Political Science

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Program Learning Outcomes: Program Learning Outcomes: Political Science

This major may be paired with any minor.

Students must complete all of the following requirements to graduate with a bachelor of arts in this program. Some courses may apply toward multiple requirements.

College Requirements:

Degree Requirements (2025-26)

Students are required to complete all standard college requirements.

Division Requirements:

History and Social Sciences

Students are required to fulfill the division requirements for their major

Total divisional units: 4

Major Requirements:

Total major units: 11

Seven units of political science:

Two Units Empirical Politics from the Following:

One Unit Political Theory from the Following (POL 280-298, 380-415):

Four Additional Units in Political Science (excluding 300, 311, and 470)

One Unit in Statistics from the Following:

One Unit of Junior Year Requirements:

POL 300 - Junior Research Seminar
Junior qualifying examination. Specific requirements are stated on the department junior qualifying examination page, reed.edu/poli_sci/resources/juniorqual.html.

Two units of Thesis:

POL 470 - Thesis

Recommended but Not Required:

Students are encouraged to complete the statistics requirement in their sophomore year or the first semester of their junior year.
Proficiency in a non-English language is recommended for all majors, especially for those with interests in comparative politics and international relations.