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2021-2022

Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (accelerated masters degree option)

VCU

Community college:
Associate of Science: General Studies (Piedmont Virginia Community College)
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Associate degree

Associate of Science: General Studies

Program description

Political science is the systematic study of institutions, behavior and ideas in order to further our understanding and explanation of government and politics at the local, state, national and international levels. The discipline has a rich history that bridges the present with the past and future, is pluralistic in its modes of inquiry and adopts a critical approach that makes use of qualitative and quantitative analytic methods.


The Department of Political Science uses its unique position on an urban campus located in the state capital and just a short distance from Washington, D.C. to provide our students with transformative learning experiences that promote active and engaged citizenship, domestically and globally. We integrate our teaching with cutting-edge scholarship that advances the boundaries of the discipline and meaningfully impacts public debate and policy.

Career opportunities

A bachelor’s degree in political science can lead to exciting careers in federal, state and local governments; law; business; international organizations; nonprofit associations and organizations; campaign management and polling; journalism; precollegiate education; electoral politics; research; and university- and college-level teaching.

Bachelor-level job titles
  • Compliance officer
  • Equal opportunity representative
  • Fundraiser
  • Insurance adjuster, examiner and investigator
  • Intelligence analyst
  • Legislator
  • Municipal clerk
  • Paralegal and legal assistant
  • Risk management specialist
  • Staff and legislative assistant
Graduate and professional level job titles
  • Attorney
  • Diplomat
  • Government Agency Administrator
  • Policy Advisor
Contact information

 

VCU Transfer Center

Telephone: (804) 827-1349

Email: transferinfo@vcu.edu

Transfer Advising Request

VCCS Transfer Planning Checklist


Office of Admissions

Telephone: (804) 828-1222 or (800) 841-3638

Email: ugrad@vcu.edu
Apply Here.

Guaranteed transfer admission requirements

Completion of associate degree
Minimum GPA of 2.5
All courses must be completed with a grade of "C" or better

Degree requirements in Bulletin
Plan of study in Bulletin
Requirements
Highest level of math required
  • Quantitative Foundations requirement only
Science required
  • Natural Sciences requirement only
Foreign language requirements
  • Yes
Additional tuition/fees
  • No
GPA requirements (to progress/graduate in the major)
  • 2.0+ cumulative GPA, 2.0+ major GPA
VCU Major Maps

View VCU Major Map for Political Science with concentration in Civil Rights, Comparative Politics, Human Security, International Relations, Political Theory and Methodology, Politics and Government, Public Policy and Administration, U.S. Government

Transfer major map
Visit majormaps.vcu.edu for the online version with links.
Sponsored by the Office of the Provost
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (accelerated masters degree option)

Piedmont Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: General Studies)

MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
Explore Year 1
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.
Experience Year 2
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Political Science Department and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a second foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Political Science department-related events.
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.

Explore
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Attend cultural events at community college and/or VCU and celebrate diversity.
  • Attend VCU’s annual Intercultural Festival or another community intercultural event.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Familiarize yourself with the Career Services offered at Community College and VCU and explore Career Pathways on the VCU website.
  • Practice independent living skills (such as money management, self-care, time management, and personal responsibility).
  • Take a career assessment through the Virginia Wizard.
  • Assess your preparation for a career by completing a Gap Analysis.

Experience
MAXIMIZE COURSE AND DEGREE PLANNING
GET CONNECTED WITH YOUR COMMUNITY
  • Visit the VCU campus and attend a transfer admission session.
  • Research housing for next year.
  • Attend a talk or other event sponsored by the VCU Political Science Department and consider joining a VCU club, or meeting with VCU students to make professional and personal connections.
DEVELOP CULTURAL AGILITY
  • Learn about short-term, semester and year-long study abroad options.
  • Consider learning a second foreign language to open doors to international organizations and future study.
  • Attend VCU cultural events, including the monthly Global Café, VCU Diversity Scholars in Research week, or Political Science department-related events.
EXPLORE CAREERS AND DEVELOP ESSENTIAL SKILLS
  • Find out about VCU REAL.
  • Attend Career & Internship Fairs at community college or VCU to explore your interests.
  • Plan to complete at least two internships (job experiences) before your senior year of college.
  • Create a draft resume and bring it to career services advisor or workshop for review.
PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE
  • Conduct informational interviews or shadow someone in a field of career interest.
  • Using LinkedIn, connect to at least 10 people. Check out the VCU alumni page in My Network.
  • Consider who you would like to have serve as professional and academic references for future letters of recommendation.
  • Use the cost calculator to estimate your tuition/fees as an upperclassman at VCU.
  • Take advantage of free Financial Aid counseling.
Recommended courses
Major map compass icon
2021-2022

Political Science, Bachelor of Arts (accelerated masters degree option)

Piedmont Virginia Community College (Associate of Science: General Studies)

Piedmont Virginia Community College courses
Course Title Equivalent course Credits Requirements
SDV 100 College Success Skills UNIV 101 1 Elective
ENG 111 College Composition I Note: students with credit for AP English Language and Composition will only receive credit for UNIV 111 at VCU and should take ENG 112 to fulfill the VCU composition requirement. UNIV 111-112 3 General education
ENG 112 College Composition II UNIV 200 3 General education
HIS Select 1: HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
HIS Select 1: HIS 101, 102, 111, 112, 121, 122 HIST 3 General education
CST 100 Principles of Public Speaking SPCH 121 3 Elective
ITE 119 Information Literacy INFO 160, 161, 168 3 Elective
Humanities Select 1: ART 101, 102; MUS 121; CST 250; PHI 100, 200; REL 230 VCU equivalent 3 General education
Humanities Select from approved PVCC list VCU equivalent 3 Elective
ENG Select 1: ENG 200-level literature ENGL 3 General education
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning MATH 131 3 General education
MTH 155 Statistical Reasoning STAT 208 3 General education
Science w/ Laboratory Select 1: BIO 101, 106, 107; CHM 101, 111; GOL 105; NAS 131; PHY 100, 201 VCU equivalent 4 General education
Science w/ Laboratory Select 1: BIO 101, 106, 107; CHM 101, 111; GOL 105; NAS 131; PHY 100, 201 VCU equivalent 4 General education
Social Science PLS 211 U.S. Government (or PLS 135) POLI 103 3 Major (Ancillary)
Social Science PLS 241 International Relations POLI 105 3 Major (Ancillary)
Social Science Select from approved PVCC list VCU equivalent 3 Elective
Transfer elective Transfer elective (foreign language 101 recommended; see note below about VCU's foreign language requirement) VCU equivalent 3 to 4 Elective
Transfer elective Transfer elective (foreign language 102 recommended; see note below about VCU's foreign language requirement) VCU equivalent 3 to 4 Elective
Transfer elective Select 1: PLS 216, PLS 225 POLI 319 or POLI 308 3 Major
Transfer elective Transfer elective VCU equivalent 3 Elective
PVCC credits transferred to VCU 63
VCU courses
Course Title Credits Requirements
POLI 107 Political Theory 3 Major
POLI 109 Comparative Politics 3 Major
POLI 320 Research Methods in Political Science 3 Major
POLI 490 Senior Seminar 3 Major
POLI Select upper-level Political Science concentration electives (see VCU advisor) 15 Major
Upper-level electives (300- or 400-level courses): consider a minor or a second major Note: Students must complete a minimum of 45 upper-level credits to graduate from VCU. 21 Elective
Open electives 9 Elective
Credits completed at VCU 57
Bachelor's degree total 120