Political Science and Communication Studies, BA (Boston)

The combined major in political science and communication studies offers students the opportunity to integrate the study of politics and government with different forms and mediums of communication. Students complete the core courses in political science along with core courses in communication studies that cover public speaking and persuasion. This combined major highlights the important role played by different forms of communication in shaping politics and government. 

Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

Universitywide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.

BA Language Requirements

All BA students are required to complete the BA degree language requirements, for a total of 12 semester hours of language study or demonstrated equivalent proficiency, as described in Additional Requirements for BA students. Successful demonstration of proficiency does not reduce total minimum semester hours of study required to earn the BA degree.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Political Science Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Courses in Political Science
POLS 1150	American Government	4
POLS 1155	Comparative Politics	4
POLS 1160	International Relations	4
POLS 2400	Quantitative Techniques	4
Political Thought
Complete one of the following:		4
POLS 2325	Ancient Philosophy and Political Thought
POLS 2328	Modern Political Thought
POLS 2330	American Political Thought
POLS 2332	Contemporary Political Thought
Methodology
POLS 2399	Research Methods in Political Science	4
Political Science Electives
Note: Elective courses may also fulfill requirements of an optional concentration of this program.
Complete four courses in the following range:		16
POLS 2000 to POLS 5999

Political Science Concentration (Optional)

If you are working toward one of the following concentrations, declare it with your advisor so that it may be added to your record. Requirements for the concentrations are listed below.

• American Political Institutions
• Campaigns and Elections
• Comparative Politics
• Identity, Culture, and Politics
• International Relations and Diplomacy
• Law and Legal Studies
• Public Policy
• Security Studies

Communication Studies Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Common Requirements
COMM 1101	Introduction to Communication Studies	4
COMM 1112	Public Speaking	4
or COMM 2301	Communication Research Methods
Foundation Course
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:		4
COMM 1210	Persuasion and Rhetoric
COMM 1225	Communication Theory
COMM 1231	Principles of Organizational Communication
COMM 1255	Communication in a Digital Age
Cluster Course
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:		4
COMM 1131	Sex, Relationships, and Communication
COMM 2303	Global and Intercultural Communication
COMM 2304	Communication and Gender
COMM 2501	Communication Law
COMM 2551	Free Speech in Cyberspace
Writing Intensive Courses
Complete 8 semester hours from the following:		8
COMM 3200	Mobile Communication
COMM 3201	Health Communication
COMM 3230	Interpersonal Communication
COMM 3304	Communication and Inclusion
COMM 3320	Political Communication
COMM 3415	Communication Criticism
COMM 3500	Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media
COMM 3501	Free Speech: Law and Practice
COMM 3530	Communication and Sexualities
COMM 3532	Theories of Conflict and Negotiation
COMM 4535	Nonverbal Social Interaction
COMM 4605	Youth and Communication Technology
COMM 4631	Crisis Communication and Image Management
Communication Studies Electives
Complete 12 semester hours from the following:		12
COMM courses between COMM 1100 - 4999, which have not been used to satisfy other degree requirements.
JRNL 2301	Visual Storytelling in Journalism
MSCR 1230	Introduction to Film Production
MSCR courses in the ranges MSCR 2100 - 2199, MSCR 3100 - 3199, and MSCR 4100 - 4199.
PREL 1425	Public Relations Principles
PREL 3625	Public Relations Practice

Integrative Requirement Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
COMM 3320	Political Communication (does not double-count toward COMM Writing Intensive Courses requirement)	4
or POLS 3320	Politics and Mass Media

Capstone Experience Course

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
COMM 4102	Health Communication Campaigns	4
or COMM 4530	Communication and Quality of Life
or COMM 4608	Strategic Communication Capstone
or COMM 4625	Online Communities
or COMM 4755	Production Capstone
or COMM 4901	Seminar in Communications
or POLS 4701	Political Science Senior Capstone
or POLS 4703	Senior Thesis

Supporting Courses

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Introduction to College
COMM 1000	Communication Studies at Northeastern	1
or POLS 1000	Political Science at Northeastern
Experiential Learning
EEAM 2000	Professional Development for Co-op	1
or EESH 2000	Professional Development for Co-op
Writing Requirements
First-Year Writing
ENGW 1111	First-Year Writing	4
or ENGW 1102	First-Year Writing for Multilingual Writers
or ENGW 1114	First-Year Writing with Service-Learning
Advanced Writing in the Disciplines
COMM 3409	Advocacy Writing	4
or ENGW 3308	Advanced Writing in the Social Sciences
or ENGW 3314	Advanced Writing in the Arts, Media, and Design
or ENGW 3315	Interdisciplinary Advanced Writing in the Disciplines
Total Hours		10

Communication Studies Major Grade Requirement

No more than two grades below a “C” in Communication Studies courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements.

