Political Science

Effective: Fall 2022
Associate in Arts for Transfer Program Map
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This program map from the 2024-2025 catalog year represents one possible pathway to complete this program. Your pathway may vary depending on your transfer plans and also previous college credit, including AP Test scores, concurrent enrollment courses and high school articulated courses.

I'm ready to get started. What do I do next?

  1. Review this program map to get an overview of the required courses
  2. Meet with a counselor to develop your customized student education plan www.chabotcollege.edu/counseling
  3. Use DegreeWorks, an online student education planning tool, to track your progress toward graduation www.chabotcollege.edu / admissions / degreeworks
Program Description
Students will gain deeper knowledge and understanding of one of the most powerful forces operating on people, communities, and corporations today: government and politics in the USA and around the world. Students will learn how political power impacts individuals and societies and gain the tools needed to create change in their communities, in the nation, and in the world. A sophisticated understanding of politics is essential in law, business, government, and beyond.

What can I do with this major?

Government actions impact business, finance, law, education, the environment, social services, health care, public safety, international affairs, human rights, and countless other areas of society. For this reason, the Political Science degree is highly versatile and allows majors to work in a broad array of fields including (but not limited to):

  1. Law (all areas of law: Political Science is the most common undergraduate major for law school students);
  2. Government (i.e. working at City Hall, the State Capitol, the Congress, running for office, staff member in a politician’s office);
  3. Business (i.e. corporate government relations, corporate public relations, corporate law);
  4. Public Policy (i.e. working in State or Federal agencies designing governmental programs in education, health care, environmental protection, immigration, and numerous other areas);
  5. Non-Profit Advocacy and Research (i.e. working for a non-profit organization that advocates for and conducts research on issues such as children, education, immigrants, veterans, consumer protections, internet privacy, health care; conducting research and designing policy at a think tank);
  6. International Affairs (i.e. working at US Embassies abroad, the United Nations, Greenpeace, Human Rights Campaign)
  7. Journalism (i.e. covering local, state, national and international politics for newspapers, magazines, podcasts, blogs);
  8. Campaign Work (i.e. developing campaign strategy, doing polling research, managing a campaign’s messaging, designing campaign literature and internet presence, raising funds for campaigns, managing campaigns, being a campaign spokesperson);
  9. Activism (i.e. working for an organization that mobilizes individuals and community groups to push local, state, and national government to implement changes in government programs and policies);
  10. Teaching (i.e. Social Studies teachers in K-12, Community College professors of Political Science, University professors of Political Science, Public Administration, and Public Policy).

*Fun fact: Political Science majors enjoy the highest average mid-career salary of all majors that are not STEM-related.


Learning and Career Pathway
  • Social Sciences, Humanities & Education

Icon Key

= Critical Course = Prerequisite for Other Courses = Prerequisite Required = Required for Major GE = General Education

Semester 1

15 units

POSC 1
Introduction to American Government

3 units
Introduction to the historical development and current structure of American political ideals and institutions, including the Federal and California Constitutions, civil liberties and civil rights, political parties, campaigns and elections, and citizenship duties.
Course Details:
  1. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1

Math for General Education and List A option course #1 (Choose PSY 5 or MTH 43 or BUS 19)

4 units
GE
Counts as a List A requirement
Terms Offered: Spring, Summer, Fall

PSY 5
Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral and Social Sciences

4 units
Statistics as applied to the behavioral and social sciences. Applications using data from disciplines including psychology, social sciences, business, life science, health science, and education. The use of probability techniques, hypothesis testing, and predictive techniques to facilitate decision-making. Topics include: descriptive and inferential statistics; probability and sampling distributions; correlation and linear regression; analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square and t-tests; and application of technology for statistical analysis including the interpretation of the relevance of the statistical findings.
Course Details:
  1. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1A
  2. Prerequisite: MTH 53
    3. or
  3. Prerequisite: MTH 53B
    4. or
  4. Prerequisite: MTH 54
    5. or
  5. Prerequisite: MTH 54L
    6. or
  6. Prerequisite: MTH 55
    7. or
  7. Prerequisite: MTH 55B
    8. or
  8. Prerequisite: MTH 55L
  • Transfers to CSU
    • or

