Social Sciences, Political Science Concentration, B.A.

Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree

The baccalaureate degree program in social sciences is interdisciplinary and draws from all of the social sciences disciplines. The program prepares students for a variety of career opportunities, including post-graduate education, law schools and employment in government and social service agencies.

Students must complete the general studies requirement, the social sciences core, and at least one social sciences concentration.

Social sciences are disciplines of academic inquiry, which scientifically study the social life of human beings. This information is used in building a system of knowledge about the nature, growth, and functioning of human societies.

Total Number of Hours Required for Graduation with a Degree in Social Sciences: 120 hours.

Academic Plan of Study

The following eight-semester recommended schedule is based on current course offerings in Social Sciences Department. Students are advised to carefully check semester class schedule listings for availability of individual courses.

First Semester

ENGL 101 - Composition I Credit Hour(s): 3
MATH 101 - General Mathematics Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 101 - World Civilization I Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 200 - American National Government Credit Hour(s): 3
or
POSC 210 - Introduction to Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
Technology Literacy Credit Hour(s): 3

Total Credit Hours: 15

Second Semester

ENGL 102 - Composition II Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 103 - General Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 218 - State and Local Government Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 210 - Principles of Sociology Credit Hour(s): 3
Health & Wellness Credit Hour(s): 2

Total Credit Hours: 14

Third Semester

ENGL 201 - World Literature I Credit Hour(s): 3
or
ENGL 205 - World Literature II Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 330 - Social Class in America Credit Hour(s): 3
Foreign Language I Credit Hour(s):3
Elective Credit Hour(s): 3
Elective Credit Hour(s): 3

Total Credit Hours: 15

Fourth Semester

COMM 201 - Basic Communications Credit Hour(s): 3
or
COMM 208 - Fundamentals of Speech Credit Hour(s): 3
Elective Credit Hour(s): 3
Foreign Language II Credit Hour(s):3
MATH 210 - Elementary Statistics Credit Hour(s): 3
SOSC 200 - The Study of Race in the Social Sciences Credit Hour(s): 3

Total Credit Hours: 15

Fifth Semester

SOSC 230 - Social & Economic Processes Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 300 - Political Thought Credit Hour(s): 3
Restricted SOSC Elective Credit Hour(s): 3
Phys or Biol Science I & Lab Credit Hour(s): 4
Elective Credit Hour(s): 2

Total Credit Hours: 15

Sixth Semester

SOSC 341 - Gender Studies Credit Hour(s): 3
Restricted SOSC Elective Credit Hour(s): 6
Restricted POSC Elective Credit Hour(s): 3
Phys or Biol Science II & Lab Credit Hour(s): 4

Total Credit Hours: 16

Seventh Semester

POSC 312 - Comparative Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
Restricted SOSC Elective Credit Hour(s): 9
Restricted POSC Elective Credit Hour(s): 3

Total Credit Hours: 15

Eighth Semester

HIST 497 - Research Methods in History Credit Hour(s): 3
or
PSYC 480 - Psychological Research Methods Credit Hour(s): 3
or
SOCI 300 - Social Research Methods Credit Hour(s): 3
SOSC 490 - Seminar in Social Science Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 405 - International Relations Credit Hour(s): 3
Restricted POSC Elective Credit Hour(s): 3
Restricted SOSC Elective Credit Hour(s): 3

Total Credit Hours: 15

Total Credit Hours: 120-121

Students must take a minimum of 9 additional hours from political science concentration.
**Political Science (POSC) Concentration Restricted

POSC Electives

POSC 325 - Judicial Process in America Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 350 - Public Administration Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 401 - American Constitutional Law Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 404 - American Political Parties and Pressure Groups Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 490 - Topics in Political Science Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 495 - Special Topics in Political Science Credit Hour(s): 1-3
POSC 498 - Political Science Internship Credit Hour(s): 1-6

Social Sciences Restricted Electives

An additional nine hours required from each of two following disciplines: history, psychology, and sociology (18 hours).

*Social Sciences (SOSC) Restricted Elective List

HIST 102 - World Civilization II Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 105 - American History I Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 106 - American History II Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 290 - Topics in History Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 300 - African-American History I Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 301 - African-American History II Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 302 - History, Geography, and Government of West Virginia Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 306 - Film Studies Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 308 - American Colonial History Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 400 - Recent American History Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 401 - Diplomatic History of United States Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 490 - Topics in History Credit Hour(s): 3
HIST 495 - Special Topics in History Credit Hour(s): 1-3
or
PSYC 210 - Life Span Human Development Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 220 - Substance Abuse Across the Lifespan Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 290 - Topics in Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 300 - Introduction to Counseling Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 312 - The Psychology of Gender and Communication Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 328 - Social Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 329 - History of Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 350 - Health Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 385 - Introduction to Biological Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 401 - Theories of Personality Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 402 - Abnormal Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 403 - Cognitive Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 450 - Psychological Tests Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 460 - Psychology and the Law Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 490 - Topics in Psychology Credit Hour(s): 3
PSYC 495 - Special Topics in Psychology Credit Hour(s): 1-3
or
SOCI 290 - Topics in Sociology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 300 - Social Research Methods Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 305 - Global Social Problems Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 320 - Introduction to Sociological Theories Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 323 - Social Deviance Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 324 - Marriage and Family Relations Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 410 - Medical Sociology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 490 - Topics in Sociology Credit Hour(s): 3
SOCI 495 - Special Topics in Sociology Credit Hour(s): 1-3

Political Science Concentration

Students must take a minimum of 12 additional hours from one concentration above the hours utilized for basic requirements of the major.

POSC 218 - State and Local Government Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 300 - Political Thought Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 312 - Comparative Politics Credit Hour(s): 3
POSC 405 - International Relations Credit Hour(s): 3
Restricted Electives (chosen from 300 and 400 level Political Science courses) Credit Hour(s): 12

Total Credit Hours: 24

*Students can choose from either HIST 497 , PSYC 480 , or SOCI 300 to fulfill Research Methods requirement