POLITICAL SCIENCE AND GEOGRAPHY

Alexander Hall
(206) 281-2158
www.spu.edu/depts/polisci

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Seattle Pacific’s political science program seeks to graduate leaders who want to influence politics and public policy during the 21st century. Political science majors at SPU wrestle with some of the most fundamental questions underlying faith and the political order: What is the relationship between Christian principles and public policy? How can Christians model both the character and truth of Jesus Christ in the public square? How should we all live in local, national, and global community?

To assist in the exploration of these questions, political science majors at SPU receive broad training in political philosophy, government, law, public policy, geopolitics, international relations, and the political behavior of individuals and groups. In addition, majors are provided with peer support and co-curricular activities through the SPU Political Union, a nonpartisan student group.

Study of political science is especially useful for careers in law, public administration, government service, international affairs, journalism, teaching, and several fields of business. Dual majors or complementary minors are encouraged. Minors offered by the department include political science, geopolitics, and leadership studies. Special study programs in Washington, D.C., France, and elsewhere further enrich students’ academic experience. (For more information about these special study programs, send email to Professor Reed Davis at rdavis@spu.edu.)

Political science majors at SPU are asked to integrate their understanding of the political world with the Christian faith. To facilitate this, the department offers several courses that focus on the intersection between faith and public life:

• POL 2641 Christianity and American Politics, which studies the history of Christian involvement in politics from America’s founding to today.
• POL 2642 Christianity and World Politics, which looks at broader global areas and issues.
• POL 2900 Foundations for Leadership, which examines the implications of the Christian faith for leadership.
• POL 3410 Moral Foundations of Democracy, which explores the moral and spiritual roots of representative democracy.
• POL 4899 Political Science Capstone Seminar also challenges students to reflect on the relationship between faith and politics in light of their entire collegiate experience and is required of all political science majors.

Political Science Internships
Political science majors at SPU are strongly encouraged to gain real-world experience through internships, and faculty in the department work with students to arrange internships appropriate to their career interests. Internships are arranged with a wide variety of organizations, including public-policy groups, media organizations, and government offices at both the local and national level. Credit is offered through POL 4940 Political Internships.

Admission to the Political Science Major and Minor
To qualify for admission to the major, a student must have a 2.5 minimum GPA in previous courses in the major. Students are encouraged to apply for the major by the end of their sophomore year.

Requirements for the Political Science Major
For all three tracks, 25 credits must be upper-division.
Political science majors at SPU choose to organize their studies according to one of three tracks: general, which provides the most flexibility; public policy and law, which is especially appropriate for those considering careers in government or who plan to attend law school; and international affairs, which is designed for those interested in global politics and policy.

In addition to the course requirements for these tracks, majors are encouraged to fulfill their Exploratory Curriculum mathematics requirement by taking a statistics course such as SOC 2360 Introduction to Statistics in Social and Behavioral Sciences, MAT 1360 Introduction to Statistics or BUS 2700 Statistics for Business and Economics. Whenever possible, majors are also strongly encouraged to take POL 4643 Methods of Political Analysis in their junior (rather than senior) year.

Any course substitutions must be approved by the department chairperson. No more than a total of 10 hours of internship or independent study can be applied in meeting the required hours in political science, but additional credits above the required hours may be added. For students who wish to enhance their degree with additional specialization, applied coursework beyond the required credits and in associated majors or minors can be arranged in consultation with the political science advisor.

Political Science - General Track
Public Policy and Law Track
*POL 4940 Internship strongly recommended.

Political Science - International Affairs Track
*In addition, at least one year of a foreign language or equivalent is required, and more than this is strongly encouraged.

Requirements for the Political Science Minor

Requirements for the Geopolitics Minor

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