Office of the Registrar

Political Science: International Development - Bachelor of Science 2022-23 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 2022-23 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 Courses Fall Credits Winter Courses Winter Credits Spring Courses Spring Credits
Freshman Inquiry or Honors 5 Freshman Inquiry or Honors 5 Freshman Inquiry or Honors 5
PS Lower Division Requirement 4 PS Lower Division Requirement 4 BS Science with Lab 3-4
BS Math/Statistics 3-4 BS Science with Lab 3-4 General Elective 4
Total Fall Credits 12-13 Total Winter Credits 12-13 Total Spring Credits 12-13

Second Year

Fall Courses Fall Credits Winter Courses  Winter Credits Spring Courses Spring Credits
Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement 3-4 Sophomore Inquiry or Honors 4 Sophomore Inquiry or Honors 4
PS Lower Division Requirement 4 BS Science 4 PS Upper Division Requirement 4
General Elective 4 General Elective 4 General Elective 4
General Elective 4 General Elective 4 General Elective 4
Total Fall Credits 15-16 Total Winter Credits 16 Total Spring Credits 16

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

Third Year

Fall Courses Fall Credits Winter Courses Winter Credits Spring Courses Spring Credits
Upper Division Cluster or Honors 4 Upper Division Cluster or Honors 4 Upper Division Cluster or Honors 4
Race and Ethnic Studies Requirement 3-4 PS Upper Division Elective 4 Non-PS Upper Division Elective 4
PS Upper Division Requirement 4 General Elective 4 PS Upper Division Elective 4
PS Upper Division Elective 4 General Elective 4 General Elective 4
Total Fall Credits 15-16 Total Winter Credits 16 Total Spring Credits 16

Fourth Year

Fall Courses Fall Credits Winter Courses Winter Credits Spring Courses Spring Credits
PS Upper Division Elective 4 Non-PS Upper Division Elective 4 Senior Capstone or Honors Thesis 6
Upper Division General Elective 4 Upper Division General Elective 4 Research Project or Internship 4
General Elective 4 General Elective 4 General Elective 4
General Elective 4 General Elective 4    
Total Fall Credits 16 Total Winter Credits 16 Total Spring Credits 14

 

Additional Map Notes:

  • PS Lower Division Requirement: Must take three of the following: PS 101 or 102 (not both), 204, 205, 208.
  • 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.
  • Sophomore Inquiry or Honors: For University Studies, two Sophomore Inquiry courses are required, but for Honors, three Sophomore courses are required.
  • PS Upper Division Requirement: See Bulletin for list of acceptable courses. 
  • PS Upper Division Elective: See Bulletin for list of acceptable courses.
  • Non-PS Upper Division Elective: See Bulletin for list of acceptable courses. 
  • Research Project or Internship: PS 404 or PS 405 will be used by arrangement with PS faculty member.
  • You may need to add additional general elective credits to your plan to reach 180 total credits.

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