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
Email: posc@csulb.edu
Website: http://www.csulb.edu/depts/polisci/

Faculty: Mary Caputi, Christopher Dennis, Larry George, Cora Goldstein, Liesl Haas, Richard Haesly, William M. Leiter, Larry F. Martinez, Charles Noble, Amy Cabrera Rasmussen, Gerry Riposa, Ronald J. Schmidt, Barry H. Steiner, Teresa Wright

Administrative Coordinator: Nancy St. Martin
Students desiring information should contact the department
office for referral to one of the faculty advisors:

Advisors:
Credential: Ilene Luhr (History)
Undergraduate: Mary Caputi
Graduate: Larry Martinez
Pre-Law: Call Department Office

Career Possibilities

Political Scientist • Journalist • Foreign Service Officer • Urban Planner • Para Legal • Labor Relations Specialist • Administrator• Researcher • Lobbyist • Archivist • Probation/Parole Officer • Intelligence Analyst • Teacher • Lawyer • Social Service Worker • Market Research Analyst • Public Survey Worker • Community Organizer • Politician • Legislative Aide • City Manager (Some of these, and other careers, require additional education or experience. For more information, see www.careers.csulb.edu.)

Introduction

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.