Liberal Arts (Code 420-001)

University Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR BACCALAUREATE DEGREE
Credit Requirements
Minimum total for graduation 1		120
Upper division credits (courses numbered 300 and higher)		39
Liberal Education Core		36
Academic Concentrations
Grade Point Requirements 2
Total		2.00 average
Resident		2.00 average
Major		2.00 average
Minor		2.00 average
Certificate		2.00 average
University Residency Requirements
Minimum total		30
Senior year		23
Major, Standard, upper division in residence		12
Major, Comprehensive, upper division in residence		21
Certificate		25 percent of credits
Procedures Required for Graduation
Obtain admission to the degree program and/or the College offering it.
Apply for graduation on CampS.

¹

Certain programs exceed this minimum.

²

See special requirements in each College.

Applicability of Credits Toward Graduation

Junior College or Two-Year College Credits. A maximum of 72 semester credits earned in a junior college or two-year college will be accepted as degree credits at UW-Eau Claire.

Extension Credits. Credits earned in credit outreach courses offered by UW-Eau Claire are treated as resident credits. Credits earned in extension courses offered by other units of the University of Wisconsin System are treated as transfer credits. All other (non-UW) extension and correspondence credits are normally limited to one-fourth of the total required for graduation from any curriculum.

WTCS Credits. A maximum of 72 semester credits earned in college parallel programs at Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Nicolet Area Technical College, or Chippewa Valley Technical College may be accepted as degree credits at UW-Eau Claire. A set number of general education courses will be accepted from other technical schools. Occupational and technical courses may also be considered for transfer if the quality and content of the course work from the technical college is judged to be comparable to course work at UW-Eau Claire. Refer to the Transfer Credit Wizard or contact the UW-Eau Claire Admissions Office for information about the current transfer policy.

USAFI Credit. UW-Eau Claire will accept up to 32 semester credits for work done through the United States Armed Forces Institute, under the provision for non-UW correspondence credit (see Extension Credits above).

Activity Credit (band, chorus, drama, KINS 100-184 courses) Students may count toward graduation no more than one credit of KINS 110-184 courses. Students may count toward graduation no more than four credits earned in any single activity course and no more than 12 credits resulting from any combination of activity courses (excluding KINS 110-184 courses). 

Other Restricted Credits. For other University restrictions, see the following: Cooperative Education; Credit by Examination; Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Registration; Transfer of Credits. College or departmental restrictions may also be placed on Independent Study (399-499 courses), Directed Study (395-495), and other types of credits.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
APPLICABILITY OF CREDITS TOWARD GRADUATION		Credit Restrictions
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Total degree credit		maximum 12
Major, Standard		maximum 1 course
Major, Comprehensive		maximum 2 courses
Minor		maximum 1 course
Credit by Examination
Total degree credit		maximum ¼ of total
Major or minor		maximum ½ of total
Two-Year College Credits
Total degree credit		maximum 72 credits
Activity credit (band, chorus, drama, KINS 100-184)
Total KINS 100-184		maximum 1 credit
Total Band, chorus, drama		maximum 12 credits
Single course band, chorus, drama		maximum 4 credits
Extension credits
UW-System		no maximum
Other extension/correspondence		maximum ¼ of total
USAFI
USAFI		maximum 32 credits

Liberal Education Core

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire measures learning outcomes to ensure that its graduates have achieved a liberal education and prepared themselves to contribute to a complex society. Upon graduation, each undergraduate will have met the five learning goals of our liberal education core and the 12 learning outcomes they comprise. 

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
LIBERAL EDUCATION CORE REQUIREMENTS		a minimum of 36 credits
Knowledge Goal
Knowledge Outcome 1 (K1): Natural Sciences		Two (2) learning experiences
One experience in laboratory science must be selected from either K1 or K2.
Knowledge Outcome 2 (K2): Social Sciences		Two (2) learning experiences
One experience in laboratory science must be selected from either K1 or K2.
Knowledge Outcome 3 (K3): Humanities		Two (2) learning experiences
Knowledge Outcome 4 (K4): Fine Arts		One (1) learning experience
Skills Goal
Skills Outcome 1 (S1): Written and Oral Communication		Two (2) learning experiences
One S1 must meet the University Writing Requirement
Skills Outcome 2 (S2): Mathematics		One (1) learning experience
One S2 to meet the University Mathematics Requirement
Skills Outcome 3 (S3): Creativity		One (1) learning experience
Responsibility Goal
Responsibility Outcome 1 (R1): Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity		Two (2) learning experiences
One R1 must satisfy Design for Diversity
Responsibility Outcome 2 (R2): Global Perspectives		One (1) learning experience
Responsibility Outcome 3 (R3): Civic and Environmental Issues		One (1) learning experience
Integration Goal
Integration Outcome 1 (I1): Integration		Two (2) learning experiences
Service-Learning Goal
Service-Learning		30 hours

College Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science Degree (B.A./B.S.)

