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Political Science

Political science is for those interested in learning about and working in the complex world of politics. Political science is a liberal arts discipline which students may select as their primary focus or pursue in conjunction with other fields of study, such as humanities or sociology. Students learn to navigate the national and global political arena and understand the role politics play in society and the past, present, and future of humankind.

Political science classes provide a solid foundation for students planning to transfer to a four-year university to pursue a bachelor’s degree. It is also beneficial to those seeking personal or professional enrichment. Students will gain a broad breadth of knowledge and critical thinking skills which can be applied to multiple fields of study and employment.

Graduates with a political science education may enter the fields of politics, public relations, international affairs, law, public administration, or teaching. Many political science students participate in debate or mock trial during their time at SCC.

SCC offers political science classes covering national and international affairs. These include Intro to Political Science, Comparative Government, Introduction to Global Issues, American Government, International Relations, Political Philosophy, and Islam and the West: Theater of Cooperation and Conflict. As with all departments, classes may change depending on interest and availability.

Political science skills and knowledge can be applied to a broad range of professional fields in the States and abroad.

AA-DTA Program Learning Outcomes

Communication Distribution Area Outcomes:
1. Create, organize, present, and adapt effective verbal and nonverbal messages to diverse audiences in diverse contexts
2. Explain the active listening process and the skills necessary  to understand verbal and nonverbal information
3. Demonstrate the ability to critically think: summarize, interpret, and evaluate written discourse 
4. Write clear, well-focused and well-organized papers using documentation
5. Select and integrate textual evidence within academic essays
6. Create expository essays using traditional academic forms and standards
7. Appropriately use college-level language skills, i.e., grammar and punctuation

Quantitative/Symbolic Reasoning Distribution Area Outcomes:
1. Recognize a problem and identify the information required to solve it
2. Develop and apply appropriate algebraic models (e.g. numerical, graphical and symbolic) to obtain a solution to the problem
3. Explain the process of reasoning used to arrive at the solution

Humanities Distribution Area Outcomes:
1. Demonstrate, in writing or verbally, awareness that different contexts and/or world views produce different human creations
2. Identify and explain diverse cultural customs, beliefs, traditions, and lifestyles
3. Identify ideologies, practices and contributions that persons of diverse backgrounds bring to our multicultural world
4. Use evidence or sound reasoning to justify a position

Social Sciences Distribution Area Outcomes:
1. Describe the methods used for conducting research within the various disciplines of the social sciences
2. Evaluate the credibility of information regarding topics within the social sciences and differentiate between information derived from empirical sources and information derived from opinion, folklore, and/or emotions
3. Identify the impact of social, cultural, historical, political, geographical, and/or religious factors on behavior
4. Express increased engagement and confidence in the ability to apply course material for the purpose of improving self,  relationships,  community, society, and/or the world

Math and Science Distribution Area Outcomes:
1. Select, use, or develop an appropriate model including numerical, graphical, or symbolic representations
2. Use evidence or sound reasoning to justify a position or draw conclusions using appropriate terminology and symbolism
3. Demonstrate laboratory skills including making qualitative and quantitative observations about natural systems
4. Ascertain and critically evaluate the interrelationships within complex systems

Health Distribution Area Outcomes:
1. Our students will be able to develop an appreciation of  physical activity as a lifelong pursuit and means to better health.
2. Our students will be able to recognize the physical and mental benefits of increased activity.
3. Our students will be able to examine the effects of nutrition, rest and other lifestyle factors that contribute to better health.
4. Our students will be able to demonstrate motor skill performance of various physical activities.
5. Our students will be able to define the various health components of fitness and determine the lifestyle factors for development of physical fitness and training strategies.
6. Our students will be able to identify common health and fitness myths and trends involved with the evolving nature of physical education. 
7. Our students will be able to utilize physical activity as a tool to manage stress.

Breaking Ground on Your Pathway


Plan Your Courses

Meet with our counselors to customize this plan just for you. You can also search the quarterly schedule for class days and times.

