Political Science Frequently Asked Questions

Our department offers two undergraduate majors: Political Science and International Relations.

The Political Science major focuses on the major themes within the discipline, including political theory, U.S. politics, comparative politics, and international relations, while offering coursework on a wide range of related subjects (e.g., international security, Congress, the presidency, environmental politics, feminist political thought, race and ethnic politics, immigration, etc.).

The International Relations major focuses specifically on international affairs, and features upper-division coursework in Theories of International Relations, Theories of Comparative Politics, and International Political Economy. The IR major also reaches beyond the traditional disciplinary boundaries of political science by requiring students to take coursework in other subject areas (6 units that can be double counted toward the Core Curriculum)., as well as six (6) units of interdisciplinary coursework.

Both majors require students to take twelve (12) units of lower division coursework in different areas of the discipline preparation for the major. We also require all of our majors and graduate students to take upper division coursework from the subfield of Research Methodology (POLS 330), and offer specialized courses in the Law & Public Policy subfield. Students in both majors also complete a Senior Capstone in which they work closely with a faculty member on a topic of special interest.

Finalized PDF version of the PS course requirements for 2022-23

Finalized PDF version of the IR course requirements for 2022-23

Both the Political Science and International Relations majors provide students with a rigorous preparation for careers in government, law and public policy, non-profit and international organizations, and a variety of other careers. Both programs also offer opportunities for study abroad, experiential learning, and a track into our accelerated M.A. degree in International Relations (which allows undergraduates to save up to 40% on the cost of the master’s degree).

To help with job placement, our department has support for internships, offers inter-session courses in Washington, D.C., actively promotes international study abroad, and encourages other experiential learning opportunities. Thanks to these efforts, our alumni have gone on to exciting careers in diplomacy, national security, international development, private sector employment, and a wide range of other fields.

There is a wide variety programs and activities that may interest students majoring in Political Science and International Relations at the University of San Diego:

Pi Sigma Alpha. Pi Sigma Alpha is the nationally recognized political science honor society, and the USD chapter is funded through student fees and the USD Associated Student Government (ASG). The program has helped to create a vibrant culture of engagement in public affairs for students in the department, including hosting monthly Pizza & Politics discussion forums, hosting debate & election night parties, supporting campus public interest initiatives like USD Votes, and putting on the yearly Senior Dinner.

Pi Alpha Delta (PAD). Political Science and International Relations students who are considering law school often join Phi Alpha Delta, the official pre-law society at USD. Students can contact PAD via email at any time, at phialphadeltausd@gmail.com. Students can also refer to the PAD National Website to learn more about the mission of the organization.

Model United Nations. Thanks to a generous grant, our Model UN program enables Political Science and International relations students to participate in several conferences each semester, including recent trips to Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Model UN has also represented USD at the two premier North American conferences, both hosting delegations from around the world: Harvard University National Model UN, and New York Model UN (with sessions in the UN General Assembly). Delegations to each conference typically consist of around 10-12 students. Model UN is open to all USD students.

USD Votes. USD Votes is a non-partisan, campus-wide, all-volunteer group of students, faculty, and staff, dedicated to encouraging every eligible member of the USD community to exercise their right to vote. USD Votes coordinates get-out-the vote efforts on campus and other related voter-education efforts (e.g., such as participation in Politifest, a community-sponsored public conference).

Justice in Mexico. Justice in Mexico is a policy research initiative that provides opportunities for students to participate in research, publication, and public diplomacy related to rule of law and security issues in Mexico and the border region. Justice in Mexico works regularly with student volunteers and interns to conduct research and field work in Mexico.

Study Abroad. We strongly recommend that students take advantage of USD’s tremendous study abroad opportunities, and all IR majors and M.A. students are required to have at least one study abroad experience.

Internships. Our internship and experiential education programs are longstanding and well developed. These programs are open to all USD students with upper division standing or with the instructor’s consent. They give students access to interesting internships and practical experience in and around San Diego. In addition to our campus-based internship program, our department works with the Washington Center program in the nation’s capital to allow students to take courses and participate in internships during the school year and summer.

Use this link to declare your major in the College of Arts and Sciences.

When you declare your major, you must also choose a Catalog year. This is important because it determines which set of academic and curricular rules will apply to you. Most students pick the year they first enrolled at USD.

Yes. You may choose any Catalog year adopted after your first date of enrollment. Sometimes departments change their major requirements, and all majors/minors must abide by the same set of Catalog rules, so it is best to consult with the advisors of all of your majors/minors to determine which Catalog year is best for you.

Yes. List all majors/minors you intend to pursue. If you are unsure of your plans, just list those of which you are certain. You can always add or drop majors/minors later.

