General Catalog 2001-2002
Posted April 9, 2001

Department Office: 252 Orson Spencer Hall, 581-7031 

Mailing Address: 260 S. Central Campus Dr., Rm. 252, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9152 

Web Address: www.poli-sci.utah.edu

Department Chair, Ronald J. Hrebenar, Ph.D. 

Faculty

Professors. E. Epstein, J. Francis, J. Gosling, L. Holland, R. Hrebenar, D. McCool, S. Ott. 

Professor and Governor Scott M. Matheson Chair in Health Policy Studies. R. Huefner. 

Associate Professors. R. Benedict, M. Burbank, R. Green, M. Hampton, I. Karawan, H. Lehman, S. Lubomudrov, S. Olson, P. Schwartz-Shea, Y. Tong. 

Assistant Professors. M. Button, P. Goff, D. Levin, P. Lien, B. Lyshaug, H. Yavuz. 

Adjunct Professors. C. Durham, L. Francis, P. Hammond, D. Jones, E. Sullivan, B. Weiss. 

Adjunct Associate Professors. M. Benson, R. Black, M. Christensen, L. DiPadova, C. May, R. Simpson, D. Williams, T. Wilson, R. Yengich. 

Adjunct Assistant Professors. A. Baksh, M. Bedel, D. Burrington, J. Carter, R. Cutler, S. Daniels, P. Johnson, C. Mitchell, P. Morris, G. Nakao, K. Naylor, S. Shaha, K. Suzuki-Okabe, P. Van Hook, M. Zuhl. 

Adjunct Instructors. L. Hines, S. Mietchen, R. Morita, L. Snow. 

Visiting Assistant Professors. T. Foglesong, K. Lawson, J. Parkes. 

Lecturer. L. Garrott. 

Advisers. International Relations, Howard Lehman, 252 OSH, 581-6246; Practical Politics, Ted Wilson, 253 OSH, 581-8501; Public Policy/Administration, Wendy Rice, 214 OSH, 581-6781; Undergraduate Adviser, Sherlyn Marks, 252 OSH, 585-7656. 

Political scientists study the manner in which people organize, administer, and seek to improve their governments. Students and faculty study the privileges and responsibilities of citizenship, the uses and abuses of power, and America's relations with other nations. Political science is a broad area of study that provides excellent undergraduate preparation for graduate work in law, public administration, and advanced studies in political science. Graduates with a B.A. or B.S. from the department may find entry-level positions with a wide variety of employers such as governments at the local, state, and federal level; colleges and universities; business firms; news and television agencies; market research and lobbying offices; and political headquarters and fund-raising groups. 

The Political Science Department offers graduate and undergraduate study in five subfields of the discipline: American government and politics, comparative politics, political theory, international relations, and public administration. The department is known for its large number of outstanding teachers. Undergraduate majors take a capstone senior seminar in which they write an original research paper. Many internship opportunities and special lectures are available through the department's association with the Hinckley Institute of Politics. 

Undergraduate Program

Degrees. B.A., B.S. 

Eligibility for Option to Use Quarter-System Degree Requirements. Student must have taken POL S 110 and two of the three core courses (POL S 102, 140, or 210) as well as having declared a political science major by Fall 1998. Student must graduate by Spring 2003. 

Certificate Programs

Certificate in International Relations. The Department of Political Science administers an interdisciplinary academic program in international relations that can be used to structure a program of studies for the political science major, or a minor or outside field work for students majoring in other departments. The certificate program introduces students to the many facets of international politics and provides them with a solid foundation from which to pursue studies in the field at the graduate level, or to show prospective employers in business or government a commitment to international relations. 

Study for the certificate usually is undertaken in conjunction with a major such as political science, history, economics, sociology, or geography. Students who wish to work toward the certificate must submit a program of study to the program director at least three semesters prior to graduation, obtain approval for course choices, and report to the director the semester before they intend to graduate. 

The certificate in international relations is granted to students who meet the University's requirements for graduation with a bachelor's degree, including the curriculum of the International Relations Program. The program consists of eight courses, five from within political science and three from other disciplines. Students must pass all required courses and maintain a 2.8 GPA in program courses. 

For more information about the certificate program, students should contact the program director, Howard Lehman, at 252 OSH, 581-6246. 

