Law and Policy specialization
Students majoring in political science and international relations have the option of declaring a Law and Policy (LP) specialization within the major. To complete the LP specialization, students take at least 4 political science and international elective courses with a substantial LP focus (out of 7 total political science and international relations electives required for the major).
The political science and international relations major with the LP specialization is 42 credits, or 14 courses.
- 7 of those 14 courses are specifically required: POL 102, 103, 210, 230, 250, 400, and 420
- 7 political science and international relations electives
- to include at least 4 LP courses from this list [POL 231, 241, 277, 300, 306, 307, 310, 330, 335, 336, 375],
- and to include at least 1 of these [330, 335].
- POL (or equivalent) courses on a Law and Policy topic transferred from another institution or taken during an approved study abroad may be counted as a LP elective with approval.
Separately, we encourage students in this specialization who are considering applying to law school to also complete the interdisciplinary Law minor.
This is a sample degree plan for students pursuing a major in Political Science and International Relations with a specialization in Law and Policy and a minor in Law; not all students will follow this sample plan since their schedules or course offerings may differ year-by-year. All students must consult with an advisor in making course selections that meet their individual needs. Students pursuing a program in Political Science and International Relations and Law should consult with a faculty advisor in political science and law early in their program to plan effectively. Students interested in law may also consider the Catholic University Law School direct entry program.
| Year One | |
|---|---|
| Fall | Spring |
| EN 101 – Composition I | EN 102 – Composition II |
| POL 103 – Comparative Politics | POL 102 – International Relations |
| TRS 100 – Theological Inquiry | PH 100 – Introduction to Philosophy |
| POL 101 – Power and Society | Introductory History |
| University elective | University elective |
| Year Two | |
|---|---|
| Fall | Spring |
| Moral Reasoning course | Introductory Literature |
| POL 250 – Research and Writing | POL 210 – Theory of Democracy |
| POL 230 – American Policy Process | Political Science elective (LP) |
| Political Science elective | Introductory Social Science |
| Natural Science with a lab | Law elective (LA 280, LA 301, LA 302, or PH 300) |
| Year Three | |
|---|---|
| Fall | Spring |
| Fine Arts, Advanced History, or Advanced Literature | Fine Arts, Advanced History, or Advanced Literature |
| Political Science elective | Political Science elective |
| Law elective (LA 280, LA 301, LA 302, or PH 300) | Math |
| POL 335: American Constitutional Law | POL 336: American Constitutional Law II |
| University elective | University elective |
| Year Four | |
|---|---|
| Fall | Spring |
| POL 400 – Internship | POL 420 – Senior Seminar |
| Political Science elective (LP) | Political Science elective |
| University elective | University elective |
| Law elective (LA 280, LA 301, LA 302, or PH 300) | University elective |
| University elective | University elective |