The department chair will assign each new major a faculty advisor. While we try to honor requests for specific advisors, please keep in mind that we must spread the advising workload equally among faculty in order to ensure accessibility to students. You are always welcome to consult with all PS/IR faculty on advising matters.

Once the major declaration form has been processed, we will send you an email welcoming you to the department and putting you in touch with your new advisor. If you forget who your advisor is, you can always check the top left-hand corner of your Degree Works.

You should schedule an appointment with your faculty advisor ASAP.

You should meet with your adviser as soon as possible after declaring the major and then regularly after that to ensure that you have updated information about the curriculum and that you are on track to graduate by your intended date.

If your faculty adviser is on leave, you will be temporarily assigned a different adviser for the period s/he is away. If you are unable to see your assigned advisor because of a schedule mismatch, you can always consult the department chair or another PS/IR faculty member.

Beginning in fall 2019, the College will place advising holds on all students every semester. This means that all PS/IR majors will need to meet with their advisors before they are cleared to register for classes.

It is your responsibility to plan ahead and meet with your advisor in a timely manner that allows you to register at your eligible time. Registration for spring semester generally begins on or around November 1, and registration for fall semester generally begins on or around April 1.

This means that all PS/IR majors should plan to meet with their advisors in October and March.

First check on your student account to see what kind of hold you have.

If you have an advising hold, you will need to meet with your advisor in order to have it lifted.

If you have or will complete 90 units in the upcoming semester, you must file a Petition to Graduate in order to register. (This can be done online on Torero Hub of the MySanDiego portal: Go to My Academics and look under “Registrar Forms”). Once the graduation petition is submitted, the registration hold will be lifted.

If you have another type of hold (e.g., student accounts/financial aid, health center, International Center) you will need to go to the Torero Hub/Wellness Center/International Center to find out what needs to happen for the hold to be lifted.

If you are required to fill out a degree plan, you should consult the Undergraduate Course Catalog and Degree Works in order to determine what requirements still need to be met. Use that information to fill out the degree plan and make an appointment with your adviser so s/he can review it and sign off on it. Advisors will only review and sign off on completed forms.

The Torero Hub is the only office on campus that can provide letters verifying enrollment and/or GPA.

The Course Catalog outlines all of the requirements for each major/minor, lists course descriptions, and provides a recommended study plan. It also contains all of the academic rules that apply to undergraduate students. You can find the most recent Course Catalogs.

When you declared your major, you chose a Catalog year. If you are unsure which one you chose, check the top right-hand column of your Degree Works.

Yes. Some classes simultaneously fulfill one or more Core requirements as well as major or minor requirements. Below is a partial list of the Core requirements and POLS classes that fulfill them:

• Advanced Writing (CADW): POLS 495
• Domestic Diversity 1 (FDD1): POLS 130
• Domestic Diversity 2 (FDD2): POLS 305, 307, 318, 319, 343, 344, 348
• Social and Behavioral Inquiry (ESBI): POLS 100, 120, 130, 150, 170, 220, 371
• First-Year Integration (CINL: only when taken as an LLC or TLC class):

POLS 100, 120, 150, 170, 220, 371

• Advanced Integration (CINT): POLS 343, 400

POLS 307, only when offered as a linked course—check with your advisor or Degree Works)

Other courses that fulfill the Advanced Integration requirement are periodically offered as INST courses. Please check the course listing or contact the department (polisci@sandiego.edu) for more information.

*This list is up to date as of Fall 2019. Please check with your advisor and/or Degree Works for any changes.

While some of our POLS courses fulfill Core requirements, most do not. You should expect to take courses outside the major to fulfill most of your Core requirements.

No. While our lower division courses (POLS 100, 120, 130, 150, 170) are offered every semester, most of our upper division courses are offered less frequently. Fall course offerings are published during the first week of March and Spring course offerings are published during the first week of October. If you are planning more than a semester in advance, it may be possible to find out when a particular upper division course will be offered. Please check with the department (polisci@sandiego.edu).

Upper division classes taken for the Political Science major may be double counted toward some other majors. See the department chair of both major departments for more information.

The College does not allow double counting of courses toward two majors if one or both majors is interdisciplinary. So upper division courses taken for the International Relations major cannot be counted toward another major.

No. The two majors have considerable overlap and classes cannot be double counted toward the two majors, so they should not be combined.

Because of the considerable overlap between the two, we strongly discourage students from doing this. Intellectually and practically, it is better to combine the PS or IR major with a different field of study.

