College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
Emphasis Areas in Political Science
Students may, if they wish, complete one or two emphasis areas while fulfilling the requirements for the B.A. or B.S. political science degree. The specific area requirements may assist you in finding courses of interest to you in pursuing your degree track.
How to apply
Complete the appropriate emphasis area application and submit the completed form to 341 SH or email a saved .pdf copy to polisci@uiowa.edu.
Application process
Applications can be submitted early, but must be received at least one month in advance of your anticipated graduation date. The department will then verify the information provided after final semester grades are posted. Your request will be submitted to the Registrar for the area(s) selected for recognition on your final transcript. You may contact the department if you need to make adjustments or add to an existing application.
Details
An emphasis area consists of four political science courses chosen from the approved lists noted below. The exception is American Political Practice which requires four courses (12 hours) plus at least three semester hours of government or campaign internship work (see below). Though some courses appear on more than one list, students may not count a course toward more than one emphasis area. Courses approved as repeatable may be taken more than once for credit and may be applied to an emphasis area more than once. POLI:4600 Honors Research Project, POLI:4601 Honors Senior Thesis, and POLI:4700 Independent Study may be applied toward an emphasis area, with approval from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Students who complete an emphasis area and request recognition from the Department of Political Science will have this noted on their final transcript. The notation will appear as follows on the transcript: Bachelor of Arts/Science Degree / Conferred (date) / Major-Political Science / Emphasis in — emphasis area is listed. This emphasis area will not be printed on your diploma.
Political science majors may complete up to two emphasis areas. Some courses are approved for more than one area, but each individual course may only count toward one.
Current Emphasis Areas for Political Science
American Institutions
Course Number | Course Name |
---|---|
POLI:3100 | American State Politics |
POLI:3101 | American Constitutional Law and Politics |
POLI:3102 | The U.S. Congress |
POLI:3108 | American Political Development |
POLI:3109 | Fixing America's Electoral System |
POLI:3110 | Local Politics |
POLI:3111 | American Public Policy |
POLI:3113 | Research in Judicial Politics |
POLI:3116 | The Presidency |
POLI:3117 | Public Admin & Bureaucratic Politics |
POLI:3118 | Interest Groups |
POLI:3120 | The Criminal Justice System |
POLI:3121 | The Judicial Process |
POLI:3123 | State Politics in Iowa |
POLI:3126 | Environmental Policy |
POLI:3127 | Legislative Policy Seminar |
POLI:3150 | Problems in American Politics, when topic relevant |
POLI:3201 | Political Campaigning |
POLI:4100 | Honors Seminar on American Politics |
Identity Politics
Course Number | Course Name |
---|---|
POLI:2107 | Black Literature and Politics |
POLI:3104 | Immigration Politics |
POLI:3106 | Racism and Politics in the U.S. |
POLI:3114 | Women and Politics in the United States |
POLI:3507 | Women and Politics in Global Perspective |
International Relations
Course Number | Course Name |
---|---|
POLI:1410 | Introduction to Asian International Relations |
POLI:1500 | Introduction to International Relations |
POLI:1501 | Introduction to American Foreign Policy |
POLI:3410 | Russian Foreign Policy |
POLI:3422 | Transnational Issues & Horn of Africa |
POLI:3423 | The Middle East: Policy and Diplomacy |
POLI:3500 | American Foreign Policies |
POLI:3501 | International Organization & World Order |
POLI:3524 | Politics and Multinational Enterprise |
POLI:3503 | Politics of Terrorism |
POLI:3504 | Globalization |
POLI:3505 | Causes/Consequences/Management Civil War |
