Curriculum planning is based on the four major areas of political thought: comparative politics, international relations, administration and policy. Undergraduate students are required to take courses from all four areas, while Master’s students can choose one primary research area and one secondary research area. Ph.D. students are required to choose two areas of research.
All courses include the inculcation of "fundamental political science knowledge,” "public speaking and organizational skills,” "talents in political science research,” "talents for public affairs participation,” "talents in political science teaching and research,” "leaders who participate in public affairs.” In terms of teaching strategy, the Department’s objectives include: the ability to understand political behaviour and political interaction, the ability to understand the constitutional system and the legal system, the ability to understand international affairs and international organization, the ability to understand ideology and political thought, possess skills of foreign language and cross-cultural communication, the ability to understand and participate in public affairs, the ability to critique rationally and democratic communication, leadership and organizational skills, analysis and decision making skills, argument and discourse skills, problem solving skills, research method skills, and the ability to conduct political science teaching and research.
The Undergraduate Program
To graduate, undergraduate students must complete 128 credits (79 for required course and 49 for selective courses). In addition to the common required courses designated by the University (including 12 credits of general education), fundamental department requirements include Political Studies, ROC Constitution and Government, and Methods for Political Studies. Students must also complete 10 courses in the following areas of studies: Introduction to Chinese Political Thought, Introduction to Western Political Thought, Study of Political Codes and Records, Political Thought and Contemporary Issues from the area of political thought; International Politics and Public International Law, or International Political Economy, from the area of international relations; Comparative Government and Politics, and Party Politics and Election System, or Voting Behaviour and Election Strategy, from the area of comparative politics; as well as Administration and Public Policy, or City Governance, from the area of administration and policy.
For more undergraduate course program, please go to: Curriculum structure of the undergraduate program.
Master’s and Ph.D. Programs
Soochow University’s graduate programs in political science offers five streams of studies: methodology, political thought, comparative politics, international politics, and administration and policy. With the exception of the methodology stream, graduate students should choose one major research area and one minor research area. All students, regardless of research streams, must complete a core theory course for their respective research steam: Contemporary European and American Political Philosophy for the Political Thought stream, Comparative Politics and Research for the Comparative Politics Stream, Theory of International Politics for the International Relations Stream, and Public Administration Theory for the administration and policy stream.
Ph.D. and masters students will take courses together. In addition, there are courses designed specifically for Ph.D. students. Graduate students in the Ph.D. program must choose one primacy research area and one secondary research area. Program completion requirement for the primary research area is at least 4 courses, and it is at least 2 courses for the secondary research area, with the inclusion of the required courses for the student’s chosen research areas. The Ph.D. program places an emphasis on the training of research methodology and teaching abilities, therefore the students must complete 2 methodology courses and training in political science teaching. Total required credits for graduation for the Ph.D. program are 27 credits; during their course of study, students must publish one academic paper or two conference papers, pass a second language test and doctoral exam, and complete a Ph.D. dissertation.
For course names, syllabi, or description for the graduate programs, please go to :https://scups.ppo.scu.edu.tw/about3/29
