Political Science, Teacher Licensure, B.S.

Department of Political Science and International Relations

Students who want to teach government in high school should minor in Secondary Education; complete 12 hours of history (may include General Education requirements); minor in History (highly recommended), Economics, or Geography; and take 36 hours in political science. These must include PS 1005 , PS 1010 , PS 3210 , PS 3220 ; three of the following: PS 3050 , PS 3060 , PS 3330 , PS 3370 ; one of the following: PS 4230 , PS 4700 (highly recommended), PS 4920 , PS 4930 ; and 12 hours PS electives. Students must also complete additional teacher licensure requirements including COMM 2200 and either HIST 1010 , HIST 1020 , HIST 1110 , or HIST 1120 .

Students seeking an add-on endorsement in Political Science must take PS 1005 , PS 1010 , PS 3210 , PS 3220 , and three of the following courses: PS 3050 , PS 3060 , PS 3330 , PS 3370 , PS 4700 (highly recommended), or PS 4920 .

Please see Secondary Education Minor for minor requirements and additional information.

Degree Requirements

General Education (41 hours)

General Education requirements include Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

The following General Education course is recommended for this major:

PS 1005 or PS 1010 (Soc/Beh Sci)

Major Requirements (36 hours)

PS 1005 - Introduction to American Politics 3 credit hours
PS 1010 - Introduction to Global Politics 3 credit hours
PS 3210 - International Relations 3 credit hours
PS 3220 - Comparative Politics 3 credit hours
Choose 3 courses from:
PS 3050 - The U.S. Presidency 3 credit hours OR
PS 3060 - The U.S. Congress 3 credit hours OR
PS 3330 - Political Parties 3 credit hours OR
PS 3370 - American Constitutional Law 3 credit hours
Choose 1 course from the following:
PS 4230 - Classical Political Theory 3 credit hours OR
PS 4700 - American Political Thought 3 credit hours OR
PS 4920 - Modern Political Theory 3 credit hours OR
PS 4930 - Introduction to Contemporary Political Philosophy 3 credit hours

PS electives (12 hours)

History Requirement (12 hours)

Upper-division European 3 credit hours
Upper-division Global 3 credit hours
Upper-division United States 3 credit hours
Upper-division HIST elective 3 credit hours

Secondary Education Minor (30 hours)

See Secondary Education Minor for further information.

General Electives (1-4 hours)

Depending on General Education selections

Total hours in program: 120

Curriculum: Political Science Teacher Licensure

Curricular listings include General Education requirements in Communication, History, Humanities and/or Fine Arts, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social/Behavioral Sciences categories.

Freshman

ENGL 1010 - Expository Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
ENGL 1020 - Research and Argumentative Writing 3 credit hours (Comm)
PS 1005 - Introduction to American Politics 3 credit hours
PS 1010 - Introduction to Global Politics 3 credit hours (Soc/Beh Sci)
Mathematics 3 credit hours
Humanities and/or Fine Arts 3 credit hours
General elective 3 credit hours
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
Social/Behavioral Sciences 3 credit hours
HIST 1010 - Survey Western Civilization I 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HIST 1020 - Survey Western Civilization II 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HIST 1110 - Survey World Civilization I 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HIST 1120 - Survey World Civilization II 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)

Subtotal: 31 Hours

Sophomore

COMM 2200 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 credit hours (Comm)
PS 3210 - International Relations 3 credit hours
PS 3220 - Comparative Politics 3 credit hours
YOED 2500 - Planning and Assessment 3 credit hours
Elective 1 credit hour (PHED activity rec.)
Natural Sciences 4 credit hours
ENGL 2020 - Themes in Literature and Culture 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
ENGL 2030 - The Experience of Literature 3 credit hours (Hum/FA) OR
HUM 2610 - Foreign Literature in Translation 3 credit hours (Hum/FA)
PS 4230 - Classical Political Theory 3 credit hours OR
PS 4700 - American Political Thought 3 credit hours OR
PS 4920 - Modern Political Theory 3 credit hours OR
PS 4930 - Introduction to Contemporary Political Philosophy 3 credit hours
PS 3050 - The U.S. Presidency 3 credit hours OR
PS 3060 - The U.S. Congress 3 credit hours OR
PS 3330 - Political Parties 3 credit hours OR
PS 3370 - American Constitutional Law 3 credit hours
Choose 6 hours from:
HIST 2010 - Survey of United States History I 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2020 - Survey of United States History II 3 credit hours OR
HIST 2030 - Tennessee History 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 32 Hours

Junior

YOED 3000 - Classroom Management 3 credit hours
YOED 3300 - Problem-Based Instructional Strategies 3 credit hours
PS electives 6 credit hours
HIST upper-division Global 3 credit hours
HIST upper-division U.S. 3 credit hours
HIST upper-division European 3 credit hours
HIST upper-division elective 3 credit hours
Choose 6 hours from:
PS 3050 - The U.S. Presidency 3 credit hours OR
PS 3060 - The U.S. Congress 3 credit hours OR
PS 3330 - Political Parties 3 credit hours OR
PS 3370 - American Constitutional Law 3 credit hours

Subtotal: 30 Hours

Senior

YOED 4030 - Residency I: Grades 7-12 9 credit hours
YOED 4400 - Residency II 12 credit hours
PS electives 6 credit hours