University Graduation Requirements. All candidates for degrees must fulfill the requirements for credits, curriculum, GPA, and University residency as specified in the section of this catalog titled University Graduation Requirements.

College Graduation Requirements: Grade Point Averages. All candidates for degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences must earn minimum resident and total GPAs of 2.00 in the major, the minor, and the certificate. The resident and total GPAs for the major are computed using all attempted credits applicable to the major including those offered by departments other than the major department. The resident and total GPAs for the minor and the certificate are computed similarly.

Major-Minor and Major-Certificate Requirements. A standard major (a minimum of 36 credits) must be supplemented by a minor (a minimum of 24 credits) or by a certificate (12 to 18 credits) to meet graduation requirements for completing a first and second degree program. No minor or certificate is required with a Comprehensive Major (60 or more credits) or with two majors of 36 or more credits each.

Certain degree programs, which include Comprehensive Majors, may require more than the minimum of 120 credits for graduation.

Acceptable academic program combinations are determined at the college level. A major and a minor or a major and certificate or two majors (if available) may not be elected in the same department or program, except in the approved combinations listed here.

College Credits. Earn at least 90 credits in courses offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Bachelor of Arts Degree in the College of Arts and Sciences (B.A.)

Fulfillment of all University Graduation Requirements (which includes the Liberal Education Core); all College-level degree requirements (major and minor/certificate emphases, GPAs, earning at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences course work); foreign language competency at the 102 level.  Foreign language competency may be met in one of two ways:  (1) Achieve a score on the foreign language placement test that qualifies the student to enter the 201-level course in a foreign language.  (2) Earn a grade of at least C (not C-) or a mark of S in a 102-level foreign language course (or AIS 112 or AIS 122 or CSD 103).

Bachelor of Science Degree in the College of Arts and Sciences (B.S.)

Fulfillment of all University Graduation Requirements (which includes the Liberal Education Core); all College-level degree requirements (major and minor/certificate emphases, GPAs, earning at least 90 credits in Arts and Sciences course work); mathematics competency at the MATH 111, MATH 112 or MATH 113 level.  Mathematics competency can be met in one of three ways:  (1) Achieve a score on the mathematics placement test that qualifies the student to enter MATH 114.  (2) Earn a grade of at least C (not C-) or a mark of S in MATH 111, MATH 112, or MATH 113.  (3) Achieve a satisfactory score on the MATH 112 competency test.  This test may be attempted no more than two times.

Major Requirements

Liberal Arts (Code 420-001)

A comprehensive major in Political Science combines political science with courses in other disciplines. Students choose either the Legal Studies emphasis or the World Politics emphasis.

The Legal Studies emphasis provides an emphasis in legal studies for those students interested in law school, paralegal studies, and law and society.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
Sixty semester credits, including:
Required political science credits:
POLS 110	American National Politics	3
POLS 122	Introduction to World Politics	3
POLS 290	Introduction to Political Analysis	3
POLS 338	Judicial Politics	3
POLS 403	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Powers of Government	3
POLS 404	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Civil Liberties	3
POLS 405	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Due Process and Criminal Law	3
POLS 406	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Equality and Privacy	3
POLS 480	Political Science Capstone	3
Elective political science credits, including:		21
One course in International Relations
Two courses in Comparative Government (one must be at the 300 level or higher)
Two courses in Political Theory from the following:
POLS 310	Modern Political Thought
POLS 311	Contemporary Political Thought
POLS 312	American Political Thought
POLS 314	The Idea of Tolerance in the Western Political Tradition
Required:
Two additional courses in political science from the four course groupings (200 level or higher)
Elective courses from other disciplines selected from the following list:		12
ACCT 201	Introduction to Accounting
ACCT 202	Principles of Accounting
CJ 202	Fundamentals of Speech
CRMJ 319	Police in Society
CRMJ 342	Confinement and Corrections
ECON 103	Principles of Microeconomics
ECON 104	Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 303	Intermediate Microeconomic Theory
ECON 304	Intermediate Macroeconomic Theory
ECON 311	History of Economic Thought
ECON 316	Econometrics
ECON 321	Money and Banking
HIST 114	United States History to 1877
HIST 115	United States History Since 1877
PHIL 120	Ethical Reasoning
PHIL 150	Logic and Critical Thinking
PHIL 310	Philosophy of Law
Total Credits		60

Note:  MATH 246 or its equivalent must be completed as part of the Liberal Education Core requirements. Credits will not count toward the major.

