Political Economy Department Minors

International Development Minor

PEAKS | Social Science & History |

The International Development minor is designed for students interested in development and related issues such as economic growth, poverty, globalization, culture change, and political order. Grounded in the discipline of Political Economy, this minor is an excellent field for students interested in how society organizes itself through government, the market, and non-governmental actors. As a minor program, it is a useful complement to other major and minors in the Humanities, Natural Sciences, and Professional Studies. Students with primary interests in this topic should consider the International Political Economy major. The minor consists of 16 credits, inclusive of a 1 credit Independent Study course in ATH-494 or POE-494 in which students complete a starred paper.

This minor consists of:

*To complete the minor students must also revise a paper written in one of the minor courses as a starred paper and submit it to all faculty members who service the minor. This non-credit requirement is to demonstrate satisfactory research and writing abilities within the minor.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • Critical Thinking
  • Analytical Reasoning
  • Problem Solving
  • Written Communication
  • Assist students to distinguish development from economic growth and to appreciate its conceptual and theoretical complexity. Assist students to understand the political-economic and cultural dimensions of development approaches and policies.
  • Assist students to understand development through cross-cultural comparison.

Political Economy Minor

PEAKS | Social Science & History |

Political Economy involves analyzing and explaining the ways in which government affects the allocation of scarce resources in society through public policies AND the ways the economic system affects the policies created by government. In this program, students are required to develop critical reasoning skills while recognizing the importance of economic, political, and philosophical principles in the process of developing a better understanding of how Western and non-Western societies interact with each other and provide for their material well-being.

Political Economy is an excellent field for students interested in how society organizes itself through government, the market and non-governmental actors. It is a fine complement for programs that are affected by political economic forces both domestically and globally.

The minor consists of 15 credits including:

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Critical Thinking
  • Analytical Reasoning
  • Problem Solving
  • Written Communication

Pre-Law Minor

PEAKS | Professional Studies & Enhancements |

The Pre Law Minor is meant to create a foundation in preparation for a career in law. As a professional enhancement minor, the Pre Law Minor is further designed to help prepare students to succeed in law school. Through the minor students will be introduced to the American political system, precedent-setting Supreme Court cases, and philosophical/ethical frameworks for judging legal questions.

This minor consists of 18 credits and should normally include:

*Particularly Recommended: ENG-299T.25, ENG-299T.4, and ENG-380.5.

Potential Options to Prepare for Law School

There are multiple pathways to law school. No particular major is recommended. Indeed law schools accept students who have majored in everything from Music to Environmental Studies. Regardless of the major, students would benefit from courses in several disciplines not required for the minor including: International Relations, History, Sociology, and Environmental Studies.

Student Learning Outcomes

  • Help prepare students for a career in law by introducing them to the American political system, precedent-setting Supreme Court cases, and philosophical/ethical frameworks for judging legal questions
  • Help prepare students for law school by teaching them how to brief a constitutional law case and become comfortable and competent in reading and understanding constitutional jurisprudence
  • Critical Thinking
  • Analytic Reasoning
  • Problem Solving
  • Written Communication
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