Political Science

College of Arts & Sciences

  • Introduction to American Politics

    CAS PO 111

    Undergraduate core course. Study of the national political structure; emphasis on Congress, the executive, administrative agencies, and the judiciary. Relations between formal institutions, parties, and interest groups. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Critical Thinking. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

    Summer 1 (May 21-June 28)

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  • Introduction to Comparative Politics

    CAS PO 151

    Undergraduate core course. Examines different patterns of political development and contemporary politics in Europe, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Introduces the comparative method in political science and competing theories of political development and political change. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Critical Thinking. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

    Summer 2 (July 1-August 9)

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  • Introduction to International Relations

    CAS PO 171

    Undergraduate core course. Explores major issues in international relations, including conflict, cooperation, and governance. Addresses dominant international relations theories and their application. Investigates state system, international law and organization, transnational actors, state behavior, and globalization. Carries social science divisional credit in CAS. Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

    Summer 2 (July 1-August 9)

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  • Race and the Politics of Criminal Justice Policy

    CAS PO 316

    Online offering. Considers the following questions: How many people are affected by the criminal justice system? What is the relationship between crime and race? What criminal justice policies, if any, should change? Effective Fall 2018, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Social Inquiry I, Ethical Reasoning, Critical Thinking. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

    Summer 1 seven-week course (May 14-June 28)

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  • International Political Economy

    CAS PO 329

    Emphasizes the dynamic interaction between politics and economics to understand and explain historical and contemporary issues in international political economy, including international monetary, trade, investment, financial, and environmental relations. Considers emerging challenges and structures in the international political economy. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

    Summer 2 (July 1-August 9)

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  • Religion and Politics

    CAS PO 379

    Introduction to the comparative study of the political role of religious institutions and beliefs. Covers issues such as religion's relationship to violence and terrorism, democracy and human rights, group identity, gender and sexuality, and modernity and secularism. Effective Spring 2024, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: The Individual in Community, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Teamwork/Collaboration. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

    Summer 1 (May 21-June 28)

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  • ENLIGHTENMENT

    CAS PO 393

    ENLIGHTENMENT 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

    Summer 2 (July 1-August 9)

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  • Data Science for Politics

    CAS PO 399

    Undergraduate Prerequisites: Any 100-level course in Political Science. - Prereq: any 100-level course in Political Science. Data science is changing how we understand and study politics, policy, and decision-making. This course introduces students to the fundamental tools of data science, including collecting, modeling, and visualizing data, and how to apply these tools to study political and policy questions. Effective Spring 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Digital/Multimedia Expression, Quantitative Reasoning I. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

    Summer 1 (May 21-June 28)

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  • Political Economy of China

    CAS PO 548

    Undergraduate Prerequisites: junior standing or consent of instructor. First-Year Writing Seminar (WR 120 or equivalent). - Prereq: First-Year Writing Seminar (e.g., CAS WR 100 or CAS WR 120) and junior standing or consent of instructor. Provides a historical and comparative study of China's rise domestically and internationally and introduces China's national power, local governments, globalization, finance, and strategic concerns. Students learn to evaluate scholarly and policy pieces, compile evidence, and write research reports. Effective Spring 2022, this course fulfills a single unit in each of the following BU Hub areas: Writing-Intensive Course, Global Citizenship and Intercultural Literacy, Social Inquiry II. 4 cr. Tuition: $3180

    Summer 1 (May 21-June 28)

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