POLI:3506 | Consequences of War |
POLI:3507 | Women and Politics in Global Perspective |
POLI:3509 | Int'l Courts Intersection Law & Politics |
POLI:3511 | International Law |
POLI:3512 | International Conflict |
POLI:3513 | Politics International Human Rights Law |
POLI:3514 | Regional Peace and Security |
POLI:3516 | The Politics of International Economics |
POLI:3517 | Global Justice |
POLI:3518 | Water Wars: Conflict and Cooperation |
POLI:3520 | National Security Policy |
POLI:3521 | 21st Century Technology and Warfare |
POLI:3522 | Ending Wars and Keeping Peace |
POLI:3524 | Politics and Multinational Enterprises |
POLI:3550 | Problems of International Politics |
POLI:3603 | War and Film |
POLI:4500 | Honors Seminar on International Politics |
Course Number | Course Name |
---|---|
POLI:1200 | Introduction to Political Behavior |
POLI:3001 | Hawkeye Poll |
POLI:3104 | Immigration Politics |
POLI:3106 | Racism and Politics in the U.S. |
POLI:3109 | Fixing America's Electoral System |
POLI:3111 | American Public Policy |
POLI:3114 | Women and Politics in the United States |
POLI:3117 | Public Admin & Bureaucratic Politics |
POLI:3118 | Interest Groups |
POLI:3121 | The Judicial Process |
POLI:3122 | Public Choice |
POLI:3201 | Political Campaigning |
POLI:3202 | Political Psychology |
POLI:3203 | Campaigns, Elections, Voting Behavior |
POLI:3204 | Public Opinion |
POLI:3519 | Politics of Aging |
Political Communication
Course Number | Course Name |
---|---|
POLI:1200 | Introduction to Political Behavior |
POLI:1600 | Introduction to Political Communication |
POLI:1601 | Intro to Social Media and Politics |
POLI:3201 | Political Campaigning |
POLI:3202 | Political Psychology |
POLI:3203 | Campaigns, Elections, and Voting Behavior |
POLI:3204 | Public Opinion |
POLI:3515 | Global Communication and Politics |
POLI:3600 | Multimedia Politics |
POLI:3601 | Politics of Film |
POLI:3602 | New Media and Politics |
POLI:3603 | War and Film |
POLI:3604 | New Media and Public Opinion |
Political Theory
Course Number | Course Name |
---|---|
POLI:1300 | Intro to Political Thought and Action |
POLI:3300 | Postmodern Political Theory |
POLI:3302 | Current Political Theory |
POLI:3303 | Political Issues |
POLI:3305 | Modern Political Theory |
POLI:3306 | Problems of Democracy |
POLI:3517 | Global Justice |
POLI:4300 | Honors Seminar on Political Theory |
Politics of Foreign Countries
Course Number | Course Name |
---|---|
POLI:1400 | Introduction to Comparative Politics |
POLI:1401 | Intro to Politics of Russia and Eurasia |
POLI:1403 | Introduction to Politics in Muslim World |
POLI:1410 | Introduction to Asian International Relations |
POLI:1445 | Intro To Asian Politics: China |
POLI:2415 | Latin American Politics |
POLI:2416 | Revolutions and Political Violence |
POLI:2417 | Comparative Environmental Policy |
POLI:3401 | European Union |
POLI:3403 | Parties and Elections Around the World |
POLI:3405 | Authoritarian Politics |
POLI:3408 | Government and Politics of China |
POLI:3410 | Russian Foreign Policy |
POLI:3411 | Democracy: Global Trends and Struggles |
POLI:3413 | Russian Politics |
POLI:3418 | Governance in the Middle East |
POLI:3419 | War in the Muslim World |
POLI:3420 | Southeast Asia: Politics and Development |
POLI:3421 | The Politics of Southern Africa |
POLI:3422 | Transnational Issues & Horn of Africa |
POLI:3423 | The Middle East: Policy and Diplomacy |
POLI:3450 | Problems in Comparative Politics |
POLI:4050 | Two Koreas: Pol Econ or Regional Rivalry |
POLI:4400 | Honors Seminar on Comparative Politics |
For the emphasis area in American Political Practice, students also must complete at least 3 s.h. of government or campaign internship work. These hours must be taken from POLI:4900 Government Internship or other appropriate course numbers [e.g., POLI:4600, POLI:4700 or POLI:4701].
NOTE: Credits taken under POLI:4900 are graded on a S/F basis and do not count toward the credits for the political science major requirements, but do count in the 56 s.h. limit from any one department.