Politics

Overview

Politics involves the study of power, influence and ideas in public and private life, at the personal, local, state, national, and international levels. The mission of the Department of Politics is to provide our students with an understanding of politics, government, and public policy to prepare them to become well informed, curious, and engaged leaders in their communities, in their societies, and in our increasingly complex, interdependent, and pluralistic world. Graduates of the Politics Department have found this major provides an excellent basis for careers in politics, law, education, business, public service, international affairs, and media.

The Politics Department emphasizes a strong grounding in all sub-fields of political science (American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory and public law), as well as putting theory into practice (praxis). The department highly encourages each of its majors to engage in off-campus and experiential learning, community-based research, and internships.   Politics majors regularly hold internships in government agencies, public interest organizations, media firms, businesses, and law offices across the country and abroad.  The department has helped lead efforts at Occidental College, along with the Center for Community Based Learning and the Office of Community Engagement, to link the College’s academic program with community involvement, including expanding community internships and community-oriented research projects for students.

The Politics Department supports programs in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C., and overseas, and offers its signature Campaign Semester program, in which students receive a full semester credit while working full-time on a political campaign.  The department also offers students interested in law the opportunity to receive half semester credit while working as law clerks in legal offices across Los Angeles. 

The Politics Department provides financial support for majors conducting research or holding internships during the academic year and over the summer. The Anderson, Reath, McKelvey and Caldwell Fellowships support majors working on a wide variety of projects in the United States and abroad. The department also encourages majors to pursue Undergraduate Research Fellowships for summer research in partnership with a faculty member and Research Abroad fellowships through the International Programs Office.

Requirements

In total, majors must complete at least 11 courses (44 units). ECON 101 is strongly recommended. No course will count toward the Politics major that the student takes CR/NC.

In addition to the Fundamental Courses listed below, a Politics major must take one course in each sub-field (American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Law); one Junior Writing Seminar which can "double-dip" with a sub-field requirement (see below for details); and three elective courses from any major sub-field. A maximum of three courses outside the Politics Department (DWA, UEP, and Study Abroad courses) can count towards the major and must be pre-approved. Politics majors must complete a Senior Comprehensive Seminar in the spring of the senior year.

Major

Fundamental Courses

Every Politics major must take these courses.

Subfields

Students must select one course in each of the following subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Law.

For the subfield courses, DWA courses may count towards International Relations with department approval, and select UEP courses may count for American Politics with department approval, but Comparative Politics, Political Theory, and Public Law must be taken within the Politics Department.

International Relations

Comparative Politics

American Politics

Political Theory

Public Law

Additional Electives

Three required electives in any subfield must be taken within the Politics Department. Study Abroad courses may be accepted with departmental approval.

Honors in the Major

We encourage highly motivated students to pursue Honors. They qualify for this program by achieving a 3.25 grade point average overall and a 3.5 grade point average in courses counting toward the Politics major. Only under extraordinary circumstances will the Politics faculty members approve a petition to have this 3.5 grade point average waived. Students interested in pursuing Honors should complete the courses required for the Politics major by the end of Fall Semester of the senior year. They will be required to meet all of the obligations of the Comprehensive Seminar in the spring semester and complete a major research paper that follows the above requirements, but is a project of greater depth that extends to 40-50 pages. Students wishing to be considered for Honors should contact the chair during the spring semester of their sophomore year for more detailed information

Minor

At least five courses (20 units) within the Politics Department or accepted by the Politics Department.  One course must be POLS 101. A maximum of two courses outside the Politics Department can count towards the minor (these are the same approved DWA, UEP, and Study Abroad courses that can be used for the Politics major) . Of these five courses, three (12 units) must be advanced courses (200-level and higher) taken from different sub-fields within Politics (American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Law). For the subfield courses, select DWA courses may count towards International Relations and select UEP courses may count for American Politics with department approval. Courses in Comparative Politics, Political Theory, and Public Law must be taken within the Politics Department. POLS 300 may count towards the minor, but not as one of the three sub-field courses.

Second-Stage Writing

Passage of POLS 272 or any 300-level Politics class (except POLS 300), UEP 301, or any 4-unit 300-level DWA class fulfills the Second-Stage Writing Requirement. Courses in DWA to fill the Second-Stage Writing Requirement must have pre-approval by the Politics department. If a student does not pass one of these courses with a B- they must submit a writing portfolio to the department chair. This requirement must be completed by the end of the fall semester of the senior year.

