NMHU Political Science Programs

Major in Political Science (BA)

The major in Political Science is offered with two emphases: Liberal Arts and Law.

The Law emphasis provides a foundation in government and political systems, and addresses legal systems and dimensions of constitutional, public, and criminal law.

The Liberal Arts emphasis provides extensive study of American national, state, and local government, comparative and international politics, political theory, and political behavior.

A special feature of Political Science at New Mexico Highlands University is found in its focus on Southwest and minority political studies.

Liberal Arts Emphasis

Required courses: 12 credit hours

POLS 1120 American National Government (3)

POLS 3120 Political Parties and Behavior (3)

POLS 3160 State and Local Government (3)

POLS 3280 Comparative Political Systems (3)

Electives: 20 credit hours Choose one course from the following:

POLS 4100 American Constitution (3) or

POLS 4580 Political Theory and Philosophy (3)

Choose at least 17 additional credits from courses in Political Science (or History courses such as 3150, 4010, 4030, 4130, 4140), in consultation with the major advisor. At least five of the credits must be from courses at the 3000 or 4000 level.

Major total: 32 credit hours

Core Requirements: 21 credit hours

Flex Requirements: 10 credit hours

Extended Requirements: 8 credit hours

Proficiency Requirements: 11-17 credit hours

General Electives to 120 (if needed): 12-18 credit hours

Minor: 20 credit hours minimum

Total for degree: 120 credit hours*

*A minor is required. The number of proficiency credit requirements will vary based on student placement scores. New Mexico Highlands University requires a minimum of 45 upper-division units for the degree

Law Emphasis

Required courses: 26 credit hours

POLS 1120 American National Government (3)

POLS 3140 Introduction to the Law (3)

POLS 3160 State and Local Government (3)

POLS 3200 Criminal Law (3)

POLS 3280 Comparative Political Systems (3)

POLS 4100 American Constitution (3)

POLS 4170 Legislative Process (3)

POLS 4530 International Relations, Human Rights and Law (3)

POLS 4970 LSAT Preparation and Legal Logic Class (2)

Electives: 6 credit hours

Choose at least 6 additional credits from Political Science courses (or from History courses cross-listed in political science), in consultation with the major advisor.

Major total: 32 credit hours

Core Requirements: 21 credit hours

Flex Requirements: 10 credit hours

Extended Requirements: 8 credit hours

Proficiency Requirements: 11-17 credit hours

General Electives to 120 (if needed): 12-18 credit hours

Minor: 20 credit hours minimum

Total for degree: 120 credit hours*

*A minor is required. The number of proficiency credit requirements will vary based on student placement scores. New Mexico Highlands University requires a minimum of 45 upper-division units for the degree.

Pre-Law Preparation for Students Planning to Attend Law School

Comprehensive advising is available for students planning or considering the study and practice of law. Law or Pre-Law do not constitute majors; in fact, a wide variety of fields of study can be appropriate for the prospective lawyer. Many students select the major in political science, which offers a law emphasis; others select major and minor fields in the humanities, social sciences, sciences, mathematics, or physical sciences.

Careful planning in appropriate fields of study, with special attention to a foundation of skills developed in classes with emphasis on written and oral communication, research, calculation, logical reasoning, and critical thinking are strongly recommended for Pre-Law preparation.

The Pre-Law advisor will help all students with their preparations to gain admission to law school. This advisor is a source of much information about law schools and their requirements as well as the LSAT examination preparation, which helps law schools evaluate students’ qualifications for entrance.

Major in Organizational Leadership in Public Safety (BA)

Organizational Leadership

BMIS 3420 Communication Strategies for Leaders (3)

BMIS 4280 Business Analytics in Decision Making (3)

BMIS 4400 Innovation Management (3)

BMIS 4800 Project Management (3)

BUSA 3460 Leadership Ethics (3)

BUSA 3480 Budget Management for Leaders (3)

MGMT 4500 Seminar in Leadership (3)

MGMT 4530 Organizational Leadership (3)

MGMT 4880 Strategic Thinking for Decision Making (Capstone) (3)

Organizational Leadership Total: 27 credit hours

Public Safety

CJUS 3810 Terrorism (3)

POLS 3220 Public Safety Ecosystems (3)

POLS 3240 Public Safety and Homeland Security (3)

POLS 3260 Public Safety and Terrorism or

POLS 4190 Public Administration (3)

POLS 4260 Case Studies in Public Safety and Leadership (3)

3 credit upper-division (3/4000 level) elective chosen in consultation with an advisor from POLS or CJUS or another appropriate field in the College of Arts and Sciences

Public Safety Total: 18 credit hours

Program Total: 45 credit hours

Minor in Political Science

Required courses: 6 credit hours

POLS 1120 American National Government (3)

POLS 3160 State and Local Government (3)

Electives: 14 credit hours Choose one course from the following:

POLS 4100 American Constitution (3)

POLS 4580 Political Theory and Philosophy (3)

Choose at least 11 additional credits in courses from Political Science and allied subjects, selected in consultation with the minor advisor. At least four of these credits must be from 3000- or 4000-level courses.

