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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.