Comprehensive Requirement

All politics majors must complete a Comprehensive Seminar in the spring of their senior year (preliminary preparation will occur in the fall semester of the senior year). In the seminar, students will read and discuss political science journal articles that raise interesting questions for the field, combine theory with empirical data, and serve as models for their own senior thesis. Each student will develop a senior thesis on a topic in one of the sub-fields of the major, demonstrating theoretical sophistication, an ability to find and evaluate sources of data, to develop and test hypotheses, and to argue a thesis. Each thesis is subjected to a rigorous drafting process that includes peer review and feedback from a faculty advisor. All seniors are required to submit a proposal for their thesis in the fall of their senior year. These proposals should state the research problem, demonstrate a significant command of the relevant bibliography, and include a tentative outline of major components in the study. Once the comprehensive project is submitted, the Politics faculty asses the papers, awarding them one of the following marks: Pass with Distinction (PD) is awarded to exceptionally sophisticated work that surpasses the departmental standards, Pass (P) is awarded to work that meets departmental standards, and Fail (F) for work that fails to satisfy departmental standards.

Transfer Credit Policies

The Politics Department policy on transfer credit conforms to College policy. The department accepts at most three courses in transfer to count toward the major and at most two courses in transfer to count toward the minor. Students should reference the Transfer Credit section for more details.

Advising Information

Students interested in the Politics major should consider taking POLS 101 (American Politics and Public Policy) during their first year. (POLS 101 is a prerequisite for several upper-level courses in the major.) In addition, the Politics major requires students to complete a course in each of the following six subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Public Law. For additional information, including lists of qualifying courses for each of the subfields, please refer to the College Catalog.

Placement Information

No placement exams are specifically required for the Politics major.

Sample 4-Year Plan

Curricular Notes

• POLS 101 can be taken in either the Fall or the Spring semester

• POLS 300 must be taken before POLS 495

• "Additional POLS Electives" must be selected from one of the subfields noted in the catalog.

Politics Transfer Student Advice

Transfer Course Limit for Transfer Students: For Rising Juniors: the equivalent of POLS 101 and up to four additional Politics courses passed with a C or better. For students who enter prior to being a junior the equivalent of POLS 101 and up to two additional Politics courses passed with a C or better.

Designated Transfer Adviser

Expected preparation for transfer students wanting to major in Politics:

• Students entering as rising juniors should have completed the equivalent of POLS 101 and two transferable Politics courses prior to starting at Occidental.

• Students entering as sophomores starting midway through their sophomore year should have completed at least two transferable Politics courses. It is preferable that one of these is equivalent to POLS 101.

• Students entering as sophomores need not have completed any Politics courses prior to starting Occidental.

• Transfer students should have completed as many core requirements as possible before starting at Occidental. This is especially true for rising juniors who will have at most 8 course spots that will be open for taking non-major courses during their four semesters at Occidental. 

General advice for transfer students wanting to major in Politics:

• Politics does not accept AP exams toward the major.

• The following courses for the major must be taken at Occidental: POLS 300, POLS 495, courses fulfilling the Public Law, Comparative Politics and Political Theory subfield requirements, and the course taken to meet Second-Stage Writing.

• If a student is interested in studying abroad or participating in a campaign semester or the UN program they have to plan very carefully, with help from their adviser, in order to make sure they meet all of their major and core requirements by the time they intend to graduate.

What courses should a transfer student take during their first semester at Occidental?

For transfer students starting in the fall or in the spring the following advice applies:

• Students starting as Rising Juniors: POLS 300 and at least one course from one of the following subfields: Public Law, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory

• Students starting mid way through their sophomore year: Two Politics courses from any subfield.

• Students starting as Rising Sophomores: POLS 101 and one other Politics course form any subfield. If a student has already taken POLS 101 they should select a second Politics course from any subfield.

Courses

All Politics Courses

Faculty

Tenure and Tenure Track Faculty

Regina Freer, chair; designated transfer adviser

Professor 

B.A., University of California, Berkeley; Ph.D., University of Michigan

Samantha Acuña
Assistant Professor
B.A., University of Redlands; Ph.D. University of California, Los Angeles

Tsung Chi

Professor 

B.A., National Chengchi University; M.A., Ph.D., Michigan State University

Peter Dreier

E.P. Clapp Distinguished Professor of Politics

B.A., Syracuse University; M.A., Ph.D., University of Chicago

Isaac Hale

Assistant Professor

A.B., Occidental College; Ph.D., Northwestern University

Jennifer Piscopo

Associate Professor 

B.A., Wellesley; M.Phil., University of Cambridge; Ph.D., University of California, San Diego

Elizabeth Wiener

Assistant Professor

B.A., Kenyon College; M.A., Ph.D., Emory University

Non-Tenure Track Faculty

Alec Arellano

Visiting Assistant Professor

B.A., Colorado College; M.A., University of Texas, Austin 

Mariano Bertucci

Resident Assistant Professor

B.A., Universidad de San Andrés, Buenos Aires; M.A., University of Denver; Ph.D., University of Southern California

Micah Farver

Lisa Pringle

Visiting Instructor

A.B., Occidental College; M.A., University of Southern California; M.A., Claremont Graduate University

Kyle Shen

Doug Smith