2020/2021 University Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Political Science
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Undergraduate Information
OFFICE: Nasatir Hall 126
TELEPHONE: 619-594-6244 / FAX: 619-594-7302
Faculty
Emeritus: Fairlie, Gupta, Heck, Hobbs, Hofstetter, Keiser, King, Lewin, Little, Loveman, Miles, Schultze, Soule, Strand
Chair: Abdel-Nour
Professors: Abdel-Nour, Adams, Alexseev, Carruthers, Graubart, Guang, Kuru, McCall, Saccarelli, Schreiber, Varadarajan
Associate Professors: Fletcher, Kennedy, Maher
Assistant Professors: Gonzalez O’Brien, O’Brien, Twist
Lecturers: Gastelum, Greb, Ingram, Mercurio, Murren, Samstad, Smith
The Major
Political science is the study of governments. Its concerns, however, are not limited to formal governmental institutions such as the executive and legislative branches or the justice systems. Political science is also interested in other organizations and activities which are part of the process of government, including political parties, interest groups, and the press.
Students who become political science majors will learn about who creates the rules by which people are governed, the attitude and behavior of leaders and members of the public which cause certain decisions to be made, and how these decisions affect such values as liberty, equality, welfare, and justice. Political science is concerned with contemporary public affairs, problems in other political systems and contemporary international politics, as well as with historical growth, evolution, and decline of various types of governments.
The many career opportunities which might be available to political science graduates include teaching at the secondary level; positions with the federal government in areas such as intelligence, foreign affairs, environmental protection, civil rights and civil liberties, and budget and computer administration; positions with state and local governments, including administrative aide for a city manager, staff assistant for a county supervisor, and assistant to the registrar of voters; administrative positions on the staffs of national, state, and local legislators; statistical technician; marketing researcher; lobbyist for a business, non-profit or trade organization; community organizer and/or service provider and political reporter.
Impacted Program
The political science major is an impacted program. To be admitted to the political science major, students must meet the following criteria:
- Complete with a grade of C (2.0) or better: POL S 101 , POL S 102 , either POL S 103 or POL S 104 , and three units of either statistics or logic (POL S 201 ; ECON 201 ; PSY 280 ; SOC 201 ; STAT 119 , STAT 250 ; PHIL 120 ). These courses cannot be taken for credit/no credit (Cr/NC);
- Have a cumulative GPA of 2.40 or better.
To complete the major, students must fulfill the degree requirements for the major described in the catalog in effect at the time they are accepted into the premajor at SDSU (assuming continuous enrollment).
Advising
All College of Arts and Letters majors are urged to consult with their department adviser as soon as possible; they are required to meet with their department adviser in order to declare or change the major.
Major Academic Plans (MAPs)
Visit http://www.sdsu.edu/mymap for the recommended courses needed to fulfill your major requirements. The MAPs website was created to help students navigate the course requirements for their majors and to identify which General Education course will also fulfill a major preparation course requirement.
Graduate Information
OFFICE: Nasatir Hall 126
TELEPHONE: 619-594-6244 / FAX: 619-594-7302
WEBSITE: http://politicalscience.sdsu.edu
Faculty
Farid Abdel-Nour, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, Chair of Department
Brian E. Adams, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science
Mikhail A. Alexseev, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science
David V. Carruthers, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science
Jonathan M. Graubart, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science
Lei Guang, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science
Ronald F. King, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, Emeritus
Ahmet T. Kuru, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science
Madhavi M. McCall, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Letters
Emanuele G. Saccarelli, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science (Graduate Adviser)
Ronnee D. Schreiber, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, Associate Dean of the College of Arts and Letters
Latha Varadarajan, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science
Kimberley Fletcher, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science
Carole L. Kennedy, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science
Kristen H. Maher, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Political Science (Graduate Adviser)
Cheryl M. O’Brien, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science
Kimberly A. Twist, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Political Science
General Information
The political science graduate program emphasizes global diversity and the interdependence between American society and politics and other nations through its curriculum in the areas of international relations, comparative politics, American politics, and political theory and methods. The department offers courses that contribute to career development in various professions including teaching, research, and consulting. Students from nations throughout the world, students in other disciplines and majors, and students from diverse social and cultural backgrounds enroll in political science graduate courses.
