Major
Students majoring in Political Science must take six core courses that introduce them to the subfields of the discipline:

• POL 203, Critical Thinking in Politics
• POL 205, American Government and Politics
• POL 207, Comparative Politics
• POL 209, International Politics
• POL 211, Public Policy and Administration
• POL 213, Political Philosophy

These courses are supplemented by seven more courses selected from upper-division offerings. Two of these electives must be POL 496 (Capstone in Political Science) and POL 497 (Seminar in Political Science), and at least three electives must be concentrated in one of the department's five subfields (see below).

(A POL Major Worksheet [PDF] and POL Gen Ed Worksheet [PDF] are available to assist students in planning their program of study.)

Minor
The department's minor also focuses on the different subfields of the discipline:

• core requirement: 3 courses in three different subfields
• specialization requirement: 2 courses in one of the three subfields
• upper-division electives: 2 upper-division courses in any subfield

(A POL Minor Worksheet [PDF] is available to assist students in planning their program of study.)

Subfields
Political Science courses at SUNY Oswego are organized into five subject fields. Majors take an introductory course in each of these fields, then concentrate their upper-division studies in the field of their choice.

American Politics - Americanists use a variety of approaches to conduct theoretical, institutional, and behavioral analyses of U.S. government and politics. In addition to subjects like American political thought, the study of American politics encompasses the Presidency, Courts, Congress, urban politics, interest groups, intergovernmental relations, and electoral processes. American politics courses include Constitutional Law, Political Parties, and New York State Politics.

Comparative Politics - The field of comparative politics is based upon the premise that only through the careful understanding and comparison of many political systems can one generate propositions about how governments and politics function. Thus, comparative politics encompasses not only area studies, but also the cross-national study of political institutions, processes, and behavior. Comparative politics courses include European Politics, Latin American Politics, and Third World Politics.

International Politics - International politics examines political, economic, and social interactions across national boundaries. It focuses primarily on relations between sovereign states, but also looks at the roles of international institutions and non-state actors. International relations includes the study of international organization, foreign policy, international security, and the global economy. International politics courses include International Law, Political Violence and Terrorism, and The Nation-State and Global Order.

Political Philosophy - The inquiries of political philosophy are fundamental: What is human nature? What standards should be applied for right and wrong, just and unjust, legitimate and illegitimate? How can we know the answers to such questions? Political theory is also comprehensive: rather than taking as its focus any one particular historical context or political setting, it includes every historical period in its purview. Studying political philosophy is more like participating in an ongoing debate than mastering a set doctrine. Political philosophy courses include History of Political Thought, Religion and Politics, and Democratic Theory.

Public Policy & Administration - The field of public policy and administration examines how governments make and implement choices, and what happens as a result. It focuses on the inner workings of government and the political dynamics that motivate these processes. Public policy and administration courses include Public Policy Analysis, Urban Politics, and Public Personnel Management.