Political Science

The study of Political Science is the study of how people are governed and how they govern themselves. This process involves, among other things, the decision to allocate scarce resources to an expanding population with ever-increasing demands. Political Scientists aim to develop an understanding of the institutions, the practices, and the relations that constitute public life.

As a discipline, in the West, Political Science originates with the Greeks. Following their lead, we examine the views of political philosophers from Plato and Aristotle to the present on the question of which type of government is most conducive to human fulfillment and why. Given that we are a department of Political Science at an American institution of higher learning, we study the American political experience as a unique experiment in “self-government,” but we also go beyond studying how America is governed to look at other political systems, both democracies and non-democracies. Furthermore, our discipline seeks to understand the cooperation and conflict in the international arena by studying the interactions of states, international organizations, and non-governmental actors on the global scene.

The goal of the Political Science Program at Santa Barbara City College is to prepare students to develop the fundamental understanding of the American political experience as a unique experiment in “self-government,” going beyond studying how America is governed to look at other political systems with a view to realizing the differences and commonalities between these political systems. The program examines these differences in an attempt to understand something about the degree to which one system is better suited to a country than another, and whether or not one can indeed speak of one type of political arrangement as the “best.” Our discipline also seeks to understand the causes, dynamics and possibilities of conflict and conflict resolution in the international arena, by studying the interactions of states, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, and non-state actors on the global scene.

Political Science courses help prepare students for many careers in the public or private sectors. For example, Political Science is often used as a pre-law major or for other related professions, such as careers in government at the federal, state or local levels. Our discipline is also appropriate for a number of careers at the international level, such as international diplomacy or international business, as well as other professions in non-governmental sectors both nationally and internationally.

The Associate in Arts for Transfer degree in Political Science provides students with the foundational knowledge necessary to make a successful transition into a Baccalaureate Degree at any of the CSU campuses. The Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) is a special degree offered at California Community Colleges. Students who earn an AA-T or AS-T degree are guaranteed admission to a campus within the California State University (CSU) system in a similar major, although not necessarily to a specific campus. Students who complete an AA-T or AS-T are given priority consideration when applying to a particular program that is similar to the student’s community college major, and will be given a special GPA advantage when applying to CSU impacted campuses or majors.

Students should consult with an academic counselor when choosing electives in order to develop a program of study that is best suited to their specific needs. For example, requirements for the baccalaureate degree in Political Science vary from one institution to another. It is, therefore, essential to become familiar with the requirements of the institution that a student plans to attend.

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Requirements

Associate Degree for Transfer Graduation Requirements

Complete all of the following:

1. All Major Requirements listed below with a “C” or better or "P" in each course.
2. Cal-GETC pattern.
3. At least 60 CSU transferable semester units.
4. Achieve a minimum GPA of 2.0 in all CSU transferable coursework.
5. A minimum of 12 units through SBCC.

Students are advised to consult the CSU ADT Major & Campus Search database to determine which bachelor's degree programs offered by the CSU campuses are deemed similar to the AA-T in Political Science. Students are also advised to consult ASSIST (www.assist.org) and to meet with an academic counselor to discuss the best combination of courses to take for their AA-T to ensure they receive the admission benefits associated with it, and to meet the requirements of the transfer institution to which they are intending to transfer.

Learning Outcomes

1. Demonstrate knowledge of how people are governed and how they govern themselves.
2. Analyze the role of government institutions in contemporary society.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of key terms and core concepts of political systems.

Recommended Sequence

Make an appointment with your SBCC academic counselor through Starfish to create a Student Education Plan that reflects a recommended course sequence for this program that is tailored to your individual needs.

How to schedule an Academic Counseling appointment.