Prepare for College-level Math

Math placement is required for this program. If your math placement is below MATH& 146, you’ll need to take the following sequence of courses, starting from the level you placed into:
AE 48 → MATH 87 → MATH 88 → MATH& 146

Placement

English placement is not required for this program.

Associate in Arts (AA) is the community college degree designed to transfer to most bachelor's of arts degrees at all public and many private Washington four-year institutions. A candidate for the AA-DTA degree must complete 90 quarter credits in academic courses numbered 100 and above with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 and meet specific distribution requirements.

Program Map for

Print/Download

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Total Program Credits: 93


Program Courses

First Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
ENGL&101
English Composition I  
5
GUID 102
Strategies for Success  
3
MATH&146
Introduction to Statistics  
5
POLS&202
United States Government  
5
Total Credits
 
18

Second Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
ENGL&102
Composition II  
5
POLS 102
Comparative Government  
5
PSYC&100
General Psychology  
5
Total Credits
 
15

Third Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CMST 227
Intercultural Communication  
5
POLS&203
International Relations  
5
 
Lab Science Electives  
5
Total Credits
 
15
Lab Science Electives: Choose 5 credits Lab Science Electives: Choose 5 credits  
ASTR&101
Intro to Astronomy  
5
ENVS&101
Intro to Env Science  
5
GEOL&101
Intro Physical Geology  
5
PHYS 100
Introductory Physics  
5

Fourth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
POLS&101
Introduction to Political Science  
5
 
Foreign Language 1 Electives   1
5
 
Science 1 Electives   2
5
Total Credits
 
15
Foreign Language 1 Electives: Choose 5 credits Foreign Language 1 Electives: Choose 5 credits  
ASL& 121
Am Sign Language I  
5
FRCH&121
French I  
5
SPAN&121
Spanish I  
5

Fifth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
HUM 107
Introduction to Cultural Studies  
5
 
Foreign Language 2 Electives   3
5
 
Health/PE Group A Electives   4
3
 
Health/PE Group B Electives   5
2
Total Credits
 
15
Foreign Language 2 Electives: Choose 5 credits Foreign Language 2 Electives: Choose 5 credits  
ASL& 122
Am Sign Language II  
5
FRCH&122
French II  
5
SPAN&122
Spanish II  
5

Sixth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
ECON 100
Fundamentals of Economics  
5
 
Foreign Language 3 Electives   6
5
 
Science 2 Electives   2
5
Total Credits
 
15
Foreign Language 3 Electives: Choose 5 credits Foreign Language 3 Electives: Choose 5 credits  
ASL& 123
Am Sign Language III  
5
FRCH&123
French III  
5
SPAN&123
Spanish III  
5

1 SPAN, FREN, or ASL & 121 if you haven’t completed two years of foreign language in high school OR another course from the Humanities Distribution list in a discipline not already taken
2 Recommended: Any ASTR, ENVS, GEOL, PHYS, NUTRI, or OCEA in a subject you haven’t already taken. Can be lab or non-lab.
3 SPAN, FREN, or ASL & 122 if you haven’t completed two years of foreign language in high school OR POLS 125 if not already taken
4 Any three-credit course from Health/PE Group A
5 Any two-credit activity course from Group B
6 SPAN, FREN, or ASL& 123 if you haven’t completed 2 years of foreign language in high school OR SOC& 101

Estimated costs for completing this program

 
WA Resident
Non-Resident
International
Tuition
$ 9,733
$ 11,570
$ 22,036
Books
$ 1,081
$ 1,081
$ 1,081
Course Fees
$ 5
$ 5
$ 5
Institutional Fees
$ 672
$ 672
$ 3,195
Total Costs
$ 11,491
$ 13,327
$ 26,316

Costs for completing a degree or certificate can vary. For more information about costs, visit our How Much Does it Cost? page.

Have a question? Let's hear it.

Michael Buckley

Social Sciences & Humanities Department Chair
Michael.Buckley@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-8845