This graduate program provides core courses and programs of study for three distinctive groups of students: (1) Academic career students intending to enter Ph.D. programs and to pursue careers as university or college faculty or as professional researchers. (2) Community career students pursuing a master’s degree to obtain or enhance current employment including teaching, work in public agencies, business, military, law enforcement, and holding elected or appointed office. (3) Self-development students, often mature adults, pursuing a master’s degree because they enjoy studying political science and politics. These students contribute breadth and sophistication of understanding and a wealth of diverse experience to graduate seminars.
Because of the diversity of student interests, the department offers three specializations in the M. A. program. The general political science specialization provides the fundamental theoretical and analytical skills for students seeking to expand their knowledge of politics as well as those intending to pursue doctoral degrees in political science or placement in an academic setting. The specialization in public policy prepares students for further advanced study in that field and provides the skills necessary for placement in careers in both the public and private sectors. It covers such areas of American public policy as immigration policy, urban policy, environmental policy, or civil rights. The public policy internship program places students in public and private sector positions that enhance applied and theoretical knowledge. The specialization in international relations/comparative politics supplies expertise to graduate students planning to obtain a Ph.D. degree in this field or intending to seek employment with an overseas focus.
One of the strengths of the advanced degree program in political science is the depth and breadth of resources available to the students. The department actively cooperates with the interdisciplinary degree programs in Latin American Studies and Asian Studies and shares faculty and expertise with the program in International Security and Conflict Resolution (ISCOR). The Social Science Research Laboratory (SSRL) provides technical support for students wishing to pursue quantitative or survey research. The department also holds an associate membership in the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research (ICPSR) that provides students with ready access to national and international databases. The faculty includes teacher/scholars who are experts in their respective fields of study and who remain professionally active in and out of the classroom. The department is committed to ensuring that financial resources are made available to graduate students in the form of scholarships, research and graduate assistantships, and graduate teaching associateships.
Admission to Graduate Study
All students must satisfy the general requirements for admission to the university with classified graduate standing, as described in Admission and Registration . In addition, students seeking the Master of Arts degree in political science must attain a satisfactory score on the GRE General Test (minimum of 153 on the verbal portion of the test and a minimum of 153 on the quantitative portion). The department also requires that applicants submit two letters of recommendation from individuals familiar with the academic work or potential of the applicant along with a statement of purpose written by the applicant. Students should have completed 30 semester units of coursework in the social sciences, including at least 12 upper division units in political science, as approved by the department. The grade point average required for admission is 3.0 for the last 60 semester units of undergraduate work, a 3.0 grade point average in upper division courses in political science, and a 3.0 grade point average for all work taken in political science. An applicant who is deficient in any of these requirements may be considered for conditional admission. The application deadline for the fall semester is March 1.
Students applying for admission should electronically submit the university application available at http://www.calstate.edu/apply along with the application fee.
All applicants must submit admissions materials separately to SDSU Graduate Admissions and to the Department of Political Science.
Graduate Admissions
The following materials should be submitted as a complete package directly to:
Graduate Admissions
Enrollment Services
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-7416
- Official transcripts (in sealed envelopes) from all postsecondary institutions attended;
NOTE:
- Students who attended SDSU need only submit transcripts for work completed since last attendance.
- Students with international coursework must submit both the official transcript and proof of degree. If documents are in a language other than English, they must be accompanied by a certified English translation.
- GRE scores (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682);
- English language score, if medium of instruction was in a language other than English (http://www.ets.org SDSU institution code 4682).
Department of Political Science
The following admissions materials must be submitted electronically:
- Two letters of reference;
- Statement of purpose;
- Writing sample (optional).
For information regarding the admissions process, visit the department website at http://politicalscience.sdsu.edu.
Advancement to Candidacy
All students must satisfy the general requirements for advancement to candidacy as stated in Requirements for Master’s Degrees . In addition, students must complete the Empirical Theory and Methods sequence by fulfilling one of the following options:
- POL S 516 and POL S 615 .
- POL S 615 . Pass an examination in statistics at the graduate level.
- POL S 615 . Pass a course in statistics equivalent to POL S 516 .
- POL S 615 . Pass an examination in a language other than one’s native language and other than English at a level approved by the department.
Imperial Valley
Faculty
Emeritus: Murphy
Programs
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