GOVERNMENT
College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies

BACHELOR OF ARTS
MINOR
MASTER OF ARTS
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Government, or Political Science, is devoted to study of the theory and practice of government and politics. At Sacramento State the fields of study are: Political Theory; Public Law; International and Comparative Politics; and American Governments, Politics and Policy. Over 70 courses cover all the major aspects of political science. Lower division courses satisfy General Education requirements and help to prepare students for advanced work.

The Government major complements a student's liberal arts education with an emphasis on understanding the theoretical and practical aspects of government and politics. The Department offers both the BA and the minor in Government. The major is structured to provide students with a background in the basic fields of political science, as well as to permit them a range of choice in completing the program.

The Government Department offers several courses integral to interdisciplinary programs such as Ethnic Studies, Women's Studies, California Studies, Canadian Studies, and Peace and Conflict Resolution Studies. The Department also offers a joint Government-Journalism major with the Department of Communication Studies.

Students should select a faculty advisor who shares the student's academic interests. For students who wish to pursue graduate work in Government, a Master of Arts degree is offered.

Concentrations

BA: International Relations - a concentration in International Relations that is distinct from the field emphasis within the major.

BA: Government/Journalism – an interdisciplinary program that spans the combined areas of Government and Journalism.

Special Features

• Located in the state capital, the Sacramento State program offers unusual opportunities for the study of government and politics and especially for internships. Students have served internships with state legislators, legislative committee staffs, special interest and lobbying groups, and administrative agencies. Placement is also possible in local government executive agencies and with county supervisors, city council members, and selected political campaigns. Students applying for internships should have had (or be taking in the same semester) GOVT 180, California State and Local Government, and must have passed the Writing Proficiency Examination.
• Sacramento State students may apply for the Sacramento Semester Program, which brings students from all California State University campuses to Sacramento for one semester to take advantage of the unique learning experience at the State Capitol. The heart of this program is six units of internship with the legislature or other state offices. An accompanying 6 unit seminar course in state government and politics allows students to integrate their practical internship experience with academic work.
• Students who work in the day will be interested to know that class scheduling permits completion of the general Government major in the late afternoon and evening hours.

UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS

Although it is not a requirement of the major, the Department strongly recommends that students take an introductory statistics course as part of their undergraduate work. A course in statistics may be used to satisfy the GE requirement in mathematics.

The Department emphasizes its expectation that students seek faculty advice when planning their program. Students may ask any faculty member's assistance initially. As specific interests are developed, students may wish to seek the advice of faculty sharing their interests.

REQUIREMENTS · BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE

Units required for Major: 39
Minimum total units required for BA: 120
A "C" average is required in the Major.
Courses in parentheses are prerequisites.

• The Department recommends students take no more than two of these required courses a semester.
• GOVT 170 should be taken in the final year of a student's undergraduate work.
• GOVT 150 may not be counted as an elective toward the major.

C. Electives (12 units)*

*These courses must be selected in consultation with an advisor from the Government Department.

Notes:

• If a student has not taken GOVT 1 or its equivalent, then GOVT 150 may count as the prerequisite for the major.
• Students may take a maximum of 6 units of a GOVT 195 (Internship) within the major, but may use no more than 3 of those units to complete the 30 units of required upper division work.
• Students should be aware that the Department offers a concentration in International Relations that is distinct from a field emphasis within the major. See complete International Relations Concentration description.

Units required for Major: 42
Minimum total units required for BA: 120
Minimum required GPA: 2.0
Courses in parentheses are prerequisites.

A. Lower Division Courses (0-6 units)

While the International Relations concentration has no specific lower division requirements, students may offer GOVT 1 and GOVT 35 or their equivalents towards the 42 units of work required for the major.

B. Required Upper Division Courses (15 units)

C. Upper Division Electives (21-27 units)

Additional upper division courses to total 42 units. These must be selected from Government courses numbered from 130 through 149 and from courses in other disciplines that have an international relations/comparative politics content. Up to twelve (12) units of work in other disciplines can be counted to satisfy the requirements of the major, as long as approval by an international relations advisor is obtained.

With prior approval students may also be able to include as part of the major alternative Government courses such as GOVT 119A, Socialism-Marxism-Communism; GOVT 127, Elements of International Law; and GOVT 162, American Film and Culture in the Nuclear Age.

The Department strongly recommends that students select elective courses with a specific area of study in mind. Such areas of study might include international political economy, international development studies, security studies, or regional concentrations such as Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East.

Units required for Major: 51
Minimum total units required for BA: 120
Courses in parentheses are prerequisites. Majors must complete each required lower and upper division Journalism course with a grade of "C -" or better.

A. Required Lower Division Courses (9 units)

Note: Students are permitted to repeat upper division courses a maximum of two times.

The Master of Arts program in Government is designed to orient the student toward critical investigation of problems in government and politics, and to improve the student's ability for independent study. This program is of special value to teachers of government in the public schools, to persons who contemplate public service or politics as a career, and to persons planning additional graduate study leading to the doctorate. The Government Department Graduate Coordinator acts as advisor to graduate students and should be consulted early in each student's program of graduate study.