    BUS 19
    Business Statistics

    4 units
    Introduction to concepts, methods and models employed in reasoning with numbers and in presenting cogent statistical arguments or solutions in the business field. Key topics include estimating confidence intervals, hypotheses testing, development of projections for inferential purposes in the business field, probability distributions (poisson, binomial, normal, student-t, chi-sq, F-distribution), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), estimating simple and multiple regressions.
    Course Details:
    1. Prerequisite: MTH 53
      2. or
    2. Prerequisite: MTH 53B
      3. or
    3. Prerequisite: MTH 54
      4. or
    4. Prerequisite: MTH 54L
      5. or
    5. Prerequisite: MTH 55
      6. or
    6. Prerequisite: MTH 55B
      7. or
    7. Prerequisite: MTH 55L
      8. or
  • Transfers to CSU
    • or

    MTH 43
    Introduction to Probability and Statistics

    4 units
    Descriptive statistics, including measures of central tendency and dispersion; elements of probability; tests of statistical hypotheses (one and two populations); correlation and regression; ANOVA; applications in various fields. Introduction to the use of computer software package to complete both descriptive and inferential statistics problems. May not receive credit if Mathematics 35 has been completed.
    Course Details:
    1. Prerequisite: MTH 53
      2. or
    2. Prerequisite: MTH 53B
      3. or
    3. Prerequisite: MTH 54
      4. or
    4. Prerequisite: MTH 54L
      5. or
    5. Prerequisite: MTH 55
      6. or
    6. Prerequisite: MTH 55B
      7. or
    7. Prerequisite: MTH 55L
      8. or
    8. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1A
  • Transfers to CSU

    • English 1- Critical Reading and Composition

    4 units
    GE

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    3 units
    GE

    Elective- see a counselor to choose a course that counts for elective units (can be any credit course).

    1 unit

    Semester 2

    16 units

    List A course #2

    3 units
    Choose one course from List A below
    See the full list: (Click here)

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    4 units
    GE

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    3 units
    GE

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    3 units
    GE

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    3 units
    GE

    Semester 3

    15 units

    List B Course #1

    6 units
    Select one course from List B below
    See the full list: (Click here)

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    3 units
    GE

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    3 units
    GE

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    3 units
    GE

    Semester 4

    15 units

    List A Course #3

    6 units
    Choose one course from List A below
    See the full list: (Click here)

    List B Course #2

    3 units
    Choose one course from List B below
    See the full list: (Click here)

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    3 units
    GE

    General Education Course- see a counselor to choose the appropriate general education pattern and general ed course option for this term.

    3 units
    GE

    List A

    Select three courses (minimum 9 units):

    POSC 20
    Comparative Politics

    3 units
    Introduces the diverse domestic politics of countries around the world. The politics and problems in democratic, semi-democratic, and authoritarian states will be covered through an investigation of institutions, identity (race, gender, class, nationalism, religion, culture), social movements, political economy, political violence, and globalization. Students will be introduced to the diverse decision-making regimes that exist throughout the globe, such as parliamentary, semi-presidential, presidential, unitary, federal, and confederal systems.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: POSC 1
      2. and
    2. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1

    POSC 25
    Introduction to Political Theory

    3 units
    An introduction to the study of political theory. Course introduces the fundamental questions of ethics and politics by analyzing works of political philosophy from antiquity to the present. Emphasizes core themes of political theory, such as justice, power, rights, liberty, and citizenship, and differing conceptions of the state. Students will learn how to interpret, analyze, and critically evaluate political theory texts in order to apply political theory to historical and current political realities.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1
  • Transfers to CSU

    • POSC 30
    International Relations

    3 units
    Introduction to the basic concepts, theories, and principles of international relations. Course will examine contemporary world affairs including the importance of nationalism, imperialism, ideology, alliance systems, development, and the nature of international organizations.
    Course Details:
  • Transfers to UC

