least one semester of foreign language study beyond the first year introductory courses), or complete one year of study of a non-Western language. Students who are bilingual or who are already conversationally fluent or who can translate with facility from a foreign language text are exempt from the above course requirement, but the INT faculty may require demonstration of proficiency.
Students will be provided with academic advice and counsel about other courses offered throughout the university which may support and complement their major program. INT majors should plan their programs in conjunction with the advisor who is empowered to make appropriate substitutions when educationally justified.
The minor in International Studies is a set of International Studies courses taken by a student that approximates one half of the upper level credits required for a major. The minor consists of 18 credit hours made up of six courses as follows:
Each student's program must be planned with the International Studies Program major advisor, who is empowered to approve appropriate substitutions when educationally justified.
The undergraduate program leading to the B.A. degree in political science offers a general purpose degree, and a number of more specialized alternatives. The program is designed for students interested in and seeking to understand political problems, issues, and the nature of the political process, as well as the philosophical and legal basis of political structures and processes at local, state, national, and international levels. Satisfying the degree requirements prepares students for positions in the public and private sectors, for law school, for graduate work in political science, international relations, public administration, and related disciplines, for positions in education, and for applied political activity.
Students should complete any two introductory courses with a POS, INR or CPO prefix (ideally POS 1041 or POS 2041, and POS 1112 or POS 2112) at the lower level prior to entering the university. If these introductory courses are not taken at the community college, they must be completed before the degree is granted. A grade of “C” is the minimum acceptable grade.
Upper-level Course Requirements
A minimum of 36 credit hours is required to satisfy the requirements of the major. Students must take the 12 credit hours of required core courses in political science. No more than six credit hours can be taken from POS 4905, POS 4910, and POS 4941. Students enrolled in the Washington, D.C. semester program may have this rule altered by their advisor. (A GPA of 3.0 is required to enroll in these courses; the Chair may grant special exception for students with a GPA between 2.70 and 2.99).
In addition, all Political Science majors are required to take, at least, 3 credit hours of Economics (See your advisor for recommendations).
Students transferring credit hours toward a major in political science must complete a minimum of 21 credit hours within the Department, regardless of the number of credits transferred.
The undergraduate curriculum in political science is composed of the following:
Required Core Courses (12 cr. hrs.)
Note that either CPO 2002 or INR 2002 must be taken as a core course. However, the other course not taken as a core course may be taken as an elective.
Students should complete POT 3003 and POS 3713 by the end of their junior year; students transferring with 45 credit hours or more must complete these courses within their first two semesters in residence at USF. A grade of "C" or better is required in all core courses.
Students must choose electives from the seven fields (24 credit hours) with at least one course from Field I, one course from Field II or III, and one course from any of Fields IV, V, VI, or VII. Core courses must be completed before a course from a given field or field grouping can be taken.
Field I Political Theory
| POT 3013 (3) | POT 4064 (3) | POT 5626 (3) |
| POT 4054 (3) | POT 4204 (3) |
Field II Comparative Government and Politics
| CPO 4034 (3) | CPO 4930 (3) | CPO 5934 (3) |
Field III International Relations
| INR 3102 (3) | INR 3370 (3) | INR 4403 (3) |
| INR 3038 (3) | INR 4035 (3) | INR 4502 (3) |
| INR 3336 (3) | INR 4254 (3) | INR 4334 (3) |
| INR 5086 (3) |
Field IV American National and State Governments
| POS 2080 (3) | POS 3273 (3) | POS 4413 (3) |
| POS 2112 (3) | POS 3453 (3) | POS 4424 (3) |
| POS 3173 (3) | POS 4204 (3) | POS 5094 (3) |
| POS 3182 (3) | PUP 4323 (3) |
Field V Urban Government and Politics
| POS 3142 (3) | POS 4165 (3) | URP 4050 (3) |
| POS 3145 (3) | POS 5155 (3) | PUP 4534 (3) |
Field VI Public Policy
| INR 3102 (3) | INR 4334 (3) | POS 3145 (3) |
| PUP 4002 (3) | PUP 4007 (3) | PUP 4203 (3) |
| PUP 4323 (3) | PUP 4534 (3) | PUP 5607 (3) |
| URP 4050 (3) |
Field VII Law and Politics
| INR 4403 (3) | POS 3691 (3) | POS 4624 (3) |
| POS 3283 (3) | POS 4614 (3) | POS 4693 (3) |
| POS 4694 (3) |
The following courses are not included within any of the seven fields, but may still be used as elective hours:
| PAD 3003 (3) | POS 4936 (3) | PAD 4204 (3) |
| POS 4941 (3-15) | POS 4905 (1-3) | POS 4970 (3) |
| POS 4910 (1-3) | POS 3931 (3) | POT 4109 (3) |
| POT 4661 (3) | POT 4936 (3) |
A minor in political science requires the completion of a minimum of 18 credit hours, made up of two courses (6 credit hours) from among CPO 2002 (or INR 2002), POS 2041, and POT 3003. An additional 12 credit hours of courses included in the Political Science major are also required.