Minor Total: 20 credit hours

Certificate in Public Safety (offered in conjunction with School of Business)

CJUS 3810 Terrorism (3)

POLS 3220 Public Safety Ecosystems (3)

POLS 3240 Public Safety and Homeland Security (3)

POLS 3260 Public Safety and Terrorism or

POLS 4190 Public Administration (3)

POLS 4260 Case Studies in Public Safety and Leadership (3)

3 credit upper-division (3/4000 level) elective chosen in consultation with an advisor from POLS or CJUS or another appropriate field in the College of Arts and Sciences

Certificate Total: 18 credit hours

Minor in Public Safety (offered in conjunction with School of Business)

CJUS 3810 Terrorism (3)

POLS 3220 Public Safety Ecosystems (3)

POLS 3240 Public Safety and Homeland Security (3)

POLS 3260 Public Safety and Terrorism or

POLS 4190 Public Administration (3)

POLS 4260 Case Studies in Public Safety and Leadership (3)

3 credit upper-division (3/4000 level) elective chosen in consultation with an advisor from POLS or CJUS or another appropriate field in the College of Arts and Sciences

Minor Total: 18 credit hours

Master of Arts in Public Affairs (M.A.)

The Master of Arts in Public Affairs combines studies in Sociology, Political Science, Anthropology, and History with an interdisciplinary emphasis. The program gives a comprehensive understanding of the social and cultural environment of the public and private spheres through a core curriculum taken by all students that includes political theory, social theory, historiography, and human culture.

Students then select courses from one of the concentration fields of History or Political & Governmental Processes. Each student receives training in appropriate research methodologies, and completes a thesis or a professional paper, or comprehensive exam. This program prepares students for doctoral studies and provides enrichment for professionals in public careers such as law, politics, or government service. The program also offers advanced preparation for teachers. The interdisciplinary nature of the program is well suited for such purposes. It combines theory and practice in the following areas: Historical and cross-cultural analysis; archival research; personal and participant observation, interview, and survey techniques; statistical analysis, model building, and simulation as applied to the analysis of social and cultural trends; political and economic policy at local, regional, national, and international levels; and organizational and institutional processes.

The program’s geographic location in a multi-ethnic region of the Southwest brings with it unique perspectives and opportunities. Field and practicum experiences are available to capitalize on the region’s rich social, cultural, and institutional resources. The program’s faculty – from Sociology, Anthropology, History, and Political Science – are all engaged in scholarly research in their respective fields. The program is administered by and through the discipline of History and Political Science. The course listings for this program may be found among the separate discipline listings for Anthropology, History, Political Science, and Sociology.

Master of Arts in Public Affairs

Required core: Choose 12 to 15 credits from the following:

ANTH 6510 Seminar: Concepts of Human Culture (3)

HIST 6150 Contemporary Historical Thought (3)

POLS 5630 Political Economy (3)

POLS 6540 Seminar: The State (3)

SOCI 5390 Classical Sociological Theories (3)

Core Total: 12 – 15 credit hours

Choose concentrations from:

• History
• Political & Governmental Processes

Elective substitutions in the following concentration areas may be made with faculty and discipline approval in the concentration area.

Concentration in History

Requirement (to be taken as part of the core):

HIST 6150 Contemporary Historical Thought (3)

Complete 12 credits from the following:

HIST 5010 The Chicano Experience (3)

HIST 5030 Chicano Leadership (3)

HIST 5060 North American Frontiers (3)

HIST 5110 Women in the US (3)

HIST 5120 Civil War & Reconstruction (3)

HIST 5130 The US since WW II (3)

HIST 5140 The American President (3)

HIST 5350 Selected Topics in History (3)

HIST 5520 New Mexico History (3)

HIST 5530 History of the Southwest (3)

HIST 6050 The Trans-Mississippi-West (3)

HIST 6180 The Southwest (3)

HIST 6190 NM since Statehood (3)

HIST 6400 Seminar: Modern Mexico (3)

Concentration Total: 12 credit hours

Research Requirement: 3 credit hours

HIST 6200 Research Methods in History (3) *

Thesis Option:

HIST 6990 Thesis (9) and a thesis.

Professional Paper Option:

HIST 6960 Professional Paper (3), six (6) additional hours of coursework from the concentration area, and one Professional Paper.

Comprehensive Examination Option:

HIST 6950 Comprehensive Examination, six (6) additional hours of coursework from the concentration area, and a Comprehensive Examination.

Program Total: 36 credit hours

Concentration in Political & Governmental Processes

Complete 12 to 15 credits from the following:

POLS 5020 Interest Group Politics (3)

POLS 5100 American Constitution (3)

POLS 5150 Government & Business (3)

POLS 5170 Legislative Process (3)

POLS 5180 Administrative Law & Process (3)

POLS 5190 Public Administration (3)

POLS 5330 Chinese Communist Government (3)

POLS 5460 Government & Politics in Latin America (3)

POLS 5510 Seminar: New Mexico Government & Politics (3)

POLS 5530 IR, Human Rights & International Law (3)

POLS 5580 Political Theory & Philosophy (3)

POLS 5600 The American & Russian Systems (3)

POLS 5620 International Monetary System (3)

POLS 5630 Political Economy (3)

POLS 6110 Seminar: Southwest Politics (3)

POLS 6140 Seminar: Public Policies (3)

Research Requirement: 6 credit hours

POLS 5200 Research Methods in Political Science (3)

HIST 6200 Research Methods in History (3)

Concentration Total: 12-15 credit hours

Thesis Option:

POLS 5200 Research Methods in Political Science and 3-6 credit hours in Thesis.

Professional Paper:

One professional paper, POLS 5200 Research Methods in Political Science, 3 additional hours of coursework from the concentration area, and POLS 6960 Professional Paper.

Comprehensive Examination Option:

A comprehensive written and oral examination, POLS 5200 Research Methods in Political Science, 3 additional hours of coursework from the concentration area, and POLS 6950 Comprehensive Examination.

Program Total: 36 credit hours