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Possible Careers for Political Science Minors
Should you chose to minor in Political Science at Missouri Baptist University, you will benefit from the unique mission of MBU's Political Science program and its dedicated Christian faculty as they help qualify you for your future career in one of many possible fields of related service. A minor in Political Science at MBU may be a vital step in your undergraduate preparation for an eventual career or advanced studies in any one of the following professions:
- Banker
- Businessperson
- Campaign Manager
- Foreign Service Official
- Lawyer
- Lobbyist
- Newspaper Journalist
- Non-Profit Director
- Political Analyst
- Politician
- Pollster
- Public Relations
- Purchasing Agent
- Television Journalist
Mission Statement: Missouri Baptist University offers a minor in Political Science (POLS) that will allow students to explore the philosophical and historical foundations, nature, purpose and functions of political ideas and institutions in both the United States and other countries. The following courses are offered as a part of the general education requirements and/or the minor in Political Science.
Need more information?
For more information on the minor in Political Science at MBU, contact Dr. Keith Beutler. To learn about faculty in the Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences, click here.
The course information below highlights key features of the program. For more complete, up-to-date information, always consult the university's most recent catalog.
Minor
Course Requirements for earning a Minor in Political Science: (18 hours)
Required: 9 hours
POLS 113 Federal Government
POLS 123 State and Local Government
PORP 333 Political Philosophy
Electives: 9 hours
HIPO 233 American Foreign Policy
ADPO303 Foundations of Law
PSPO 323 Psychology and the Law
HIPO 343 The American Presidency
HIPO 353 American Political Thought
POLS 363 The African American Constitutional Experience
POLS 471-476 Internship in Local Government
POLS 481-486 American Political Campaigns Internship
ADPO 453 Constitutional Law
Course Descriptions
POLS 113 FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
A basic course dealing with the organization, principles, and
administration of our federal government.
Three Hours, Fall
POLS 123 STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
A basic course dealing with the organization and administration
of state and local government.
Three Hours, Spring
HIPO 233 AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY
Examination of the factors influencing the formation and execution
of United States foreign policy and of specific contemporary foreign
policies and problems. The course will focus on the policies through
which the United States attempts to maintain satisfactory economic,
political, and social relationships with other countries. Global
interdependency will be investigated. Prerequisite(s): POLS 113
and HIST 223 or consent of the instructor. This course does not
satisfy the U.S. Government requirement for teacher certification.
Three Hours, On Demand
ADPO 303 FOUNDATIONS OF LAW
This course is designed to familiarize students with legal ideas and
legal reasoning. It provides comparative, historical, and Biblical
perspectives on law that will help explain legal diversity and legal
change. It offers opportunities to explore some of the persistent
issues in law and legal theory, such as the sources of law, the
responsibilities of the legal profession, and the relative merits of
the adversary system.
Three Hours, Spring, Even Years
PSPO 323 PSYCHOLOGY AND THE LAW
This is a course that examines the application of psychological
principles to the American legal system, including presentation
of scientific evidence, analysis of the criminal and victim mind, jury
selection and decision-making, malingering, various defense pleas,
trials, persuasive tactics of lawyers, rights of the accused, expert
witnesses, and eyewitness testimony. A mock trial may be
presented to allow students to see psychological concepts
in action. Prerequisite: PSYC133.
Three hours, Fall, Even Years
PORP 333 POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY
This course looks at the development of political theory in the
Western tradition. Students will read and discuss the contributions
of philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, Aquinas, Locke,
Rousseau, Mill, and 20th century theorists.
Three hours, Spring, Even Years
HIPO 343 THE AMERICAN PRESIDENCY
This course is a detailed examination of the office of the American
Presidency. The course will focus on the development of the
Presidency from the time of Washington to the present. The
students will not only look at the political thought and actions
of the founders, preservers, and revisers of American republicanism
and their varied understanding of executive power, but also will read
various biographical accounts of various presidents to discover how
the office changes from president to president.
Three Hours, Fall, Even-Numbered Years
HIPO 353 AMERICAN POLITICAL THOUGHT
This course will look at our system of representative democracy as
understood by the Founders, Framers and other political thinkers
from 1760 to 1800. The students will read many primary source
documents from this Founding Period, and evaluate how and why
the thoughts of the Founders have impacted not only American
Political thought, but also constitutional democracy today.
Three Hours, Spring, Odd Years
POLS 363 THE AFRICAN AMERICAN
CONSTITUTIONAL EXPERIENCE
In this course the students will read and study primary source
documents in order to explore the African-American constitutional
experience, with particular emphasis given to the Equal Protection
clause of the 14th amendment.
Fall, Odd Years
ADPO 453 CONSTITUTIONAL LAW
A study of leading constitutional principles of the United States,
providing an overview of the constitution with emphasis on the
amendments dealing with the rights of the accused and provisions
for due process.
Three Hours, Fall
POLS 471-476 INTERNSHIP IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT
This course will provide the student an opportunity to observe and
participate in a variety of functions of local government. The student
will work under the direction of the city administrator of a local
municipality. Prerequisite(s): POLS 123 and consent of supervisor.
Variable credit; may be taken twice in two different field settings,
not to exceed a total of six hours.
One to six hours, On Demand
POLS 481-486 AMERICAN POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS:
AN INTERNSHIP
This course will involve the student working on a local, state or
national political campaign. It will involve the student arranging
the internship (with the guidance of the instructor) and then
implementing it. The student will also meet with the instructor
in order to give progress reports as to how the internship in going.
Thirty (30) clock-hours of service will be required for each course
credit hour earned. There will be no reading for the course; however,
their will be an exit paper to be accompanied by a formal letter from
the campaign staff verifying the number of hours of work.
One to six hours, Fall, Even Years
