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FAQs
- What do students do with a degree in political science?
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Political Science students learn about politics in a very broad sense while developing
their abilities to research, analyze, and write. All of these skills are useful in
many work settings. Our graduates have worked for the Peace Corps and Americorps as
well as in banking, in human rights, in computer software development, in campaigns,
as lobbyists, for elected officials, and in law. Much of what people do upon graduation
comes from the passions they have.
- Do you offer internships?
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We place students in internships in the state legislature, in the offices of Colorado's
congressional delegation, in political campaigns, in advocacy organizations, in legal
services, in the district attorney's office, and in the public defender's office.
The department has links with many community organizations, and we offer students
the advantages of living in a major metropolitan area.
To earn academic credit for internships, we offer a fall Campaign Internship Seminar
during each major election year.
For current listings of job and internships, take a look at our Portfolio page.
- What are your classes like?
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Our classes are small, with most upper division classes capped at 25 students. Our
professors use a variety of educational methods to encourage understanding of course
material, often assigning short written assignments and promoting cooperative, student-centered
learning. Several of our classes involve service learning, partnered with organizations
throughout the community to provide students with real world training.
- Does your department have any scholarships and if so how do I apply?
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Yes, Political Science has two scholarships, the Anna Mae Bradbury Scholarship and
the Hogan Scholarship. Selection is done jointly by the Department and the Office
of Financial Aid and is based on merit and financial need. There are no applications
for these scholarships, but students must have completed the FAFSA for that academic year to be eligible. Scholarship winners are notified in the Spring
and the scholarship is applied to tuition for the following academic year.
- What is the 5 to 4 credit switch and how does it affect me?
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For students who enroll at the University of Denver first in Fall 2012, the political
science major will require 40 credits. This will typically require the completion
of 10 courses.
For students who enrolled at the University of Denver before Fall 2012, the political
science major has required 44 credit hours, which usually consisted of 9 courses where
each course was worth 5 credits.
Students who enrolled prior to Fall 2012 may elect to complete the new "minimum" credit
requirement of 40 credit hours for the major. This will allow several students, especially
juniors who have already completed several five credit hour courses, to complete
the major with 9 courses.
Students who are freshman or sophomores in 2012 will likely need to take 10 PLSC classes
to complete the major rather than 9, and should plan accordingly.
For students who enrolled at DU prior to Fall of 2012 and who earn fewer than 40 credits
after taking 9 courses, the Registrar’s office will waive up to 1 credit hour, so
the absolute minimum for these students is 39 credit hours.
If more than 1 credit hour is lacking, even students who enrolled prior to Fall of
2012 must take additional courses to complete the major, to attain the new minimum
of 40 credit hours.
For students who enroll Fall 2012 or later, the normal waiver is limited to .5 credit,
so these students' absolute minimum will be 39.5 credit hours.
Classes that have already been earned for 5 credits will not be devalued—the credit
shift applies only to Summer 2012 and future classes.
For the political science minor, students will need 20 credits instead of 19, so minors
will need five courses instead of four courses.
Contact polisci@du.edu if you have questions!
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