    • Statistics Course (Choose PSY 5 or MTH 43 or BUS 19) 1

    4 units

    MTH 43
    Introduction to Probability and Statistics

    4 units
    Descriptive statistics, including measures of central tendency and dispersion; elements of probability; tests of statistical hypotheses (one and two populations); correlation and regression; ANOVA; applications in various fields. Introduction to the use of computer software package to complete both descriptive and inferential statistics problems. May not receive credit if Mathematics 35 has been completed.
    Course Details:
    1. Prerequisite: MTH 53
      2. or
    2. Prerequisite: MTH 53B
      3. or
    3. Prerequisite: MTH 54
      4. or
    4. Prerequisite: MTH 54L
      5. or
    5. Prerequisite: MTH 55
      6. or
    6. Prerequisite: MTH 55B
      7. or
    7. Prerequisite: MTH 55L
      8. or
    8. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1A
  • Transfers to CSU
    • or

    PSY 5
    Introductory Statistics for the Behavioral and Social Sciences

    4 units
    Statistics as applied to the behavioral and social sciences. Applications using data from disciplines including psychology, social sciences, business, life science, health science, and education. The use of probability techniques, hypothesis testing, and predictive techniques to facilitate decision-making. Topics include: descriptive and inferential statistics; probability and sampling distributions; correlation and linear regression; analysis of variance (ANOVA), chi-square and t-tests; and application of technology for statistical analysis including the interpretation of the relevance of the statistical findings.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1A
    2. Prerequisite: MTH 53
      3. or
    3. Prerequisite: MTH 53B
      4. or
    4. Prerequisite: MTH 54
      5. or
    5. Prerequisite: MTH 54L
      6. or
    6. Prerequisite: MTH 55
      7. or
    7. Prerequisite: MTH 55B
      8. or
    8. Prerequisite: MTH 55L
  • Transfers to CSU
    • or

    BUS 19
    Business Statistics

    4 units
    Introduction to concepts, methods and models employed in reasoning with numbers and in presenting cogent statistical arguments or solutions in the business field. Key topics include estimating confidence intervals, hypotheses testing, development of projections for inferential purposes in the business field, probability distributions (poisson, binomial, normal, student-t, chi-sq, F-distribution), Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), estimating simple and multiple regressions.
    Course Details:
    1. Prerequisite: MTH 53
      2. or
    2. Prerequisite: MTH 53B
      3. or
    3. Prerequisite: MTH 54
      4. or
    4. Prerequisite: MTH 54L
      5. or
    5. Prerequisite: MTH 55
      6. or
    6. Prerequisite: MTH 55B
      7. or
    7. Prerequisite: MTH 55L
      8. or
  • Transfers to CSU
    • 1 - also counts as Math for General Education

    List B

    Select two courses (6 units) from List B 

    Any List A course not already used.

    3 units

    POSC 12
    Introduction to California State and Local Government

    3 units
    Introduction to the politics of California, both on the state and local levels. Students will learn how politics works locally and in Sacramento, and how to effectively enact change in politics and public policy. Emphasis on current issues and the influences of historical, geographical, political, economic and social factors on the political realities in California today.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: POSC 1
      2. and
    2. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1

    GEO 2
    Cultural Geography

    3 units
    Spatial analysis of human populations, their cultural traits, and activities. Emphasis on how diverse peoples, through their interactions and through their perceptions and use of the physical environment, create distinctive cultural landscapes. Social, political, and economic elements of geography which contribute to the evolution of these global and regional cultural patterns. Field trips may be included.
    Course Details:
  • Transfers to CSU

    • ANTH 3
    Social and Cultural Anthropology

    3 units
    How human beings in different cultures meet basic biological, social and cultural needs, including kinship and marriage practices, political and social organization, economic institutions, religious and childrearing practices, social change, as well as other aspects of cultural behavior. Emphasis on understanding other cultures on their own terms. Includes the many subcultures making up North American populations.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1
      2. or
    2. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1A

    ANTH 5
    Cultures of the U.S. in Global Perspective

    3 units
    Issues relevant to understanding constructs of race, class, gender and culture in U. S. society from a global perspective. Factors affecting at least three major U.S. cultural communities (such as African American, Asian American, Latino American and others) including impacts of globalization, patterns of migration, permeability of cultural communities in the U.S., the cultural politics of identity and inclusion and exclusion, and other factors influencing modern U.S. society.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1A

