The Social and Political Sciences Program (SPS) is one among several degree programs in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS) at International University of Sarajevo (IUS). SPS offers specialized courses from political sciences, history and sociology. Therefore, a degree in the SPS program is interdisciplinary and it offers to students a modern and interdisciplinary curriculum. Such curriculum introduces students to core courses in politics, comparative government and political theory. Then, SPS provides students a critical understanding of the social and historical factors that have shaped the modern world. In SPS program the complementary historical and sociological courses are designed to enrich major degree in political sciences. By studying the people, institutions, ideas and events, history examines thought, expression and human experience. In SPS program the study of contemporary, cultural, ethnic, economic, military and political history is complementary to the study of political sciences and sociology. Moreover, sociology focuses on studying the groups, social institutions and social thematic areas. Therefore, social theory, the family, education, politics, work, religion, crime and deviance, diversity and inequality, socialization and interaction, globalization and social change are interrelated with political and historical processes and are thus included in SPS program.
The first year SPS students complete introductory courses that are purposefully designed to provide to students fundamental knowledge in language, political sciences, history, sociology, psychology, law, economics, mathematics and basic research skills. Such courses from humanities and social sciences allow students to be versatile and adaptable to the requirements of globalized world.
SPS degree students must complete specialized courses under faculty, required, core and area elective courses. Such courses deal with wide spectrum of knowledge related to; the relationship between politics, media, religion, political economy and international organizations; political sciences research methodology; social and political thought; the European Union and European political processes; International law and diplomacy; public budgeting and finance; history of economic thought; statistics for social sciences; modern and contemporary history; political sociology; and social movements. Before graduation students also complete their bachelor theses and internship program.
SPS program provides an opportunity to students to gain essential knowledge and skills from complementary disciplines such as political sciences, sociology and history. Knowledge gained from these disciplines enable students to fulfill their civic roles in public life and such interdisciplinary knowledge will be vital for their further specialization at the graduate level.
Students are expected to analyze the development and function of government, public policy, the political behavior of individuals and groups, social institutions and historical processes. In addition to developing their reasoning, analytical, critical and creative skills, graduates from this program will be equipped with problem-solving, research, communication and writing skills. Overall, upon the successful completion of the SPS program students will have the critical knowledge, understanding and skills required to pursue a career in academia or in the public and private sectors.
Objectives of the study program are:
· To introduce students to key political and social theories;
· To ensure that students are introduced to issues, themes and theories as to learn how to deal with problems in a critical manner;
· To help students to develop problem-solving, analytical, critical and creative skills;
· To make sure that students are equipped with qualitative and quantitative research skills;
· To familiarize students with the modern and contemporary historical developments by allowing students to make links between past and present;
· To interrelate theoretical socio-political knowledge to modern issues and themes;
· To provide to students knowledge and skills as to prepare them for leadership tasks;
· To provide students with interdisciplinary program that encompasses different disciplines such as political sciences, history and sociology as to allow students to gain a broader and comprehensive knowledge.
At the completion of the study program the students will be able:
· To define key terms and concepts in the fields of political and social sciences;
· To demonstrate critical and creative thinking in social and political sciences in various settings;
· To use and to apply leadership skills in various settings;
· To conduct research, organizing and synthesizing information;
· To apply independent thinking in developing and justifying their opinions;
· To express and structure ideas, reviewing literature and managing data in an interdisciplinary academic style;
· To demonstrate their knowledge of history and be able to make connection with present day events;
· To analyze issues in society and relate it to the appropriate social theories.
|
SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SCIENCE (SPS) |
|
Course Group |
ECTS
Credits |
Course Code and Name |
ECTS
Credits |
Pre-Requisite |
|
University
Courses |
60 |
At least 60 ECTS credits (10 + Courses) from University Courses must be completed. In Addition, students must complete Foundation of International Relations (IR102) and Introduction to Political Science (POLS102).
