Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts in Government
General Area Requirements:
To earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Government, students must complete all degree plan requirements for their appropriate catalog.
Government Degree Plan (2018-2020) Expires Aug. 2026 -- coming soon!
Government Degree Plan (2016-2018) Expires Aug. 2024
Government Degree Plan (2014-2016) Expires Aug. 2022
Government Degree Plan (2012-2014) Expires Aug. 2020
Major Requirements:
A major in Government requires 30 semester hours of GOV coursework, 18 of which must be upper division. GOV 312L or GOV 312P, if taken with GOV 310L, will complete the Core Legislative GOV Requirement. Government 310L, 312L, and 312P can all be included in the hours counted toward the major. A grade of at least a C- is required in all major courses.
Minor Requirements:
For students under the 2012-2014 or 2014-2016 catalogs:
A minor consists of 12 semester hours, including six hours of upper-division coursework, in any one field of study other than Government. Six of the required 12 hours for the minor must be taken in-residence.
For students under the 2016-2018 or 2018-2020 catalogs:
Completion of 15 to 21 hours of prescribed coursework in a different field of study than the major is required. A complete list of approved minors, requirements, and instructions on how to declare can be found online. Some minors are restricted and may require an application. A transcript recognized certificate may also satisfy this requirement.
Government Sample 4 Year Plan
You will need to select the plan that matches your catalog. The four year plan is a semester-by-semester chart listing the courses a student might take in order to fulfill the degree requirements for the government major and stay on track to graduate in four years. This is only a sample, you should consult with your academic advisor to determine the course of study best suited to your academic goals and interests.
Sample 4 Year Plan (2016-2018)
Sample 4 Year Plan (2014-2016)
Sample 4 Year Plan (2012-2014)
Fulfilling the Legislative Requirement in Government [For All UT Majors]:
The Texas Education Code (Subchapter F, §51.301) requires Texas public university and community college students to complete six semester hours of coursework in government/political science; study of the US and Texas constitutions and related subjects is specified as the required course content.
