Undergraduate Program Courses Overview

An extensive set of curricular offerings is provided through the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs that includes courses in Administration of Justice (AJ), Political Science (POLSC), Public Affairs (PA), and Military Science (MSCI), as well as three undergraduate degrees and three graduate degrees. At the undergraduate level, the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Public Affairs, the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Administration of Justice, and the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Political Science are offered. At the graduate level, the Master of Public Administration, Master of Urban Planning and Environmental and Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Planning and Environmental Policy are offered. In addition to course and degree offerings, students with majors in other departments may declare minors in the four disciplines offered through this unit: Administration of Justice, Political Science, Public Affairs, and Military Science. Faculty and staff are housed on the third floors of Hannah Hall and the Roderick R. Paige Education Building in Rooms 320 and 330, respectively.

GENERAL SCHOOL POLICIES

Students wishing to pursue one of the three undergraduate degrees offered through the School must first gain admission to the University, must satisfy ASSET requirements and eradicate identified deficiencies through the General University Academic Center (GUAC), and must petition the School for admission. In petitioning, students must have an earned overall GPA of 2.00 or better and have completed the following four courses with grades of "C" or better (grades of "C-" are unacceptable): POLSC 231 (American Political Systems 1), POLSC 232 (American Political Systems 11), ENG 131 (Freshman English 1), and ENG 132 (Freshman English 11). Once admitted to the School, students are each assigned an official advisor who must approve all class schedules; and they must keep the School Office informed of current addresses and telephone numbers up to graduation. Students must also retain a minimum overall GPA of 2.00 and fulfill all prerequisites for required courses prior to scheduling them to remain in good standing in the School. Students failing to meet prerequisites for courses will be withdrawn, administratively, from them. Students are also cautioned that transfer credits will be accepted for either elective or required courses only if grades of "C" or better have been earned (grades of "C-" are unacceptable).

DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAMS IN THE SCHOOL

Students wishing to pursue the B.S. in Administration of Justice are cautioned that a prior criminal conviction may be used to deny access or placement in various jobs in the criminal justice system, especially those related to law enforcement, even when the degree has been earned.

Requirements for the B.S. in Administration of Justice, the B.S. in Public Affairs, and the B.A. in Political Science are specified, in detail, below. As first-time degree seekers, students are required to declare a minor in a second academic discipline either through the Department or through another department for graduation. Grades of "C" or better (grades of "C-" are unacceptable) must be earned in all major and minor courses required for graduation. Additionally, in selecting minors, students should seek detailed advisement from their designated advisors because the selection of a minor having representative courses in the core curriculum for the degree of choice could impact the total number of credits required. In no case will students qualify for graduation at the undergraduate level with fewer than 124 semester credit hours satisfactorily completed. At the beginning of the senior year, majors should have their overall transcripts and records evaluated by the Faculty Chair to verify their status with regard to graduation. An exit examination is required of all graduating seniors.

For a minor in Administration of Justice, twenty-one (21) semester credit hours are required. The following courses (3 semester credit hours each) must be taken: AJ 105, AJ 220, AJ 240, and AJ 313. In addition, nine (9) 300-level or 400-level semester credits must be earned as electives along with the four courses identified.

For a minor in Public Affairs, twenty-one (21) semester credit hours are required through enrollment in the following courses (3 semester credit hours each): PA 271, PA 301, PA 311, PA 312, PA 313, PA 321, and PA 400. Students seeking the Public Affairs minor who have taken a research methods course in their major area may be eligible for an approved substitution in the listing with the consent of the Faculty Chair.

For a minor in Political Science, twenty-one (21) semester credit hours are required. Students pursuing this minor must first complete POLSC 231 and POLSC 232 with grades of "C" or better (grades of "C-" are unacceptable) before enrolling in the following courses: (3 semester credit hours each): POLSC 330, POLSC 340, POLSC 410, POLSC 413, POLSC 390 or POLSC 391. Six (6) elective credits in POLSC (two additional courses of 3 credits each) must also be earned.

For a minor in Military Science, twenty-one (21) semester credit hours are required. To qualify for this minor, twelve (12) credit hours must be taken in 300-to-400-level courses. Nine (9) credit hours must be completed in residency, and six (6) of the nine (9) must be in 300-to-400-level courses. Students may receive credit for 100-200-level courses based upon prior military training, completion of ROTC Basic Camp, completion of JROTC training, or completion of one year at a service academy.

Individuals interested in seeking certification for teaching social science in the public schools of Texas should contact the Director of Certification in the College of Education at Texas Southern University for application instructions.

In summary, students must gain admission to the University; must satisfy ASSET requirements; must fulfill GPA and prerequisite requirements referenced above; and must apply to the School as either a major or minor upon completion of ASSET requirements. Once admitted, students are each assigned an official advisor, who must approve all schedules; and they must maintain a minimum GPA to be in good standing. An exit examination is required of all graduating seniors. For further information, the School Office should be contacted at (713)-313-7405.

GOOD ACADEMIC STANDING

Good academic standing constitutes maintaining a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) set by the University as referenced under the academic regulations described in chapter two of this document.

ADVISING

All students are assigned an academic advisor who will assist them with academic planning and learning about career options that relate to their programs. During each registration period, students and their advisors select courses consistent with the overall degree objectives. With their advisors, students learn to explore academic interests, to recognize academic strengths, and to identify resources to address weaknesses.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

The Office of Student Support Services is available to all students to help with questions about admissions, academic majors and minors, course requirements, career and degree plans, and other matters. It assists students with identifying faculty advisors and mentors. This office also refers students to other campus offices for assistance in academic, personal, and career counseling; academic skill development; and financial aid.

STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

Student organizations are an integral part of student life at Texas Southern University. Four program-related student organizations operate in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at the undergraduate level. Two are open to all students in the School. They are the Administration of Justice Club and the Political Science Club. The other two are national honor societies: Alpha Phi Sigma – the Criminal Justice Honor Society and Pi Sigma Alpha – the National Political Science Honor Society.

ACCREDITATION

All programs in the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs are accredited by Commission on College of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

RIGHT TO MODIFY

The University reserves the right to change, without prior notice, any policy or procedure, tuition or fee, curricular requirements, or any other information found in this bulletin. The information contained in this bulletin is considered to be descriptive in nature and not contractual. It is recommended that students, faculty, and staff refer to the most current academic policies and procedures.