• Accounting
• Art
• Biology
• Business Administration
• Chemistry and Biochemistry
• Classical Studies
• Communication Studies
• Computer Science
• Economics
• Education
• English
• Geology
• History
• Mathematics
• Modern Languages
• Music
• Philosophy
• Physics
• Political Science
  • Major/Minor Requirements
  • Courses
  • Public Management
  • Faculty
  • Political Science Students
  • Links
• Psychology
• Religious Studies
• Sociology/Anthropology
• Theatre
• Current Class Listings
• Creative Writing

Political Science > Major/Minor Requirements

Major/Minor Requirements

Department of Political Science

From the 2012-2013 Millsaps Catalog

Requirements for major: Students may complete a major in political science with a minimum of 10 courses from departmental offerings or courses of study approved by the department. These courses must include the following: Introduction to American Government (PLSC 1000), Comparative Government (PLSC 1300), Political Theory (PLSC 2500), International Relations (PLSC 2400), Research Methods in Political Science (PLSC 2550), Senior Seminar (PLSC 4900), and any other four courses.

Requirements for minor: Students may elect a minor in political science with five courses, including Introduction to American Government (PLSC 1000), Comparative Government (PLSC 1300), or International Relations (PLSC 2400), and any three other courses in the department.

General Information

No grade lower than a C will be accepted in any course to fulfill a major or minor in political science. Internship, directed readings, and fieldwork courses may be used to fulfill no more than two of the four departmental electives (no more than one from each category). Political science majors who choose to concentrate on foreign area studies may use courses taken in approved study abroad programs to fulfill up to a maximum of three of the required ten courses.

One Core 6 (Social and Behavioral Science) IDST course may be counted toward the major or the minor in political science with permission of the chair of the department. In general, Introduction to American Government (PLSC 1000) is a prerequisite for all other courses in American politics, namely American Public Policy (PLSC 2010), The U.S. Congress (PLSC 2100), The U.S. Presidency (PLSC 3120), The U.S. Judiciary (PLSC 2130), State and Local Politics (PLSC 2020), Constitutional Law (PLSC 3140), Civil Liberties (PLSC 3150), Political Parties and Interest Groups (PLSC 3200), and Public Administration (PLSC 3250). Comparative Government (PLSC 1300) is a prerequisite for all other courses in comparative politics and international relations, namely Western European Government and Politics (PLSC3300), African Government and Politics (PLSC 3310), The Politics of Race and Ethnicity.

A Comparative Perspective (PLSC 3350), U.S. Foreign Policy (PLSC 3400), International Organizations/Model United Nations (PLSC 3410), Developing Nations (PLSC 4300), Peace, Conflict Resolution, and International Security (PLSC 4400), and Political Sociology (PLSC 4500). Exceptions by permission of the instructor, majors planning to pursue graduate studies in political science or related disciplines are encouraged to take Principles of Economics (ECON 2000). Majors are strongly urged to fulfill the college mathematics requirement by taking Elementary Statistics (MATH 1150), not College Algebra (MATH 1100).

Find out more about the Public Management program.