Political Science Information | Political Science Programs | Political Science Courses
Political Science
College of Liberal Arts
Department Chair
Charles Noble
Department Office
Social Science Public Affairs (SS/PA) Room 257
Telephone
(562) 985-4704
FAX
(562) 985-4979
E-Mail
posc@csulb.edu
Website
http://www.csulb.edu/depts/polisci/
Faculty
Professors
Mary Caputi, Christopher Dennis, Larry George, William M. Leiter, Charles Noble, Gerry Riposa, Ronald J. Schmidt, Barry H. Steiner, A. Jay Stevens (Emeritus), Teresa Wright
Associate Professors
Larry F. Martinez
Assistant Professors
Cora Goldstein, Liesl Haas, Richard Haesly, Amy Cabrera Rasmussen
Administrative Coordinator
Nancy St. Martin
Students desiring information should contact the department
office for referral to one of the faculty advisors:
Credential Coordinator
Arlene Lazarowitz (History)
Undergraduate Advisor
Mary Caputi
Graduate Coordinator
Teresa Wright
Pre-Law Advisor
Call Department Office
The political science major is designed to provide the student with a systematic knowledge of the nature and scope of political science. A student may elect to major in political science as a preparation for such fields as: (1) college or university teaching, (2) law, (3) government career service, (4) foreign career service, and (5) politics. In addition, a political science major is preparation for general education, good citizenship and participation in political life. Students interested in the fields mentioned above should consult with an advisor to secure aid in planning their programs.
Pre-Law Program and Preparation
Political Science continues to be one of the more popular and successful roads to law school and careers in the legal field. Combining a broad exposure to liberal arts with an in-depth immersion in government studies and public law, plus opportunities to intern in legal settings, Political Science provides a rich preparation for those interested in pursuing careers in law. Students interested in our program should consult with the Pre-law advisor in Political Science both to plan a carefully thought out undergraduate course of study and to successfully prepare for admission to law schools.
General Education Requirements in Government
The Education Code requires each college graduate to meet (1) a federal government requirement and (2) a California state and local government requirement. Both of these requirements can be met by POSC 100 (for lower division students) or POSC 391 (for upper division students). If the student has completed the federal government requirement, but not the California state and local government requirement, the student should take POSC 326. Students who have taken American federal, state or local government at another institution should check with the political science advisor before enrolling.