Information for Political Science Majors and Minors

Political Science courses at the 200 level and above are classified into the following four course groupings:

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
American Politics
POLS 217	Freedom of Speech	3
POLS 301	State and Local Politics	3
POLS 305	Survey of U.S. Constitutional Principles	3
POLS 338	Judicial Politics	3
POLS 340	Congress and the Presidency	3
POLS 341	Political Parties, Elections, and Voting	3
POLS 342	Public Opinion and Political Behavior	3
POLS 343	Public Administration	3
POLS 344	Media and Politics	3
POLS 345	Film and Politics	3
POLS 346	Public Policy in the United States	3
POLS 350	Group and Minority Politics	3
POLS 353	Afro-American Politics	3
POLS 403	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Powers of Government	3
POLS 404	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Civil Liberties	3
POLS 405	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Due Process and Criminal Law	3
POLS 406	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Equality and Privacy	3
POLS/AIS 250	American Indian Politics	3
POLS/WGSS 351	Women and Politics	3
International Relations
POLS 325	Model United Nations	3
POLS 330	U.S. Foreign Policy	3
POLS 331	International Organization and Law	3
POLS 332	International Conflict	3
POLS 334	International Political Economy	3
POLS 335	International Relations Theory	3
POLS 336	Arab-Israeli Conflict	3
Comparative Government
POLS 260	Introduction to Comparative Politics	3
POLS 321	Politics of the Middle East	3
POLS 322	Politics of Russia	3
POLS 323	Politics of Eastern Europe	3
POLS 324	Politics of Asia	3
POLS 327	Politics of Continental Europe	3
POLS 329	Political Violence	3
POLS/WGSS 352	Gender and Politics in Global Perspective	3
POLS 390	Culture and Politics	3
POLS/LAS 319	Politics of Latin America	3
Political Theory
POLS 309	Classical Political Thought	3
POLS 310	Modern Political Thought	3
POLS 311	Contemporary Political Thought	3
POLS 312	American Political Thought	3
POLS 314	The Idea of Tolerance in the Western Political Tradition	3
POLS 354	Identity and Discrimination in Politics	3

NOTE: All majors should take POLS 290 before taking any 300 level courses.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students completing this program will be expected to meet the following learning outcomes:

• Communication Skills: Political Science students will be able to write and speak effectively.
• Research Skills: Political Science students will be able to construct research questions and use appropriate sources and methods to answer them.  
• Knowledge of American Politics: Political Science students will analyze political behavior, institutions, and law or policy.
• Knowledge of Political Theory: Political Science students will analyze core intellectual traditions in political thought and apply to political issues.
• Knowledge of International Relations: Political Science students will analyze the behavior of international actors and the nature of their interactions.
• Knowledge of Comparative Politics: Political Science students will analyze the political systems of states.
• Civic Responsibility: Political Science students will demonstrate sense of responsibility necessary to become constructive global citizens.
• Integration: Political Science students will connect academic knowledge to their own experiences and make connections across disciplines.
• Knowledge of Constitutional Law and Legal Arguments: Political Science, Legal Studies students will analyze U.S. Supreme Court cases and contending legal arguments.

Political Science, Legal Studies Emphasis, Comprehensive Major, B.A.

The following is a sample degree plan, based on the current catalog. It is based on the 120-credit graduation requirement and assumes no transferred credits, no requirements waived by placement tests, no courses taken in the summer or winter, no repeated courses, and no remedial courses that may be required. This sample degree plan is intended for first-year students entering UW-Eau Claire in the fall semester. Your own degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). UW-Eau Claire cannot guarantee all courses will be offered as shown, but will provide a range of courses that may enable prepared students to fulfill their requirements in a timely period. This sample degree plan is just a guide. Please consult your advisor, your degree audit, and the catalog to create your own degree plan. Note: In order to earn the required minimum of 120 credits for the degree in four years, you should plan to take 15 credits each semester or 30 credits each year.

