Undergraduate Advising

• Contact the Political Science Department Office at (269) 387-5680 for an advising appointment or stop by 3308 Friedmann Hall for your major or minor requirements. You will be assigned one of our faculty advisors.
• Meet with a College of Arts and Sciences advisor for your WMU Essential Studies (WES) and general graduation requirements.

• Students interested in teaching high school government should consider the interdisciplinary Social Studies major. You can learn more about this major from Beth Cramer in the CAS Advising Office or Dr. John Clark, in the Political Science Department.
• Additional information on this major can be found in the WMU catalog.

• Pre-law advising for students in any major is offered through the College of Arts and Sciences advising office.
• Political science students should review the pre-law information specifically designed for our majors.

• Contact Dr. Gunther Hega to schedule an advising appointment for international and comparative politics.
• Political Science students should review the international and comparative politics concentration web page for more information.

• Contact Dr. Kevin Corder to schedule an advising appointment for public policy.
• For the American public policy concentration, we recommend a minor or additional coursework in economics or accounting.
• Political Science students should review the public policy concentration web page for more information.

• Contact Dr. Lauren Foley or Dr. Mark Hurwitz to schedule an advising appointment for public law.
• Additional information on this concentration can be found in the WMU catalog.

• There are several faculty members who can assist with the standard political science major. Contact the Political Science Department Office to be connected with one of them.
• Additional information on this concentration can be found in the WMU catalog.

• Begin to establish a portfolio that demonstrates competency in your field.
• Stop by the Department of Political Science in 3308 Friedmann Hall to be assigned an advisor.
• Your department advisor will help you declare your major or minor. There are no requirements to enroll in our majors or minors, but only coursework with a C or better counts toward degree requirements in our programs. 
• Political sciences minors are enrolled in majors all over campus. Common majors for Political Science minors include History, Criminal Justice, Social Work, Communications, Philosophy, Psychology, Business, and English.

Things to discuss with your advisor:

• Useful combinations of majors and minors involving political science.
• Career skills you can develop as part of or external to your major.
• Extracurricular activities that can enhance your learning experience.
• How to put together a good portfolio of skills, knowledge and experience for the job market or application to law or graduate school.
• Opportunities to incorporate study abroad in your field of study.
• Students may apply for department honors and the Lee Honors College and be considered for department awards.

1. Take six to seven hours of: PSCI 2000–National Government and PSCI–2400 Comparative Politics or PSCI–2500 International Relations.
2. Next, in any order, take 10 to 11 hours of: any political theory course (PSCI 3600-3630), any comparative politics course (PSCI 3400-3530 or 4400-4420), and any American politics elective (PSCI 3000-PSCI 3250). PSCI 3200 is recommended for students interested in law school.
3. We recommend PSCI 3950 as soon as you have a solid foundation of political science coursework. Additional courses will depend on your specific major. See your faculty advisor to select nine to 12 hours of these courses.
4. Second semester of your junior year or during your senior year, take a course to fulfill your baccalaureate writing requirement (PSCI 4050, 4210, 4240, 4500, or 4940), along with any remaining required courses. PSCI 4050 and PSCI 4500 are required for students in the Public Policy and International/Comparative majors, respectively, but both classes are open to students in any major.

Required and optional textbooks are listed at the WMU Bookstore.