Students transferring credit hours toward a minor in political science must complete 12 credit hours within the Department, regardless of the number of credit hours transferred.
The Department of Political Science has a field work program that provides students with part-time internships with state and local government and with political parties at the state and local level. Academic credit is available for such internships. For further information, contact the Department of Government and International Affairs.
The Honors Program in Political Science is designed for the outstanding undergraduate who seeks an intensive learning experience plus academic recognition during the senior year.
Eligibility:
Political Science majors with a 3.5 grade point average in political science courses and a 3.0 overall average will be invited to participate in the honors program.
Requirements:
Students who participate must complete the Honors seminar with a grade of "B" or better and must write an Honors Thesis, POS 4970 (3). The Honors Thesis must meet the following criteria:
The Political Science Program offers a pre-law plan designed for the undergraduate students who are considering a career related to law (Courses on Law and Politics are listed under Field VII of the Political Science undergraduate curriculum). The courses making up the field are of particular interest to law-oriented students, but may be taken by others as well. Majors are required to complete courses that can help them develop necessary skills to study law. Students receive the skills and information needed for entry into a number of law-related positions in business and government. Please see the departmental pre-law advisor to obtain more information about the pre-law plan.
Prior to admission to law school, a student must take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT), as given by the Educational Testing Service of Princeton, New Jersey.
The Law School Admission Test is given simultaneously several times each year at the University of South Florida and numerous other testing centers throughout the state. Students should plan to take the test at least one year prior to planned enrollment in law school. Additional information is available from the Department of Government and International Affairs, University of South Florida.
Students wishing to transfer to USF should complete the A.A. degree at the community college. Some courses required for the major may also meet General Education Requirements thereby transferring maximum hours to the university. If students transfer with fewer than 60 semester hours of acceptable credit, the students must meet the university’s entering freshman requirements including ACT or SAT test scores, GPA, and course requirements.
There are no State Mandated Common Prerequisites for this degree program.
The transfer student should also be aware of the immunization, foreign language, and continuous enrollment policies of the university.
Students are encouraged to complete the following prerequisites, or major, support, or elective courses if available, during the program of study at the community college, and when feasible in General Education/Gordon Rule courses. Unless stated otherwise, a grade of “C” is the minimum acceptable grade.
The area of Political Science offers a number of courses that prepare students for graduate study in International Relations and career opportunities in private or public transnational organizations.
Basic courses in the area include:
In addition, Political Science offers the following upper-level courses:
Students desiring careers in international affairs or international administration are encouraged to supplement these courses with courses offered in International Studies, Management, Economics, Business Administration, Foreign Languages, and Public Administration.
The Public Administration Program offers courses that serve as electives for undergraduate students. Completion of these courses will benefit those students preparing for a career in local, state, or federal agencies of government, non-profit organizations, and special service districts and/or graduate work in public administration and related fields. The courses listed below may be taken for undergraduate credit. Please note that the 5000-level courses listed are available to seniors and graduate students only.
An undergraduate minor in Public Administration has recently been approved.
For further information, please contact the Public Administration Program.
Recommended Prerequisites (State Mandated Common Prerequisites)
International Affairs Focus in Political Science
Public Administration (PAD)
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Effective Date: Semester I, 2002
http://www.ugs.usf.edu/catalogs/0203/gov.htm