Program Requirement

128 total semester hours required

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Concentrations

Concentration in American Political Institutions

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete four of the following:		16
POLS 3160	Campaign Strategy
POLS 3300	The U.S. Congress
POLS 3302	Judicial Process and Behavior
POLS 3307	Public Policy and Administration
POLS 3310	Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections

 

Concentration in Campaigns and Elections

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Required Courses
POLS 3160	Campaign Strategy	4
POLS 3302	Judicial Process and Behavior	4
Campaigns and Elections Electives
Complete two of the following:		8
POLS 2345	Urban Policies and Politics
POLS 3310	Public Opinion, Voting, and Elections
POLS 3320	Politics and Mass Media

 

Concentration in Comparative Politics

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Theoretical Requirement
Complete two of the following:		8
POLS 2282	The Holocaust and Comparative Genocide
POLS 2356	Democratic Erosion
POLS 2359	Immigration Politics
POLS 2370	Religion and Politics
POLS 3418	Nationalism
POLS 3487	Politics of Developing Nations
Regional Requirements
Complete one of the following:		4
POLS 3435	Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union
POLS 3465	Government and Politics in the Middle East
Experiential/Practicum Requirement
Complete one of the following:		4
POLS 4915	Model Arab League
POLS 4918	Model NATO
POLS 4937	Dialogue of Civilizations: Government and Politics Abroad

 

Concentration in Identity, Culture, and Politics 

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Course
POLS 3418	Nationalism	4
Electives
Complete three of the following:		12
POLS 2359	Immigration Politics
POLS 2368	Music and Politics in America and Abroad
POLS 2370	Religion and Politics
POLS 3309	Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues in Public Policy
POLS 3324	Law and Society

Concentration in International Relations and Diplomacy

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Experiential/Practicum Requirement
Complete one of the following:		4
POLS 4910	Model United Nations
POLS 4915	Model Arab League
POLS 4938	Dialogue of Civilizations: International Politics Abroad
Core Courses
Complete three of the following:		12
POLS 3405	International Political Economy
POLS 3406	International Law
POLS 3435	Politics and Governance of Europe and the European Union
POLS 5408	International Security

Concentration in Law and Legal Studies

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete four of the following:		16
POLS 2330	American Political Thought
POLS 3300	The U.S. Congress
POLS 3302	Judicial Process and Behavior
POLS 3324	Law and Society
POLS 3406	International Law
POLS 4500	U.S. Constitutional Law
POLS 4505	U.S. Civil Liberties

 

Concentration in Public Policy

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Core Requirement
POLS 3307	Public Policy and Administration	4
Electives
Complete three of the following:		12
POLS 2345	Urban Policies and Politics
POLS 2390	Science, Technology, and Public Policy
POLS 2395	Environmental Politics and Policy
POLS 3425	U.S. Foreign Policy

 

Concentration in Security Studies

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Complete four of the following:		16
POLS 3420	U.S. National Security Policy
POLS 3423	Terrorism and Counterterrorism
POLS 3425	U.S. Foreign Policy
POLS 3487	Politics of Developing Nations
POLS 5408	International Security

Sample Plan of Study

Four Years, Two Co-ops

Year 1
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer Session A	Hours	Summer Session B	Hours
COMM 1101	4	COMM 1112 or 2301	4	Intermediate Language	4	Elective	4
ENGW 1111, 1102, or 1114	4	POLS 1155	4	Elective	4	Elective	4
POLS 1000 or COMM 1000	1	POLS 1160	4
POLS 1150	4	Elementary Language 2	4
Elementary Language 1	4	EEAM 2000 or EESH 2000 (EEAM for CAMD ; EESH for CSSH)	1
	17		17		8		8
Year 2
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer Session A	Hours	Summer Session B	Hours
COMM Foundation	4	Co-op	0	Co-op	0	Elective	4
COMM Cluster	4					Elective	4
POLS 2400	4
POLS Elective 1	4
	16		0		0		8
Year 3
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours	Summer Session A	Hours	Summer Session B	Hours
COMM Elective 1	4	Co-op	0	Co-op	0	COMM 3409, ENGW 3308, ENGW 3314, or ENGW 3315	4
COMM Writing Intensive 1	4					Elective	4
POLS 2399	4
Political Thought Course	4
	16		0		0		8
Year 4
Fall	Hours	Spring	Hours
COMM Elective 2	4	Capstone	4
COMM Writing Intensive 2	4	COMM Elective 3	4
POLS 3320 or COMM 3320	4	POLS Elective 3	4
POLS Elective 2	4	POLS Elective 4	4
	16		16
Total Hours: 130