Political Science Minor

Why political science?

Political science is an ideal field of study for students interested in:

• Social justice: Building a more equitable world
• Rule of law: Ensuring that no one is above the law and laws are applied equally to all
• Understanding institutions: Identifying points of access and how power can be applied to change outcomes
• Systems of inequality: Understanding how opportunities and benefits in society are unequally distributed among groups, privileging some while subordinating others

What will I do in the minor?

Courses in the Political Science Minor will teach:

• The origins and development of political systems, ideologies and institutions;
• Political dimensions of difference and inequality;
• The impact of political values and the ways these values shape institutional development and change.

Students in the Political Science Minor will take between 19 and 20 credits of Political Science courses.

What can I do with the minor?

Students in the Political Science minor will choose between courses in three general areas:

• U.S. political institutions: These classes focus on the ways in which political institutions structure power in the United States, paying attention to issues of access, representation, and unequal outcomes.
• Global politics: These classes focus on international politics, globalization, and political problems that transcend international boundaries.
• Political action and community leadership: These classes focus on the development of concrete political skills related to community organizing and effective political advocacy.

The Political Science minor at Metro State University combines both the academic study of politics with real-world political experience. 

Student outcomes

The learning outcomes for this minor provide the knowledge, skills, and abilities to enter the 21st-century workplace to:

• know and understand the essential concepts of social science;
• comprehend the historical foundations, theoretical paradigms, and research methods of social science;
• develop higher order thinking skills by analyzing and interpreting social science literature;
• write analytically in a style that is informed, well-reasoned, and literate;
• recognize and understand differences of gender and sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, religion, and social class;
• understand and utilize a global perspective; and
• develop civic skills by participating in community-based learning and internships
• become advocates and leaders in their communities, our nation, and the globe.