    SOCI 2
    Social Problems

    3 units
    Introduction to social problems common to modern industrial society, and the role of principal institutions in social organization and social disorganization. Includes crime, juvenile delinquency, divorce, drug addiction, aging, mental health and population as well as other areas. Focus on modern American society.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: SOCI 1

    SOCI 3
    Introduction to Race and Ethnic Relations

    3 units
    Analysis of racial and ethnic relations in the United States. Includes race, ethnicity, prejudice, discrimination and stereotyping, as well as theories and patterns of intergroup relations. Focus on contemporary American minorities: African Americans, Chicano/Latinos, Asian Americans, and Native Americans.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: SOCI 1

    COMM 11
    Intercultural Communication

    3 units
    This course will focus on the transmission and interpretation of messages between people from different cultures. Particular attention will be paid to beliefs, values, and norms reflected in American culture, specifically the crisscrossing dynamics of race, ethnicity, gender, religion and class. Emphasis on practical application of skills for effective communication between people of different domestic and international cultures.
    Course Details:
  • Transfers to CSU

    • ECN 1
    Principles of Microeconomics

    3 units
    Economic analysis of market systems, price theory, including supply and demand analysis, marginal utility, elasticity, cost and revenue concepts, perfect and imperfect competition, international trade theory, pricing of the factors of production, poverty and income inequalities.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1A
    2. Prerequisite: MTH 53
    3. Prerequisite: MTH 53B
    4. Prerequisite: MTH 65
    5. Prerequisite: MTH 65B
      6. or
  • Transfers to CSU

    • ECN 2
    Principles of Macroeconomics

    3 units
    Economic analysis of the theory of income determination, including national income analysis, business cycles, the consumption function, the multiplier, fiscal policy, monetary policy, money and banking, the public debt, economic growth and development, comparative economic systems and international trade.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: ENGL 1A
    2. Prerequisite: MTH 53
      3. or
    3. Prerequisite: MTH 53B
      4. or
    4. Prerequisite: MTH 65
      5. or
    5. Prerequisite: MTH 65B
      6. or
  • Transfers to CSU

    • ES 1
    Introduction to Ethnic Studies

    3 units
    An introduction to Ethnic Studies: an interdisciplinary and comparative study of race and ethnicity with a special focus on four historically defined racialized core groups: Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina/o/x/e Americans. The course will review core concepts and frameworks from Ethnic Studies disciplines, such as racism, white supremacy, settler colonialism, imperialism, self-determination, liberation, decolonization, intersectionality, abolition, anti-racism, and more. Students will apply theories and knowledge produced by communities of color and typically studied in: African American/Black Studies, American Indian/Native American Studies, Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies, and Chicana/o/x/e and Latina/o/x/e Studies. The course will also examine examples of struggle, solidarity and resistance while engaging in current justice and equity movements focused on dismantling white supremacy, colonialism, imperialism, and other forms of oppression targeting communities of color.
    Course Details:
  • Transfers to CSU

    • POSC 15
    Introduction to Public Policy

    3 units
    Introduction to key themes in American public policy at a national, state, and local level. The roles of institutions and stakeholders are discussed in the context of theories of public policy and public administration. Students are introduced to tools used to evaluate and analyze public issue areas and the public policies created to address them.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: POSC 1
      2. or
    2. Strongly Recommended: POSC 12

    POSC 35
    Politics of Race and Gender: History, Governance, and Public Policy

    3 units
    An overview of the historical and contemporary political issues and concerns affecting the status and power of groups that have traditionally been politically and socially disadvantaged in the United States. These groups include, but are not limited to, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, Latinx, LGBT, and Women. The political histories of each group from their arrival in the territory today known as the United States through modern times will be discussed. Students will analyze how group identity impacts the processes of democratic governance. Public policy issues (i.e. education, health, criminal justice) will be considered in light of their impact upon marginalized groups.
    Course Details:
    1. Strongly Recommended: POSC 1
      2. or
    2. Strongly Recommended: ES 1
    Total Units: 61 units
    This program map is not a guarantee of course availability or financial aid applicability.