Each emphasis is considered an area of study that will provide you with a specific set of skills for your career. Learn more here
Students declaring political science as their major beginning Fall of 2021 will be enrolled in the new program. Changes have been made in core requirements for both the BA & BS degrees. The BS offers Political Science classes for the Quantitative requirements to help students develop skill sets that will make them stronger candidates for employment.
Below are the core requirements for the BA & BS
| Course | Credits | Prerequisite |
| POLS 1100 American National Government | 3 | |
| POLS 2100 Introduction to International Relations | 3 | |
| POLS 2200 Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 | |
| POLS 230G Introduction to Political Theory | 3 | |
| POLS 3000 Political Analysis | 3 | |
| POLS 4990 Senior Seminar or POLS 480R Internship | 3 | POLS 3000, Senior Status |
| EMPHASIS | 18 | |
| FOREIGN LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS | 16 | |
| ELECTIVES Any courses numbered 1000 or higher (4 credits must be upper division (3000-4000 level courses) | 24 |
| Course | Credits | Prerequisite |
| POLS 1100 American National Government | 3 | |
| POLS 2100 Introduction to International Relations | 3 | |
| POLS 2200 Introduction to Comparative Politics | 3 | |
| POLS 230G Introduction to Political Theory | 3 | |
| POLS 3000 Political Analysis | 3 | MATH 1030/1040/1050 & POLS 1100 |
| POLS 4990 Senior Seminar or POLS 480R Internship | 3 | POLS 3000, Senior status |
| ELECTIVES - Any courses numbered 1000 or higher | 24 | |
| EMPHASIS | 18 | |
| QUANTITATIVE REQUIREMENT | 12 |
| Course | Credits | Course | Credits |
| POLS 3010 Political Analysis II | 3 | *Can only use once for either Quantitative or Concentration Credit | |
| Complete 9 credits from the following courses: |
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| *POLS 3020 Public Program Analysis | 3 | *POLS 3060 Qualitative Analysis | 3 |
| *POLS 3040 Survey Research & Design Methods | 3 | *POLS 3070 Policy Analysis | 3 |
| *POLS 3050 Experimental Methods in Pol Sci | 3 | ||
In a system of popular sovereignty, where the people rule, a crucial component for the proper functioning of government is that the citizens be informed about how their government is operating. The American Government concentration is designed to give students an in-depth understanding of all the various aspects and institutions of politics and government in the United States. Students taking courses in this concentration will gain an understanding of the operation of Congress, the Presidency, the Courts, state and local governments, as well as the role of the citizen in holding those institutions accountable. It will prepare students for a broad range of careers both in and out of government, as well as make them better informed citizens.
As the world becomes more globalized, each country is growing more politically, economically, and culturally interdependent. An area of concentration in international politics helps to prepare students to understand these global developments and how they may affect their lives. This concentration is oriented to assisting students in developing skills necessary to think theoretically and analytically about international relations and comparative politics. The study of international politics has a number of applications and is well suited to prepare students for careers in government, including intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), law, business, education, journalism, or non-governmental organizations (NGOs). It also serves as a means of preparation for graduate programs in foreign affairs, law, political science, business, and public policy.
The Native American Initiative at Utah Valley University allows Native Americans the opportunity to continue their education utilizing an open admission policy. To further that initiative, the concentration in Indian Affairs Administration was added to the political science degree in 2015. This concentration promotes American Indian leadership and governance, and is ideal for students wanting a career in tribal governance, local, state, or federal government or those pursuing graduate programs in Business Administration, Law School, Public Administration, Public Health, and Social Work.
We live in a world where violent and hostile approaches to disagreements and conflict are common, whether internationally as threats of aggression and war, nationally in partisan politics, or locally as community responses to crime, race, or poverty. Peace and Justice Studies teaches and practices peaceful approaches to conflict and injustice through the development of skilled, peacebuilding individuals. The concentration is interdisciplinary based in political science, but drawing from the social sciences, psychology, history, law, philosophy, and the arts. We engage in scientific and scholarly analyses of war, terrorism, racism, poverty, and other forms of violence and injustice. The scientific and philosophical knowledge of justice and peace building are integrated with skills in negotiation, peacebuilding, reconciliation, and restorative justice to transform conflict into positive relationships and practices. It promotes skills in community building and civil activism. Students in this concentration are prepared for a wide range of careers requiring the use of negotiations, mediation, reconciliation, and cross-cultural communication and understanding.
With State and local governments being a large part of the economy, the Public Administration and Policy concentration offers students the necessary knowledge and skills for planning, implementing, and evaluating public programs as well as understanding the role of public administrators. Students have the opportunity to work with local governments on special projects throughout their education, develop analytical competencies, and how to think critically, which will make them more effective citizens in their own communities. Graduates work in settings such as, local and state government, nonprofit organizations, private sector businesses, or they can go on to top-tier graduate programs.
There are three major aims for the Public Law & Political Philosophy concentration: to educate students broadly in the history of political thought; to help students develop their expertise in their applied field (law, politics, education, etc); and to engage students in the larger process of intellectual development, critical thinking, and lifelong learning. This concentration prepares students for graduate or law school along with a broad range of careers.
