Political Science AA-T Degree
Provides students with a common core of lower division courses required to transfer and pursue a bachelor’s degree in Political Science in the CSU System.
Associate in Arts for Transfer | SC Program: AA-T.4001
A political science major is a social science degree path that requires students to study government in theory and practice. It provides strong academic preparation for many different career paths, because it connects to a range of policies and issues that affect society.
The Associate in Arts in Political Science for Transfer degree (AA-T in Political Science) initiates a systemic and scholarly study of the politics of influence, human behavior that shape world events. Through this curriculum students are exposed to research methodology that connects them to a formal operational level of reasoning. Political science studies diversity in cultures, how power is exercised or resisted, and how nations are governed.
The Associate in Arts in Political Science for Transfer degree provides the student with the problem solving skills to become active participants in the world around them.



Choose your path
Map your education by viewing the program map for the degree or certificate you’re interested in earning below. Meet with a counselor to create your official comprehensive education plan.
A program map shows all the required and recommended courses you need to graduate and a suggested order in which you should take them. The suggested sequence of courses is based on enrollment and includes all major and general education courses required for the degree.
Fall Semester, First Year
14 Units TotalThe central emphasis of this course is upon the terms and concepts used in the field of political science. Discussion centers upon the nature of political science, the origin and nature of the State, patterns and functions of government, the nature of political ideologies, the nature of the U.S. Constitution and the basic principles of a constitution. It is recommended that students majoring in political science or other social sciences take this course. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
Spring Semester, First Year
15 Units TotalThis course is a comparative survey of the major ancient world civilizations which developed between 3500 B.C.E. and 1500 C.E. It examines political institutions, religious ideologies, the rise and fall of empires, and the major cultural innovations of each of the major world civilizations. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
This course is an introduction to the process of human communication with emphasis on public speaking. The subjects covered are speech topic selection, audience analysis, information competency (e.g. researching, evaluating and using supporting materials), presentation outlining, principles of effective speech delivery, critical evaluation of speeches, and presentation of informative and persuasive speeches. Most students will have the opportunity to be recorded and to use presentational technology. College level writing skills will be expected on all papers, outlines and short essays. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
This course examines several social problems from a sociological perspective. This approach makes two major assumptions. First, individuals are products of their social environment. Questions such as who we are, what we believe, what we strive for, and how we feel about ourselves, etc. have to be addressed by analyzing the society in which we live. This requires the use of the "Sociological Imagination" or looking at human attitudes, behaviors and feelings in the context of the social forces and institutional arrangements that shape them. Second, because sociology considers social structures responsible for social problems, we need to adapt a critical stance towards all social forms. This approach will help foster a more critical sociological approach to social problems. This course may be offered in a distance learning format.
This course is a survey of the history of the United States from Pre-Columbian Peoples to the end of Reconstruction. Topics include contact and settlement of America, the movement toward independence, the formation of a new nation and Constitution, westward expansion and manifest destiny, the causes and consequences of the Civil War, and Reconstruction. This course satisfies the CSU requirement for US History (US-1). This course may be offered in a distance education format.
Fall Semester, Second Year
16 Units TotalAn introduction to United States and California government and politics, including their constitutions, political institutions and processes, and political actors. Examination of political behavior, political issues, and public policy. This course satisfies the CSU requirement in U.S. Constitution and California State and local government (US-2 and US-3). This course may be offered in a distance education format.
This course is a survey course designed for non-science majors which spans the Earth-related sciences, including geology, oceanography, meteorology, and astronomy. In general, the course focuses on physical processes and materials as related to each discipline. Topics include the geologic evolution of the Earth, economic resources derived from the Earth, Earth materials, evolution and character of the oceans, ocean-atmosphere interactions, atmospheric processes including weather and climate, the solar system and Earth as part of the universe. Using an Earth systems approach, lecture and laboratory will consider concepts centered about the sustainable use of natural resources. The laboratory portion of this course provides hands-on activities that support and demonstrate lecture concepts. The lecture portion of this course may be offered in a distance education format.
This course examines the social, economic, political, and cultural dynamics of race and ethnicity in the United States. It utilizes theory to assess the comparative histories, cultures, and intellectual traditions of Native Americans, African Americans, Latino/as, and Asian Americans. It introduces major concepts used to understand the lived experiences of historically racialized groups such as social construction of race, racial formation, critical race theory, internal colonialism, and intersectionality. The course emphasizes the role of resistance and agency in advancing the goals of self-determination, decolonization, and equity. SOC 25 and ETHS 3 are cross-listed courses. Students may enroll in one course for credit, but not both. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
A survey of the origins and development of civilization in the western world from pre-history to 1600, with special emphasis on institutions, thought, and culture. The course is designed to show the continuity of western civilization and to overview the heritage of the present generation. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
Spring Semester, Second Year
15 Units TotalThis course examines the political, social, and economic methods and processes by which nations of the world conduct relations with each other and within a global system. The course also identifies the role of national, international, transitional, and subnational institutions. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to the study of race and ethnicity in the United States. It examines social justice movements in relation to ethnic and racial groups in the United States to provide a basis for a better understanding of the socioeconomic, cultural, and political conditions among key social groups including, but not limited to, Native Americans, African Americans, Asian Americans, and Latina/o Americans. This course examines the systemic nature of racial/ethnic oppression through an examination of key concepts including racialization and ethnocentrism, with a specific focus on the persistence of white supremacy. Using an anti-racist framework, the course will examine historical and contemporary social movements dedicated to the decolonization of social institutions, resistance, and social justice. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
This course is an introduction to the conservation or wise use of natural resources and incorporates discussions about the complex relationships of man to the environment. Students will learn about the diverse agencies that manage our resources along with their history and philosophies. The course will cover each of the major natural resources - such as water, air, energy, forests, wildlife, agriculture, and soils - as well as environmental policy and laws that govern the use of these resources. An emphasis is placed on the practical components of Environmental Science as it relates to social and economic aspects of conservation. This course may be offered in a distance education format.
Please see a counselor to discuss options for meeting general education requirements for transfer to California State Universities (CSU) and/or University of California (UC) campuses, as well as any specific additional courses that may be required by your chosen institution of transfer.
*Alternative Courses: Please see a Shasta College counselor for alternative course options. You can also view the following to find other courses to meet degree/certificate requirements:
- California State Universities – General Education
- IGETC – Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum
Need a print out? Feel free to download and/or print out a copy of the sample program map(s).
- Political Science AA-T - Full-Time Pathway (PDF)
*These printouts are currently not yet available, but they will be linked as soon as they're ready!
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