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Jun 02, 2026
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2026-2027 Academic Catalog
Political Science, BA
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 Return to: Programs of Study (A-Z)
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About the Program
 Political Science is a major under the History & Politics, BA program. Political Science majors explore the world of government and politics both in the US and around the world. They analyze political leaders, campaigns, voting, the courts and legal systems, international relations, the government and politics of other countries, political violence and terrorism, war and peace, and many other key topics. In doing so, they learn the critical thinking, writing and communication skills that employers and graduate schools are looking for.
Degree Requirements
- 120 Credit Hours
- Minimum grade of C required for ENGL 10400 , POL 10100 , POL 31200 , PSY 12000 , and all World Language courses; Minimum grade of C- required for all other POL courses
- Minimum GPA of 2.0 required for graduation
- Certain courses may only be available at one campus location
PNW General Education Core (30 Credits)
CHESS College Core (24 Credits)
- Four (4) College of Humanities, Education, and Social Sciences (CHESS) electives from courses outside of the student’s major. Electives may not be used toward the fulfillment of General Education requirements (*See notes below) (12 Credits)
- World Language - Proficiency through Level IV in one world language (12 Credits)
*Requirements for transfer students are based on the number of transfer credits accepted at PNW as follows: - Students who transfer with less than 30 credits need to take 4 CHESS Core Electives (12 credits)
- Students who transfer with 30 credits or more and with less than 60 credits need to take 3 CHESS Core Electives (9 credits)
- Students who transfer with 60 credits or more and with less than 90 credits need to take 2 CHESS Core Electives (6 credits)
- Students who transfer with 90 credits or more need to take 1 CHESS Core Elective (3 credits)
Other Required Courses (30 Credits)
- Free Electives (30 Credits)
Civics Literacy Proficiency
The Civics Literacy Proficiency activities are designed to develop civic knowledge of Purdue Northwest students in an effort to graduate a more informed citizenry. Students will complete the Proficiency by passing a test of civic knowledge, and completing one of three paths: - Attending six approved civics-related events and completing an assessment for each; or
- Completing 12 podcasts created by the Purdue Center for C-SPAN Scholarship and Engagement that use C-SPAN material and completing an assessment for each; or
- Earning a passing grade for one of the approved courses (or transferring in approved AP or departmental credit in lieu of taking a course)
For more information visit the Civics Literacy Proficiency website. Total 120 Credits Required
Requirements
Minimum Grade and Grade Point Average (GPA): Minimum grade of C required for ENGL 10400, POL 10100, POL 31200, PSY 12000, and all Foreign Language courses; Minimum grade of C- required for all other POL courses; 2.0 GPA Experiential Learning (EL): One EL course required, select from the Experiential Learning course list General Education Core: General Education notations can be found within the course description. Please click on a course to see if it meets a Gen Ed requirement. Milestone Courses noted by (m) next to the course title have been identified as being critical to your success in this field of study. Please see the Additional Information and Guidelines section below for more information. Year One - Fall (18 Credits)
Year One - Spring (18 Credits)
Year One - Summer (6 Credits)
- Free Elective
- Free Elective
Year Two - Fall (18 Credits)
Year Two - Spring (18 Credits)
- 10000-level or above HIST course
- 30000-level or above Global POL course
- 30000-level or above POL class
- CHESS Elective (See Note 1)
- Free Elective
- World Language Level IV (See Note 2)
Year Two - Summer (6 Credits)
- Free Elective
- Free Elective
Year Three - Fall (18 Credits)
Year Three - Spring (18 Credits)
Semester 8 (15 Credits)
- 30000-level or above POL class
- CHESS Elective (See Note 1)
- Free Elective
- Free Elective
- Free Elective
Additional Information and Guidelines
Note 1: Requirements for transfer students are based on the number of transfer credits accepted at PNW as follows: - Students who transfer with less than 30 credits need to take 4 CHESS Core Electives (12 credits)
- Students who transfer with 30 credits or more and with less than 60 credits need to take 3 CHESS Core Electives (9 credits)
- Students who transfer with 60 credits or more and with less than 90 credits need to take 2 CHESS Core Electives (6 credits)
- Students who transfer with 90 credits or more need to take 1 CHESS Core Elective (3 credits)
Note 2: Any world language is accepted. Students must complete four (4) semesters of the same world language or test out at level 4. College Scorecard
The U.S. Department of Education has created a scorecard for each university and its programs. The scorecard shows data for the university such as graduation rate, average annual cost, and median earnings. Then, when certain minimum standards have been met, data are available for a specific program. That data could include median earnings, median total debt, and number of graduates. The link below will help you learn more: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?490805-Purdue-University-Northwest&fos_code=4510&fos_credential=3 |
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