Faculty and Course Web Pages
Students seeking an Associate in Arts (AA) degree in Liberal Education with an emphasis must successfully complete the AA requirements and the specific emphasis requirements. Emphasis requirements may also be used to satisfy the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum Goal requirements.
Associate in Arts degree with Emphasis in Political Science
Students seeking an Associate in Arts (AA) degree in Liberal Education with an emphasis must successfully complete the AA requirements and the specific emphasis requirements. Emphasis requirements may also be used to satisfy the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum Goal requirements.
The Associate in Arts degree with Emphasis in Political Science provides lower-division coursework in political science for transfer to a four-year major. Students must complete the requirements for the Associate in Arts in Liberal Education and the emphasis requirements as indicated below.
Required Courses: (12 cr)
POLS 1130 Introduction to US Politics
POLS 1132 Comparative Politics
POLS 2253 Constitutional Law 1
POLS 2254 Constitutional Law 2
Complete one of the following courses: (3 cr)
POLS 1133 Middle East Politics
POLS 1134 Introduction to Political Thought through Classical Thinkers
POLS 1135 Introductions to Modern Political Thought
POLS 1136 City Politics
Curriculum
Courses offered in this Department:
POLS 1130 Introduction to US Politics
POLS 1132 Introduction to Comparative Politics
POLS 1133 Middle East Politics
POLS 1134 Introduction to Political Thought through the Classical Thinkers
POLS 1135 Introduction to Modern Political Thought
POLS 1136 City politics
POLS 1150 Introduction to World Politics
POLS 1190 Cooperative Education in Political Science
POLS 1900 Topics in Political Science
POLS 2253 Constitutional Law 1: The Evolution of the Constitution up to the Reconstruction
POLS 2254 Constitutional Law 2: The Evolution of the Constitution from the End of the Reconstruction to the Present
POLS 2900 Topics in Political Science
For course descriptions and additional program information visit the Normandale catalog online.
View common course outline information.
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Department Admin
Dean: Teri Wichman, Dean of Social Sciences and Library
Dean's Assistant: Alvina Adasevich
Mission Statement
The mission of the Political Science Department is to be the primary support to the college as it seeks to prepare students for the common tasks of citizenship.
Democracy requires an involved citizenry which in turn demands that citizens understand the fundamentals of their political system. For citizens of the United States these fundamentals include familiarity with the institutions and process of government at all levels; as well as civil liberties, political parties, elections and interest group behavior.
Our core course, Introduction to US Politics is the primary mechanism by which this mission is accomplished. In addition we introduce interested students to some of the sub-fields of political science such as comparative politics, political thought and constitutional law. We hope to add new emphases on urban and international politics.
The department also offers a selection of lower division courses useful for a major in Political Science, as well as related areas such as Law Enforcement, Criminal Justice, Public Administration, and Pre-law. Students planning a four-year degree with a major in Political Science or a related field would typically take US Politics and Constitutional Law, as they work to complete the Associate of Arts degree. While students are fully able to transfer to colleges throughout the nation, the majority of our students tend to transfer to a Minnesota State University, the University of Minnesota or a regional private college.
Many Students take our Political Thought or Constitutional Law courses to sharpen their critical thinking skills. Students interested in foreign affairs and international business are likely to find out Comparative Governments course of special interest, just as students interested in either Philosophy or History are likely to find our courses in Political Thought particularly appropriate.
Over the past decade the department has distinguished itself by its Elections courses offered in even-numbered years, its honor symposium offered last in Fall of 2000 and its internship program offered every semester, including summer. The Cooperative Education Program, our internship offering, has placed students interested in politics in state legislative offices working as aids, in local US Congressional offices working as researchers, in various electoral campaigns from presidential to aldermanic and in a wide variety of other political settings.