Note: Because most graduate students work during the day, most graduate courses are offered in the late afternoon and evening hours.

Admission as a classified graduate student in Government requires:

• a baccalaureate degree;
• a minimum 3.0 GPA in the last 60 units attempted and 3.0 GPA in the major;
• a satisfactory score on the aptitude portion of the Graduate Record Examination (the Department expects the student to achieve at least the 50th percentile in the combined verbal/analytic score);
• three letters of recommendation from individuals who can evaluate the applicant's potential for successful graduate study;
• a written statement explaining the applicant's purposes and goals in pursuing a master's degree in Government; and
• an example of written work which the applicant considers evidence of his/her best scholarship regardless of the grade received.

Applicants who have deficiencies in Admission Requirements that can be removed by specified additional preparation may be admitted to the degree program with conditionally classified graduate status. Students with an undergraduate major in any subject may be accepted; no minimum number of units in Government is required. However, if a student's preparation in the field of government or political science is not adequate preparation for graduate study, he/she may be asked to complete some additional course work before becoming classified. Any deficiencies will be noted on a written response to the student's admission application. No upper division prerequisite courses required as a condition of classification can be counted towards the degree requirement.

Applications are accepted as long as room for new students exists. However, students are strongly urged to apply by April 1 for the following fall or November 1 for the following spring in order to allow time for admission before registration. All prospective graduate students, including Sacramento State graduates, must file the following with the Office of Graduate Studies, River Front Center 206, (916) 278-6740:

• an online application for admission;
• two sets of official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended, other than Sacramento State; and
• Graduate Record Examination scores, aptitude portion only.

At the same time, each applicant should forward to the Graduate Coordinator in Government the following:

• the three letters of recommendation;
• the applicant's written statement of purposes and goals; and
• the example of the applicant's best written work.

Approximately six weeks after receipt of all items listed above, a decision regarding admission will be mailed to the applicant.

Each student must file an application for Advancement to Candidacy, indicating a proposed program of graduate study. This procedure should begin as soon as the classified graduate student has:

• removed any deficiencies in admission requirements;
• completed STAT 1 or its approved equivalent, a prerequisite to the program (does not count towards the degree) which must be taken before GOVT 200;
• completed at least 15 units in the graduate program with a minimum 3.0 GPA;
• successfully met the writing proficiency requirement; and
• submitted a thesis prospectus (if the student elects to do a thesis).

Advancement to Candidacy forms are available in the Office of Graduate Studies. The student fills out the form after planning a degree program in consultation with a Government Department advisor. The completed form is then returned to the Office of Graduate Studies for approval.

REQUIREMENTS - MASTER OF ARTS DEGREE

Units required for MA: 30
Minimum required GPA: 3.0 with no grade below a "C" (not a "C-")

A. Required Courses (15 units)

(3)	GOVT 200	Method and Scope in Political Science (STAT 1 or its equivalent)
(3)	GOVT 210	Political Theory (upper division course in the field and/or instructor permission) OR
	GOVT 219	Specialized Studies in Political Theory (instructor permission)
(3)	GOVT 230	Theories of International Relations (upper division course in the field and/or instructor permission) OR
	GOVT 240	Comparative Government and Politics (advanced course in the field)
(3)	GOVT 250	Basic Issues of American Government (upper division course in the field and/or instructor permission) OR
	GOVT 270	Public Policy and the Political Processes (upper division course in the field and/or instructor permission)
(3)	GOVT 280	State Politics OR
	GOVT 284	Urban Politics

B. Other Course Requirements (12 units)

Four additional courses which may be completed from graduate seminars in the Department, from 200-level courses in related fields (6 units allowed with graduate coordinator's prior approval), from GOVT 295 (3 units allowed), and/or from GOVT 299 (6 units allowed). However, a maximum of 6 units of GOVT 295 and/or GOVT 299 may be applied to the MA. Of these twelve units, up to 6 units may be in 100-level courses within the Government Department, chosen from a pre-approved list compiled by the graduate coordinator. Each student must choose to emphasize two of the following four fields:

• Political Theory
• Comparative Government/International Relations
• American Government/Public Law/Public Policy
• California State and Local Government

The student must complete two seminars in each of two of the above designated fields.

C. Culminating Requirement (3 units)

(3) GOVT 500 Culminating Experience

Note: Students Preparing for Further Graduate Study - The Sacramento State Government MA does not require a foreign language. Students who plan to seek admission to a Ph.D. program are advised, however, that many still impose a foreign language requirement on all students and most Ph.D. programs now impose a quantitative techniques requirement as well. Thus, the recommendation that students take a course in statistics.

CAREER POSSIBILITIES

Elected Public Official · Lobbyist · Campaign Manager · Public Opinion Researcher · Specialist in Legislative Affairs and Governmental Relations · Civil Servant · Administrative Manager · Budget Analyst · Policy Analyst · City Planner · Consultant · High School Teacher · University Instructor and Researcher · Attorney · Paralegal · Business Person · Foreign Service Officer · Analyst and Researcher for Non-profit and Non-Governmental Organizations.

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