Any of them! Our students are very creative in combining our majors with lots of other disciplines, including those in the Humanities (e.g., Art, History, Language, Philosophy, Theology), other Social Sciences (e.g., Communication Studies, Economics, Ethnic Studies, Sociology), Natural Sciences (e.g., Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science/Studies and Pre-Med tracks) as well as with Business and Engineering.

It is easier to fit some of these combinations into four years than others, so it is imperative that you meet with your major advisor(s) early and frequently to ensure that you will be able to graduate by your intended date.

Our lower division courses (POLS 100, 120, 130, 150, 170) are offered every semester. In addition, POLS 330, 380, 480, and 495 and the Internship classes are offered every semester. All other upper division courses are offered less frequently.

Fall course offerings are published on the MySanDiego portal during the first week of March and Spring course offerings are published the first week of October. If you are planning more than a semester in advance, it may be possible to find out when a particular upper division course will be offered. Please check with the department (polisci@sandiego.edu).

We generally offer one UD POLS course on campus. Please check the course schedule for upcoming offerings.

Every January we offer a two-week course (POLS 400) in Washington DC. This course is an excellent way to get an inside look at DC politics in addition to earning UD POLS credit and fulfilling the Advanced Integration requirement of the Core. Please see your advisor or our Washington DC coordinator for additional information.

There is no formal pre-law track or course of study at USD. Law schools neither require nor recommend any particular majors, minors, or courses.

For students interested in attending law school, it is essential to pursue a broad, liberal arts education, and to choose—and excel at—a major/course of study that is intellectually rigorous and stimulating. Political Science and International Relations offer excellent preparation for law school, but you should choose your major/minor because you are interested in the subject matter, not because you think it is what law schools are looking for.

For more information and for tips on preparing for and applying to law school, please contact USD’s pre-law adviser.

Yes. If the internship is related to the field of Political Science or International Relations, it is possible to earn UD POLS credit. In order to do so, you MUST meet with the Department’s Internship Coordinator before beginning the internship to find out the requirements, procedures and deadlines.

Students doing internships for UD POLS credit can count 3 units toward the major and 3 additional units as elective credit, for a total of 6 UD units, toward the undergraduate degree.

Yes! We have an internship program in Washington, DC for students interested in a broad range of topics in our nation’s capital. Students may live and work in DC during summer, fall, or spring semesters. See our Washington, DC coordinator or your advisor for more information.

Political Science majors may count two 3-unit UD POLS courses (6 units total) taken off campus toward the major.

International Relations majors may count two 3-unit UD POLS courses (6 units total) and three 3-unit UD Humanities/Social Sciences courses (9 units total) taken off campus toward the major.

Please note that all study abroad/transfer courses must be approved by the department in order to be eligible to count toward the majors.

If the course was taken before you enrolled at USD, you must fill out a Pre-USD transfer of credit form in order for the course to be considered for POLS credit. The form can be found on the Torero Hub of the MySanDiego portal: Go to My Academics and look under “Registrar Forms.”

Print this form and fill it out with your advisor. Submit the form and a copy of the course syllabus to the Department Chair in KIPJ 261. Please note that it is impossible to grant credit for a course without a syllabus.

Before taking the class you must fill out a petition to transfer credit. The petition can be found on the Torero Hub of the MySanDiego portal: Go to My Academics and look for “Transfer Articulation.” A syllabus must accompany the petition, or it will not be approved.

Note that no more than 6 UD POLS units taught by non-USD faculty can be counted toward the major. This means that if you have already counted or intend to count UD POLS classes from Study Abroad toward the major, you cannot also count UD POLS units transferred from another US institution.

Per College and department rules, no online or hybrid courses will be approved for transfer.

You must request that an official transcript with your final grade be sent to USD. Once the transcript is evaluated, the course will be added to Degree Works.

No. While we recommend that lower division prep courses (POLS 100, 120, 130, 150, 170) be completed first, POLS courses do not need to be taken in any particular order.

The one exception to this is POLS 330: Research Methods, which MUST be completed before a student can enroll in POLS 495: Senior Capstone.

Students should plan to take POLS 495 in their last semester at USD. Note that POLS 330 MUST be completed before you can enroll in POLS 495.

Students should choose a capstone course that is in line with courses they have already taken. For example, if the majority of POLS taken focus on the American political system, the capstone should also focus on American politics.

We generally offer two sections of the capstone in the fall and three sections in the spring. We should know the topics up to a year in advance. If you are planning ahead and would like to know more about the capstone topics, please check with the department (polisci@sandiego.edu) or the faculty member assigned to teach the course.

All students are required to take POLS 495. There are no substitutions for this course. Course schedules are available at least six months in advance. It is your responsibility to arrange your academic/work schedule in such a way as to be able to enroll in a Capstone course during your senior year.