Program Description

The Associate in Arts in Political Science for Transfer degree prepares students for transfer to California State Universities (CSUs). Students who complete the Associate in Arts in Political Science for Transfer degree will be ensured preferential transfer status to CSUs for political science majors and majors in related disciplines. The Associate in Arts in Political Science for Transfer degree requirements will fulfill the lower division major requirements at many CSUs. Students are advised, however, to meet with a counselor to assess the course requirements for specific CSUs. This degree may also provide excellent preparation for other majors.

Political Science as a social science is mainly concerned with the systematic analysis of governmental institutions and processes and the development of power. It fully analyzes the political behavior of human beings. Specific areas of specialization within the major include the international arena, comparative government, political theory, political economy, public administration, political parties and elections, constitutional law and regional political studies.

Learn more about the program on the Political Science website.

Program Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to demonstrate critical, analytical, research and writing skills in political science and its sub-fields using basic scientific tools underlying modern social science.
• Students will be able to analyze the major theoretical formulations and concepts of political science and its sub-fields and the philosophical basis of those formulations.

Units Required

• Major: 27-29

Associate Degree Requirements

Associate in Arts in Political Science for Transfer requires completion of a minimum of 90 units to include:

• CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)¹ (49-58 units) (full certification is required)
• Core and support courses (26-29 units², of which 19-20 units may satisfy the GE requirement)
• Transferable electives necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement

1	Important Note: Although it is possible to fulfill the requirements for the Associate Degree for Transfer by completing the IGETC for UC pattern, admission to CSU requires completion of an Oral Communication course (IGETC Area 1C; CSU GE Area A-1); therefore, students who plan to transfer to CSU should complete this course as part of their GE or elective units.
2	Note that a minimum of 27 units must be completed for the major.

Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be completed with a grade of "C" (or "P") or better. In addition, the student must obtain a minimum GPA of 2.0.

Core and Support Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Units
Core Courses
POLI 1	POLITICAL SCIENCE: INTRODUCTION TO AMERICAN GOVERNMENT & POLITICS	5
Support Courses
List A
Complete three courses from List A:		13-14
MATH 10	ELEMENTARY STATISTICS
or PSYC 7	STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
or SOC 7	STATISTICS FOR THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES
POLI 2	COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
or POLI 2H	HONORS COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
POLI 3	INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY/POLITICAL THEORY
or POLI 3H	HONORS INTRODUCTION TO POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY/POLITICAL THEORY
POLI 15	INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
or POLI 15H	HONORS INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/WORLD POLITICS
List B
And complete one course each from two sections of the four List B sections, below:		8-10
Section #1
Any course not used from List A
Section #2
POLI 4	CALIFORNIA POLITICS & GOVERNMENT
POLI 9	POLITICAL ECONOMY
or POLI 9H	HONORS POLITICAL ECONOMY
or ECON 9	POLITICAL ECONOMY
or ECON 9H	HONORS POLITICAL ECONOMY
Section #3
ANTH 2A	CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
or ANTH 2AH	HONORS CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
BUSI 18	BUSINESS LAW I
ECON 1A	PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
ECON 1B	PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
Section #4
GEOG 5	INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMIC GEOGRAPHY
HIST 4A	HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION TO 800 CE
HIST 4B	HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION: 700-1800
HIST 4C	HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION 1789-PRESENT
or HIST 4CH	HONORS HISTORY OF WESTERN CIVILIZATION 1789-PRESENT
HIST 17A	HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES TO 1815
HIST 17B	HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1812 TO 1914
HIST 17C	HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1914 TO THE PRESENT
or HIST 17CH	HONORS HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM 1914 TO THE PRESENT
SOC 10	RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
or PSYC 10	RESEARCH METHODS & DESIGNS
SOC 11	INTRODUCTION TO SOCIAL WELFARE
SOC 14	SOCIOLOGY OF CRIME
SOC 15	LAW & SOCIETY
SOC 20	MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEMS
SOC 23	RACE & ETHNIC RELATIONS
WMN 11	WOMEN IN GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
Total Units		26-29