Certificate in Practical Politics. The undergraduate certificate in practical politics is offered jointly through the Department of Political Science and the Hinckley Institute of Politics. The interdisciplinary program is designed for students from diverse fields of study who have an interest in participatory politics. The certificate requires seven courses. 

For more information about the certificate program, students should contact Ted Wilson, director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics, 253 OSH, 581-8501. 

Undergraduate Certificate in Public Administration. The Center for Public Policy and Administration administers an interdisciplinary program to prepare students to serve in entry-level administrative positions in government. The program is a supplement to several different majors. Requirements for the certificate are listed under Public Administration elsewhere in this section of the catalog. 

Requirements for the Major

Total Hours: 34 hours in political science; 13 hours in allied fields. All courses must be taken for a grade. 

Four Required Courses

POL S 1100 U.S. National Government (3) 

Core Classes (two of three):

POL S 1020 Political Ideologies (3) 
POL S 2200 Introduction to Comparative Politics (3) 
POL S 2100 Introduction to International Relations (3) 

POL S 5810 Senior Seminar (4) 

Total Required Course Hours: 13 

Upper-division Classes in Political Science

21 hours at 3000- to 5999-level, including at least 9 hours at 4000- to 5999-level. 

Allied Course Work

At least 13 hours in related departments (13) 

Allied departments include anthropology, communication, economics, ethnic studies, family and consumer studies, geography, history, philosophy, psychology, sociology, urban planning, and women's studies. 

A maximum of five internship hours may be counted toward a degree. In each required course, the student must earn a C- or better. In addition, the student must maintain an overall GPA, in the major, of C or above (excluding allied hours). 

Students majoring in political science must take a minimum of 15 political science credit hours at the University of Utah to fulfill graduation requirements. (No internship hours may be included.)

Teaching Major, Minor, Certification. Please refer to Education in the Colleges section for information on teaching major and minor course requirements and state secondary teacher certification. 

Graduate Program

Degrees. M.A., M.S., Ph.D. in political science and M.P.A. For additional information, see also the Graduate Information section of this catalog. 

Areas of Specialization. American government and politics, comparative politics, international politics, political theory, and public administration. 

The departments of Political Science and Philosophy jointly administer a graduate program in political thought. This interdisciplinary emphasis, completed in conjunction with a degree-granting graduate program, allows students to pursue work in the history of political thought and in modern political philosophy. 

Admission Requirements. To be admitted to graduate study in political science, applicants must meet the following requirements: 

1. A candidate for a graduate degree in political science with a background deemed to be inadequate by the Graduate Studies Committee or the candidate's supervisory committee may be required by that committee to take appropriate courses at the graduate or undergraduate level. Applicants for the M.P.A. degree, in addition to submitting materials, may desire to schedule a personal interview with the program manager for public administration education. Additional course work is required for those M.P.A. candidates who have not previously completed the necessary undergraduate-level prerequisites in American national government and in economics. See Public Administration elsewhere in this section. 
2. Candidates must have maintained a GPA of 3.2 for undergraduate course work and 3.2 for completed graduate course work. 
3. Applications for admission to Graduate School, admission fees and two official copies of all transcripts must be sent directly to the Graduate Admissions Office, University of Utah, 201 S. 1460 E., Rm. 250S, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9057, www.saff.utah.edu/admiss. (Please note the Graduate Admissions Office deadlines for the semester for which you are applying.) 
4. Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores, no more than five years old. Applicants must take the package containing the quantitative reasoning test. Test scores must be received by the department prior to admissions in the M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. programs. 
5. Three letters of recommendation are required from individuals qualified to evaluate the applicant's academic potential. Letters from professors are expected, but letters from employers or others may be submitted if faculty references are not available. These three letters may be the same as those submitted for possible financial aid and must be submitted directly to: Graduate Assistant, University of Utah, Department of Political Science, 260 South Central Campus Drive, Room 252, Salt Lake City, UT  84112-9152, www.poli-sci.utah.edu. 
6. A letter of intent of approximately 500 words in which the applicant states his or her primary area of interest within political science and career objectives must also be submitted to the department. M.P.A. applicants must submit an application to the Center for Public Policy and Administration. 
7. Applicants to the M.A., M.S., or Ph.D. program must submit to the department one research paper (written by the applicant) which he/she believes represents their highest quality of work. 
8. The department admits students in fall and spring semester only. All application materials for the M.A., M.S., and Ph.D. programs must be received in the department no later than January 15 for fall semester and October 1 for spring semester. (Contact the M.P.A. office for admission deadlines to the program.) The Graduate Admission Office admission deadlines vary from the department's deadlines so please be aware of both deadlines to avoid any confusion. 
9. International students must score at least 580 on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) and submit Test of Written English (TWE) scores as well. 
10. For master's students, a maximum of six semester hours of transfer credit can be accepted towards their degree. 
11. A maximum of nine semester hours of nonmatriculated course work credit can be accepted towards the degree. 

