Political Science (BA)
The mission of Dallas Baptist University's Political Science program is to foster an appreciation for the study of government and politics and to encourage students to become informed and concerned participants in a democratic society. To achieve this purpose, the program offers a broad introduction to political institutions, processes, and behavior. In doing so, the program seeks to produce servant leaders who have the ability to integrate faith and learning through their respective callings.
Goals of the Political Science Major
Expose students to foundational courses in American national government and state and local government.
Offer a variety of upper-level courses in the areas of American government, comparative governments, international relations, political theory, constitutional law, and public administration.
Provide a broad liberal arts background for those students intending to enter public service, to attend law school, or to pursue graduate study.
Encourage students to take advantage of practical learning opportunities through internship programs.
DEGREE REQUIREMENTS
courses | credit hours (ba) |
|---|---|
CORE EXPERIENCE | |
DBUE 1301 - The DBU Experience | 3 |
Developing A Christian Mind | 3 |
English | 12 |
ENGL 1301 - Composition and Rhetoric I ENGL 1302 - Composition and Rhetoric II | |
ENGL 2301 - World Literature I and/or ENGL 2302 - World Literature II | |
Fine Arts | 3 |
History | 3 |
Choose one lower-level HIST course. | |
Kinesiology | 1 |
KNES 1101 - Fitness for Living For veterans or those 25 years of age or older prior to enrollment at DBU, KNES courses are waived. | |
Mathematics | 3-4 |
Choose one: MATH 1301 - Math for Liberal Arts MATH 1303 - College Algebra MATH 1307 - Finite Math for Business Analysis MATH 1405 - Calculus and Analytic Geometry I | |
Natural Science (1000 or 2000 level courses only) One laboratory science. | 3-4 |
Religion | 9 |
RELI 1301 - Old Testament Survey RELI 1302 - New Testament Survey and three additional upper-level credit hours depending on credit hours transferred at time of initial enrollment | |
Social Science (1000 or 2000-level courses only) | 3 |
POLS 2301 - American National Government | |
Total Core Experience | 37-39 |
Additional Program General Education Hours | 12 |
HIST - (1000 or 2000-level HIST course) LANG 2301 - Language choice LANG 2302 - Language choice POLS 2302 - State and Local Governments | |
Political Science Major | 24 |
POLS 3305 - Constitutional Law POLS 3313 - Internship in Political Science (S-L) POLS 4302 - Comparative Government POLS 4305 - American Political Tradition POLS 4306 - Religion and Politics in the United States Plus 6 elective political sciences upper-level hours. | |
Electives | |
Upper-Level Lower or Upper-Level | 9 38 |
TOTAL CREDIT HOURS REQUIRED | 120 |
A 120-credit-hour minimum for a bachelor's degree is required, including 36 upper-level credit hours.
At least 12 credit hours in the major program must be completed at Dallas Baptist University, including nine upper-level course hours.
Minimum GPA Required for Graduation from Dallas Baptist University DBU requires a minimum institutional cumulative, major, and minor GPA of 2.0.
(S-L) = Course(s) with field-based service-learning component.
A Minor in Legal Studies is offered for interested students.
Refer to individual course descriptions for course requisites.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Find course descriptions by category under the Undergraduate Course Descriptions section in the navigation panel.