Political Science BA + MPA SF State Scholars Roadmap
The San Francisco State Scholars program provides undergraduate students with an accelerated pathway to a graduate degree. Students in this program pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree simultaneously. This program allows students to earn graduate credit while in their junior and/or senior year, reducing the number of semesters required for completion of a master’s degree.
This roadmap is a suggested plan of study and does not replace meeting with an advisor. Please note that students may need to adjust the actual sequence of courses based on course availability. Please consult your Degree Planner and an advisor for further guidance.
To avoid taking additional units, it is recommended that you meet the SF State Studies (AERM, GP, ES, SJ) requirements within your GE or major.
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Units | |
| PLSI 200 | Introduction to American Politics (Major Core, USG/CSLG) | 3 |
| GE Area 1A: English Composition 1 | 3 | |
| GE Area 1: English Communication | 3 | |
| GE Area 3: Arts and Humanities | 3 | |
| SF State Studies or University Elective | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PLSI 250 | Comparative Politics (Major Core) | 3 |
| GE Area 1: English Communication | 3 | |
| GE Area 2: Mathematical Concepts and Quantitative Reasoning 2 | 3 | |
| GE Areas 5A + 5C: Physical Science and Laboratory 3 | 3-4 | |
| SF State Studies or University Elective | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Summer Semester | ||
| SF State Studies or University Elective | 3 | |
| Units | 3 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| PLSI 275 | Introduction to Political Theory (Major Core) | 3 |
| GE Area 3: Arts and Humanities | 3 | |
| GE Area 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences 4 | 3 | |
| GE Areas 5B + 5C: Biological Science and Laboratory 3 | 3-4 | |
| SF State Studies or University Elective | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| PLSI 303 | Fundamentals of Political Science (Major Core) | 3 |
| GE Area 4: Social and Behavioral Sciences 4 | 3 | |
| GE Area 6: Ethnic Studies | 3 | |
| State Studies or University Elective - Take Two | 6 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Summer Semester | ||
| SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two | 6 | |
| Units | 6 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| PLSI 302GW | Writing for Political Science - GWAR (Major Core) | 3 |
| PLSI 304 | Scientific Inquiry in Political Science (Major Core) | 4 |
| GE Area 2UD: Upper-Division Mathematical Concepts or GE Area 5UD: Upper-Division Sciences | 3 | |
| SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two | 6 | |
| Units | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Breadth Requirement - Take Two 5 | 6 | |
| Major Electives - Take One 6 | 3-4 | |
| GE Area 3UD: Upper-Division Arts or Humanities | 3 | |
| GE Area 4UD: Upper-Division Social and Behavioral Sciences | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Summer Semester | ||
| SF State Studies or University Elective - Take Two | 5 | |
| Units | 5 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| P A 700 | Foundations of Governance and Management (Graduate Core) | 3 |
| P A 705 | Design and Consumption of Research (Graduate Core) | 3 |
| P A 715 | Policy Process and Civic Engagement (Graduate Core) | 3 |
| Breadth Requirement - Take One 5 | 3 | |
| Major Electives - Take One 6 | 3 | |
| Units | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| P A 706 | Applied Data Analysis (Graduate Core) | 3 |
| Major Electives - Take Two 6 | 6 | |
| Culminating Experience 7 | 3-4 | |
| Graduate Core: Management Perspectives - Take One 8 | 3 | |
| Units | 15-16 | |
| Fifth Year | ||
| Summer Semester | ||
| P A 803 | Public Affairs Internship 10 | 0-3 |
| Units | 0-3 | |
| Fall Semester | ||
| Graduate Core: Management Perspectives - Take Two 8 | 6 | |
| Graduate Electives - Take Two 9 | 6 | |
| Units | 12 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Select One (Culminating Experience): | 3 | |
| Capstone Course in Public Administration | ||
| Master's Thesis | ||
| Graduate Core: Management Perspectives - Take One 8 | 3 | |
| Graduate Electives - Take Two 9 | 6 | |
| Units | 12 | |
| Total Units | 159-166 | |
- 1
Students should use their Pathway/Category to determine the appropriate GE 1A course option. For directions on how to view your Pathway/Category, visit how to find your pathway. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
- 2
Students should use their Pathway/Category to determine the appropriate GE 2 course option. For directions on how to view your Pathway/Category, visit how to find your pathway. Questions? Contact Gator Smart Start.
- 3
Consider taking a class combined with a laboratory or a separate lab to fulfill 5C if not already satisfied.
- 4
First-time freshmen must take one lower-division Area 4 course that meets US History (USH).
- 5
Breadth Requirement (9-12 units)
Upper-division Political Science courses selected to include at least one course in three of the four sub-fields. A full list of courses that can fulfill this requirement can be found in the Degree Requirements.- 6
Electives (7-11 Units)
Select enough Political Science courses (PLSI prefix) to reach a total of 42 units for the major. No more than 3 units of major electives can come from lower-division coursework. With permission of a major advisor, up to 4 units of courses from closely related departments may be used as electives. A full list of courses that can fulfill this requirement can be found in the Degree Requirements.- 7
Bachelor Culminating Experience (3-4 units)
A full list of courses that can fulfill this requirement can be found in the Degree Requirements.- 8
Graduate Core: Management Perspectives (12 units)
A full list of courses that can fulfill this requirement can be found in the Degree Requirements.- 9
Graduate Electives (12 units)
A full list of courses that can fulfill this requirement can be found in the Degree Requirements.- 10
Internship requirement may be waived upon evidence and approval of previous or concurrent educationally appropriate work experience in public policy or administration.