1. Completion with at least a B average (3.0) of a minimum of 27 credit hours of approved graduate course work with a minimum of 21 hours of approved graduate work in political science. A minimum of 9 of these hours are taken in the student's major field, 6 hours in the minor field. 
2. Graduate students are required to complete at least six hours of elective course work either within or outside the department. The outside field will be represented on the student's committee by at least one faculty member outside the department. 
3. Completion of POL S 6040, Theories of Political Inquiry, and POL S 6001, Quantitative Analysis in Political Science. Students are required to take these courses during their first year of residency. 
4. Successful completion of the University's requirement of one language at standard proficiency or better for M.A. candidates (not required for M.S. candidates). M.S. candidates may be required to take additional statistical or mathematical course work as approved by the student's committee. 
5. Successful completion of one written master's comprehensive examination covering one area of specialization (American government and politics, comparative politics, international politics, political theory, or public administration). 
6. Successful completion of a master's thesis or master's essay. Students writing a thesis earn up to nine credit hours, while students writing a master's essay take additional hours of course work at the 6000- or 7000-level. The master's essay may be a seminar paper that has been substantially revised before being submitted to the supervisory committee. 
7. Successful completion of the final oral defense of the thesis or essay. 
8. Master's candidates are expected to complete the degree within two calendar years after admission to the program. Requests for extensions must be recommended by a student's supervisory committee and approved by the director of graduate studies and the dean of The Graduate School. 

Ph.D. Degree. Requirements for the Ph.D. degree include the following: 

1. Completion of requirements for the master's degree. This includes having taken POL S 6040, Theories of Political Inquiry, and POL S 6001, Quantitative Analysis in Political Science. A candidate for a Ph.D. in political science, with a background in a discipline deemed to be inadequate by his or her supervisory committee, may be required by that committee to take appropriate courses at the graduate or undergraduate level of study. 
2. Successful completion with at least a B average (3.0) of 62 graduate credit hours, 50 of which must be in political science, beyond work for the master's degree. A minimum of 18 of these hours are taken in the student's major field, 12 hours in the minor field. At least one year (two consecutive semesters) of doctoral program must be spent in full-time (at least six hours per semester) academic work at the University of Utah. 
3. Students are required to complete at least 12 hours of elective course work either within or outside the department. The outside field will be represented on the student's committee by at least one faculty member outside the department. 
4. Students are required to take a research design course as well as any additional methodology requirements specified by their major field. 
5. The supervisory committee, in consultation with the student, determines if language proficiency is required for the Ph.D. degree and specifies the number of languages and degree of proficiency. When appropriate, supervisory committees may require demonstrated proficiency in statistics and/or computer science whether with or without language proficiency. 
6. Successful completion of two written Ph.D. comprehensive examinations in at least two areas of specialization in political science (American government and politics, comparative politics, international politics, political theory, or public administration). Students must complete the field requirements in their areas of specialization before taking these examinations. The comprehensive examination in the candidate's fields of specialization will be jointly composed and read by the examination committees representing those fields. 
7. Written and oral comprehensive exams must be taken in all fields during a single semester, except in the case of a re-take. These exams will be given twice a year, during fall and spring semesters. 
8. Successful completion of the Ph.D. dissertation, for which the student typically earns 14 credit hours. 
9. Successful completion of the final oral defense of the Ph.D. dissertation. 

Ph.D. candidates are expected to complete the degree within five calendar years after admission to the program. Requests for extensions must be recommended by a student's supervisory committee and approved by the director of graduate studies and the dean of The Graduate School.