To earn a degree, students must fulfill all University Graduation Requirements, including the Liberal Education (LE) Core.  LE Core course work in the following sample degree plan uses abbreviations such as LE-K1, LE-S2, LE-R3, and LE-I1 to represent the learning outcomes students will meet via completion of their liberal education course work.  Please click here for a description of the Liberal Education Core outcomes and requirements. Note that the LE Core may be completed through both course and non-course experiences.

Students in this major have the option to pursue either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree.  The degrees are distinguished by foreign language competency for the B.A. and a higher level of mathematics competency for the B.S.

Course List

Code	Title	Credits
SOME TIME IN THE FIRST YEAR
POLS 110	American National Politics	3
WRIT 114	Intensive Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing	5
or
WRIT 116
MATH 246	Elementary Statistics (LE-S2)	4
LE Option: Knowledge 3 (LE-K3) Humanities		3
POLS 122	Introduction to World Politics (LE-K2, LE-R2)	3
Non-POLS Elective from list below a		3
LE Option: Knowledge 1 (LE-K1) Natural Sciences		4
LE Option: Knowledge 4 (LE-K4) Fine Arts		3
LE Option: Responsibility 1 (LE-R1) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity		3
TOTAL FIRST YEAR		31
SOME TIME IN THE SECOND YEAR
POLS 290	Introduction to Political Analysis (LE-S3 - prereq for all 300 level Pols courses)	3
Non-POLS Elective from list below a		3
LE Option: Knowledge 3 (LE-K3) Humanities		3
For Language 101-level (LE Option: Skills 1 (LE-S1) Written and Oral Communication)		4
Elective		3
POLS 338	Judicial Politics	3
POLS Theory b		3
POLS Elective c		3
LE Option: Integration (LE-I1)		3
For Language 102-level		4
TOTAL SECOND YEAR		32
SOME TIME IN THE THIRD YEAR
POLS 403	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Powers of Government (Fall only)	3
POLS Comparative Government e		3
POLS Theory b		3
Elective		3
Elective		3
POLS 404	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Civil Liberties (Spring only)	3
POLS International Relations d		3
POLS Comparative Government e		3
Non-POLS Elective from list below a		3
LE Option: Knowledge 1 (LE-K1) Natural Sciences		3
TOTAL THIRD YEAR		30
SOME TIME IN THE FOURTH YEAR
POLS 405	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Due Process and Criminal Law (POLS Theory) b	3
POLS Theory b		3
Non-POLS Elective from list below a		3
POLS 406	U.S. Constitutional Principles - Equality and Privacy	3
Elective		3
Elective		3
Non-POLS Elective from list below a		3
Elective		3
Elective		3
FOURTH YEAR - SECOND SEMESTER
POLS 480	Political Science Capstone (LE-I1)	3
TOTAL FOURTH YEAR		30
Minimum total for the baccalaureate degree = 120 credits

a

Electives from other disciplines are required for the Legal Studies Emphasis. Choose a total of 15 credits from the following: ACCT 201, ACCT 202, CJ 202, CRMJ 319, CRMJ 342, ECON 103, ECON 104, ECON 303, ECON 304, ECON 311, ECON 316, ECON 321,  HIST 114, HIST 115, PHIL 120, PHIL 150, PHIL 310.

b

Two courses in Political Theory grouping. See ​Information for Political Science Majors and Minors for a list of the appropriate courses.

c

In addition to minimum requirements in each of the groupings, two courses must be taken from any of the four groupings. These two courses do not need to be from the same grouping.

d

One course in International Relations grouping. See ​Information for Political Science Majors and Minors for a list of the appropriate courses.

e

Two courses in Comparative Government grouping. See ​Information for Political Science Majors and Minors for a list of the appropriate courses.

Note:  All students must complete the 30-hour Service-Learning Requirement via a non-credit or credit option (see University Graduation Requirements). 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES (HIPs)
The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire encourages all students to participate in High Impact Practices.  The following information identifies any specific recommendations that faculty in this major have concerning which HIPs might be most beneficial to students, and any recommendations about when those HIPs best fit into the degree plan. Students should also consult their faculty advisor for information on HIPs. There are many additional high impact opportunities available. Talk to your academic advisor for more information about incorporating HIPs like Study Abroad, Intercultural Immersion, Internship, and/or Student/Faculty Collaborative Research into your time at UW-Eau Claire.

The Political Science and Criminal Justice Department encourages our majors to consider all of the available High Impact Practices. The most common ones among our majors are internships, study abroad  programs, and collaborative research opportunities.

Liberal Education (LE) Core Guidance