In addition to University Courses, the Non-Credit compulsory courses must be completed as described in Academic Regulations. See the list of all the University Courses on the IUS web page. |
|
Faculty Courses |
30 |
At least 30 ECTS credits (5 + Courses) from FASS Faculty Courses will be taken as described in Academic Regulations of IUS. See the list of all FASS Faculty courses on the IUS web page. |
|
Required Courses
|
36
|
MATH 203 |
Introduction to Probability and Statistics |
6 |
|
|
SPS 311 |
Research Methods |
6 |
SPS 215 |
|
IR 206 |
Understanding European Union |
6 |
|
|
POLS 301 |
Political Philosophy |
6 |
|
|
POLS 204 |
Comparative Political Analysis |
6 |
POLS 102 |
|
POLS 302 |
Contemporary Political Thought |
6 |
POLS 301 |
|
Core Courses |
30
|
IR 308 |
European Politics |
6 |
IR 206 |
|
IR 405 |
International Law and Diplomacy |
6 |
|
|
IR 440 |
International Political Economy |
6 |
|
|
IR372 |
International Organizations |
6 |
|
|
HIST 304 |
History of World Religions |
6 |
|
|
Area Electives
Area Electives
|
54
|
POLS 333 |
Environmental Policies and Management |
6 |
|
|
POLS 412 |
Issues in Turkish Politics |
6 |
|
|
POLS 303 |
Survey of Political History |
6 |
|
|
IR 426 |
US Foreign Policy |
6 |
|
|
POLS 332 |
Political and Governmental Systems in the Balkan |
6 |
|
|
IR 347 |
Ethnicity and Ethnic Conflicts |
6 |
|
|
POLS 411 |
Globalization |
6 |
|
|
ECON 452 |
Public Budgeting and Finance |
6 |
|
|
HIST 301 |
East/West Encounters |
6 |
|
|
HIST 303 |
Revolution in History |
6 |
|
|
IR 225
|
International Relations in South Asia |
6 |
|
|
POLS 402 |
Diplomacy and Statecraft |
6 |
|
|
HIST 407 |
Nations and the Boundaries in the Balkans |
6 |
|
|
IR 302 |
Foreign Policy Analysis |
6 |
|
|
ECON 200 |
History of Economic Thought |
6 |
|
|
POLS 211 |
Politics and the Media |
6 |
|
|
IR 330 |
Political Geography and Geopolitics |
6 |
|
|
POLS 334 |
Constitutional Law |
6 |
|
|
POLS 401 |
Philosophical Approaches to Modernity |
6 |
|
|
SOC 313 |
European Social Thought |
6 |
|
|
SOC 321 |
Urban Sociology |
6 |
|
|
SOC 404 |
New Social Movements |
6 |
|
|
HIST 313 |
Modern History of the Arab World |
6 |
|
|
HIST 361 |
History of the United States |
6 |
|
|
HIST 217 |
Ottoman History |
6 |
|
|
HIST 455 |
History of the Balkan Lands up to the Early 19th century |
6 |
|
|
IUS Electives |
24 |
With the permission of academic supervisor, students can complete courses from FASS, FENS or FEBA degree programs |
|
POLS 499 Bachelor Thesis |
6 |
Must be completed during the final year of the study |
|
Internship |
0 |
Must be completed as described in IUS Internship Regulations |
|
Total |
240 |
240 TS credits are needed to graduate |
|
Diploma and Degree Awarded |
|
Profile |
Degree in Social and Political Sciences |
Degree in Bosnian Language |
|
Social and Political Sciences |
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) |
Bakalaureat/Bachelor Političkih nauka |
Interdisciplinary design of the program has been influenced by the appreciation of a fact that interdisciplinary knowledge and skills lead to significant employment opportunities and the continuation of education at the graduate level. Therefore, with such diverse expertise social and political sciences majors are ready to seek a career in both public and private sectors. In the public sector, majors in social and political sciences with their analytical skills, administrative competence and communication abilities are enabled to seek careers in federal, state and local government institutions. The private sector opens up a wide spectrum of potential career areas for the graduates in political science such as in law, business, international organizations, nonprofit associations and organizations, management, journalism, research and teaching.
Popular jobs for SPS graduates could include the following: Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Legal Assistant, Legal Secretary, Customer Service Representative, NGO Program Coordinator, Political Analyst, High School Teacher, Operations Manager, General Project Manager, Government Program Manager, Policy Analyst, Government Affairs Manager, Budget Analyst, Campaign Manager, Corporate Analyst, Corporate Public Affairs Advisor, Corporate Economist, Corporate Manager, Journal Editor, Foreign Service Officer, Intelligence Officer, International Agency Officer, Political Commentator, Public Affairs Analyst, Public Opinion Analyst…
Social and Political Sciences Prospectus can be download here.
|