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Political Science

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Associate Degrees for Transfer

A.A.-T. in Political Science

The Associate in Arts in Political Science for Transfer (AA-T) program provides students with a major that fulfills the general requirements for transfer to the California State University. Students with this degree will receive priority admission with junior status to the California State University system. Students should work closely with their American River College counselor to ensure that they are taking the appropriate coursework to prepare for majoring in Political Science at the institution they wish to transfer to because major and general education requirements may vary for each CSU and the degree may only transfer to specific institutions.

Students must complete the following Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) requirements (Pursuant to SB1440, §66746):
• 60 semester or 90 quarter CSU-transferable units
• the California State University-General Education-Breadth pattern (CSU GE-Breadth); OR the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) pattern
• a minimum of 18 semester or 27 quarter units in the major or area of emphasis as determined by the community college district
• obtain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0

ADTs also require that students must earn a “C” or better in all courses required for the major or area of emphasis. A ”P” (Pass) grade is also an acceptable grade for courses in the major if the course is taken on a Pass/No Pass basis.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2025

Degree Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
A minimum of 9 units from the following: 9
POLS 301 Introduction to Government: United States (3)
   or POLS 481 Introduction to Government: United States - Honors (3)
POLS 302 Comparative Politics (3)
POLS 310 Introduction to International Relations (3)
   or POLS 480 Introduction to International Relations - Honors (3)
POLS 320 Introduction to Political Theory (3)
A minimum of 6 units from the following: 6
Any course not selected from the above.
POLS 304 Introduction to Government: California (3)
POLS 330 Constitutional Rights (3)
POLS 342 Women and Politics from a Global Perspective (3)
PSYC 330 Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences (3)
   or ECON 310 Statistics for Business and Economics (3)
   or STAT 300 Introduction to Probability and Statistics (4)
   or STAT 480 Introduction to Probability and Statistics - Honors (4)
A minimum of 3 units from the following: 3
Any course not selected from above.
ADMJ 300 Introduction to Administration of Justice (3)
ADMJ 320 Concepts of Criminal Law (3)
ANTH 310 Cultural Anthropology (3)
   or ANTH 481 Honors Cultural Anthropology (3)
BUS 340 Business Law (3)
GEOG 310 Human Geography: Exploring Earth's Cultural Landscapes (3)
HIST 300 History of Europe and the Mediterranean to 1500 (3)
   or HIST 480 History of Western Civilization - Honors (3)
HIST 302 History of Europe Since 1500 (3)
   or HIST 481 History of Western Civilization - Honors (3)
PHIL 310 Introduction to Ethics (3)
SOC 300 Introductory Sociology (3)
   or SOC 480 Introductory Sociology - Honors (3)
Total Units: 18

The Associate in Arts in Political Science for Transfer (AA-T) degree may be obtained by completion of 60 transferable, semester units with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.0, including (a) a minimum grade of "C" (or "P") for each course in the major or area of emphasis described in the Required Program, and (b) either the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • describe the fundamentals of political science and governance.
  • compare and contrast contemporary comparative systems and governance.
  • evaluate the relationship between the governing process and public policy.
  • examine how citizen and interest group participation influence political systems.
  • analyze the role of culture and its influence on politics.
  • assess how the design of political institutions and processes affect policy and stability.
  • analyze politics and diplomacy in the international system.
  • apply basic research methods to political science.
  • analyze political and public policy making processes, and relate these to current issues and problems, for evaluating political events and their role in the political system.
  • compare and contrast various theories of justice and the just state.
  • evaluate various theories of the purpose of government and apply to a critical analysis of current political events.

Career Information

Career opportunities related to the study of political science include, but are not limited to, advocate/organizer, campaign worker, diplomat, educator/teacher, events planner, foreign affairs specialist, lawyer, legislative aide (state and federal), lobbyist, political consultant, and public relations specialist.

Associate Degrees

A.A. in Political Science

This degree provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of political science. It stresses the systematic study of politics, political institutions and governmental processes, state and local government, public policy, foreign policy, international relations, comparative politics, and political theory.

Catalog Date: January 1, 2025

Degree Requirements

Course Code Course Title Units
POLS 301 Introduction to Government: United States (3) 3
or POLS 481 Introduction to Government: United States - Honors (3)
POLS 302 Comparative Politics 3
POLS 310 Introduction to International Relations (3) 3
   or POLS 480 Introduction to International Relations - Honors (3)
POLS 320 Introduction to Political Theory 3
A minimum of 6 units from the following: 6
HIST 310 History of the United States (To 1877) (3)
   or HIST 483 History of the United States - Honors (3)
HIST 311 History of the United States (1865 - Present) (3)
   or HIST 484 History of the United States - Honors (3)
IS 301 Introduction to Global Studies (3)
IS 302 Issues in Global Studies (3)
POLS 304 Introduction to Government: California (3)
POLS 330 Constitutional Rights (3)
POLS 342 Women and Politics from a Global Perspective (3)
Total Units: 18

The Political Science Associate in Arts (A.A.) degree may be obtained by completion of the required program, plus the local ARC General Education Requirement, plus sufficient electives to meet a 60-unit total. See ARC graduation requirements.

Student Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  • describe the fundamentals of political science and governance.
  • compare and contrast contemporary comparative systems and governance.
  • evaluate the relationship between the governing process and public policy.
  • examine how citizen and interest group participation influence political systems.
  • analyze the role of culture and its influence on politics.
  • assess how the design of political institutions and processes affect policy and stability.
  • analyze politics and diplomacy in the international system.
  • apply basic research methods to political science.
  • analyze political and public policy making processes, and relate these to current issues and problems, for evaluating political events and their role in the political system.
  • compare and contrast various theories of justice and the just state.
  • evaluate various theories of the purpose of government and apply to a critical analysis of current political events.

Career Information

This degree is designed to facilitate successful transfer to four-year institutions. Career opportunities in political science include, but are not limited to, advocate/organizer, campaign worker, diplomat, educator/teacher, events planner, foreign affairs specialist, lawyer, legislative aide (state and federal), lobbyist, political consultant, and public relations specialist.