Political Science

Students must satisfy the requirement that at least 30 credits as well as at least half of the credits in the major or in an interdisciplinary program, minor or certificate be completed at Lehman College.

Lehman College provides undergraduates with not only a major specialization but also training in a range of basic skills and general subjects on beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. In this way, a bachelor's degree represents both training in a special field and the skills and knowledge to meet life's varied challenges responsibly, intelligently, and creatively.

Beginning in fall 2013, CUNY instituted a common General Education structure (called "Pathways") whose purpose is to improve the ability of students to transfer within the university. Lehman's 2013 CUNY General Education Program (Pathways) conforms to the new CUNY structure. The college's General Education categories remain the same, but the individual course requirements in some cases have changed. Lehman's categories represent the following parts of the CUNY Pathways structure:

• Foundation = CUNY Required Core (plus the College Option in Foreign Language)

• Distribution = CUNY Flexible Core

• Integration = CUNY College Option

Lehman's courses in the 2013 CUNY General Education Curriculum include subjects comprising the shared intellectual heritage of our diverse culture. They teach critical thinking and encourage accurate and effective communication. General Education supports the integration, synthesis, and application of knowledge, and includes proficiency in information literacy. Undergraduate education offers not only specialized knowledge and professional skills but also the multiple views and general intellectual abilities developed by the study of liberal arts and sciences that provide a foundation for independent, responsible living.

Students who enter Lehman College in the fall 2013 semester or later must meet the 2013 CUNY General Education Requirements. There are four categories of required courses: Foundation ("Required Core" plus "College Option,") Distribution ("Flexible Core"), Integration ("College Option"), and Writing Intensive. For a list of the 2013 CUNY General Education courses in each category, select the links in the navigation side panel.

(NOTE: The Foreign Language and Integration Requirements are waived for students in the Lehman Scholars Program and the Macaulay Honors College, which have their own requirements in these areas.)

Transfer students may not be required to complete all of the requirements listed. Please refer to the appropriate general education checklist or visit the Transfer Students information page.

Distribution courses are the Flexible Common Core in CUNY General Education.

Every student must choose and successfully complete one course from these Distribution courses in each of the five areas listed below, and a sixth course from any of the areas. No more than two courses from the same discipline may be used to satisfy the Distribution Requirement.

Transfer students may not be required to complete all of the requirements listed. Please refer to the appropriate general education checklist or visit the Transfer Students information page.

Integration Courses are the College Option in CUNY General Education.

This requirement applies only to students in the upper division, i.e. juniors and seniors. After earning a minimum of 60 credits or earning an Associate's Degree, and officially selecting a major, all upper-division students must complete two LEH courses. The two are to be chosen in topics outside their major from four of the following five variable topics courses. Each semester, a series of topics for these courses will be announced in the Schedule of Classes.

Transfer students may not be required to complete all of the requirements listed. Please refer to the appropriate general education checklist or visit the Transfer Students information page.

Transfer students who have completed less than 30 college credits must complete four courses designated as writing-intensive; those who have completed at least 30 but less than 60 college credits must complete three courses designated as writing-intensive; those who have completed 60 or more college credits must complete two courses designated as writing-intensive.

New York State prides itself in the high quality of its licensed and certified professionals. For the protection of its citizens, each license and certificate has requirements that individuals must meet in order to be licensed or certified in New York State. CUNY’s academic programs leading to licensure or certification are carefully designed to meet and exceed these State requirements. This is a role CUNY plays in protecting the public. Other states frequently have their own requirements, so if your goal is to practice in another state, this disclosure will help you check to see what that state requires.

Per U.S. Federal Regulations, §668.14 and §668.43, and in compliance with the SARA Policy Manual, CUNY Lehman College provides the following disclosure related to the educational requirements for professional licensure and certification.

This Disclosure is strictly limited to the CUNY Lehman College determination of whether this academic program, that if successfully completed, would be sufficient to meet the educational licensure or certification requirements in a State for Teaching. CUNY Lehman College cannot provide verification of an individual’s ability to meet licensure or certification requirements unrelated to its educational programming. Such individual determinations are made by state licensing boards and are fact-specific determinations.

This disclosure does not provide any guarantee that any particular state licensure or certification entity will approve or deny your application. Furthermore, this disclosure does not account for changes in state law or regulation that may affect your application for licensure and occur after this disclosure has been made. Enrolled students and prospective students are strongly encouraged to contact their state’s licensure entity using the links provided to review all licensure and certification requirements imposed by their state(s) of choice.

CUNY Lehman College has determined this academic program curricula, if successfully completed, is sufficient to meet the licensure and certification requirements for an initial teaching certification license in the following states:

New York State: New York State Education Department Teacher Certification

CUNY Lehman College has made no determination that the curricula is insufficient to meet the licensure and certification requirements for initial teaching certification in any of the 50 states and territories. After making all reasonable efforts, CUNY Lehman College cannot determine whether its educational programs curricula for this academic program, if successfully completed, is sufficient to meet the licensure and certification requirements for certification in the following states:

List of states(pdf)