Office of the Registrar

Political Science: Public Service - Bachelor of Science 2023-24 Degree Map

Requirements (REQ) of a Bachelors Degree

Degree Maps show one way how you can earn a degree in four years. Talk with your advisor regularly to develop a personalized plan that works best for you, especially if you have any earned transferrable academic credit.

To graduate in four years, you need an average of 45 credits per year to reach 180 total credits, including 62 upper division (300/400 level courses) credits. You may need to take electives (courses that are not used to meet specific requirements) to reach those totals. Most courses at PSU are 4 credits each. If you transfer credit to PSU, the number of credits you need per year will vary accordingly. 

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This guide outlines the requirements in the 2023-24 catalog. Catalog year defines the specific set of requirements you need to complete a degree. Requirements occasionally change, so it may benefit you to follow a different catalog. Typically, your catalog year is the year you began at PSU, but if you are a transfer student you may be able to use an earlier catalog. Talk with your advisor about which catalog requirements make sense for you.

PSU Bulletins (2015-present) about this content

First Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Freshman Inquiry or Honors5Freshman Inquiry or Honors5Freshman Inquiry or Honors5
General Elective4BS Science with Lab3-4BS Science with Lab3-4
BS Math/Statistics3-4General Elective4General Elective4
Total Fall Credits12-13Total Winter Credits12-13Total Spring Credits12-13

Second Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter Courses Winter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement3-4Sophomore Inquiry or Honors4Sophomore Inquiry or Honors4
PS Lower Division Requirement4PS Lower Division Requirement4PS Lower Division Requirement4
BS Science4General Elective4General Elective4
General Elective4General Elective4General Elective4
Total Fall Credits15-16Total Winter Credits16Total Spring Credits16

Second Year Milestones: Complete Math and Science (by end of second year).

Third Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
Upper Division Cluster or Honors4Upper Division Cluster or Honors4Upper Division Cluster or Honors4
Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement3-4PS/PA Upper Division Elective4PS/PA Upper Division Elective4
PS/PA Upper Division Elective4PS Upper Division Core Requirement4Upper Division General Elective4
General Elective4General Elective4General Elective4
Total Fall Credits15-16Total Winter Credits16Total Spring Credits16

Fourth Year

Fall CoursesFall CreditsWinter CoursesWinter CreditsSpring CoursesSpring Credits
PS/PA Upper Division Elective4PS/PA Upper Division Elective4Senior Capstone or Honors Thesis6
PS Upper Division Core Requirement4PS 4048Upper Division General Elective4
General Elective4General Elective4General Elective3
General Elective4    
Total Fall Credits16Total Winter Credits16Total Spring Credits13

 

Additional Map Notes:

  • Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement: Two courses required, each minimum 3 credits: one course must focus on the U.S. experience; the second course must center the experiences of groups under European and U.S. colonialism and imperialism beyond the United States. One must be within the School of Gender, Race and Nations or be cross-listed with one of the SGRN units: Black Studies (BSt), Chicano/Latino Studies (ChLa), Indigenous Nations Studies (NAS), or Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies (WS). If you choose a RESR course that can be applied towards another requirement, take an elective here instead.
  • PS Lower Division Requirement: Must take three of the following: PS 101 or 102 (not both), 204, 205, 208.
  • Sophomore Inquiry or Honors: For University Studies, two Sophomore Inquiry courses are required, but for Honors, three Sophomore courses are required.
  • PS/PA Upper Division Elective: A minimum of three must be Political Science courses. See Bulletin for options.
  • PS Upper Division Core Requirement: Must take two courses from the following: PS 331, PS 335U, PS 419, PS 431.
  • You may need to add additional general elective credits to your plan to reach 180 total credits.

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