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BA · 2025-2026

Political Science

Department of Political Science

Open interactive roadmapAdmissions ↗UCSB Catalog ↗

Official sources · L&S

Letters & Science Academic Requirements (LASAR)

L&S uses LASAR (Letters and Science Academic Requirements), not CoE GEAR. Download LASAR from DUELS for your catalog year.

180–184 quarter units (184 if Area B foreign language completed at level 3) · 60 upper-division units · GE Areas A–G + special subjects (WRT, EUR, NWC, QNT, ETH)

DUELS degree requirements ↗Admissions majors ↗

Official major sheet — 2025-2026

Parsed from department major sheet. Verify on GOLD progress check.

Preparation for the major

  • See catalog

Auto-generated from ls-catalog summary — verify on official major sheet.

Upper-division required

  • Upper-division POL S in multiple subfieldsUpper-division POL S in multiple subfields

Subfields: American, IR, comparative, theory, methods.

Sample electives

32 units required
    • • Auto-generated from ls-catalog.json. Upgrade to sheet fidelity by parsing department major sheet PDF.

    Major regulations

    Major GPA
    2+ in all prep and upper-division major courses
    P/NP grading
    Not allowed for major courses

    Recommended 4-year plan

    180–184 quarter units (184 if Area B foreign language completed at level 3) · 60 upper-division units · GE Areas A–G + special subjects. GE/LASAR slots fill quarters below ~12 major units — verify on GOLD.

    FallWinterSpring

    Year 1

    Fall

    Upper-division POL S in multiple subfields · 4uUpper-division POL S in multiple subfieldsGE — Area A (Writing)GE — Area C (Science/Math)

    Winter

    GE — Area D (Social Science)GE — Area E (Culture & Thought)GE — Area F (Arts)

    Spring

    GE — Area G (Literature)GE — Area B (Foreign Language)LASAR — Writing (WRT)

    Year 2

    Fall

    LASAR — European Traditions (EUR)LASAR — World Cultures (NWC)LASAR — Quantitative (QNT)

    Winter

    LASAR — Ethnicity (ETH)GE — Area D (2nd course)GE — Area E (2nd course)

    Spring

    GE — Area B (level 2+)GE — Area B (level 3+)GE — Additional breadth

    Year 3

    Fall

    GE — Additional breadth

    Winter

    GE / electives

    Spring

    GE / electives

    Year 4

    Fall

    GE / electives

    Winter

    GE / electives

    Spring

    GE / electives

    Interactive graph shows prerequisite chains from the major sheet.

    View roadmap graph →

    College-wide LASAR rules (GE, writing, 180+ units) apply in addition to the major requirements above. See LASAR and DUELS degree requirements.