Political Economy

William Lynn Holmes, Department of Economics
215-204-8175
wholmes@sbm.temple.edu

Richard Deeg, Department of Political Science
215-204-7123
rdeeg@vm.temple.edu

This is a joint program offered by the Department of Economics and the Department of Political Science leading to certificate of specialization in political economy.

Purpose

The purpose of the Political Economy program is to provide undergraduate students with the opportunity to study more intensely the relationship between the political and economic spheres of society. The program is based on the belief that a focused examination of this relationship provides us with a better understanding of several social phenomena. Chief among these is a better understanding of public policy choices and the policy making process, as well as a better understanding of how government actions affect the process of economic change and vice versa.

For these reasons the Political Science and Economics departments offer an interdisciplinary certificate in Political Economy. The program is open to all matriculated undergraduate students. Applicants need not be declared majors in either economics or political science. The Political Economy program provides an excellent preparation for graduate study in the social sciences and for the study of law.

Program Requirements

The program consists of two components: required core courses at the lower-division level and elective courses at the upper-division level.

Elective Courses
All students must successfully complete (grade of C- or better) four courses from the following list. Two of the four courses must be in economics, and two courses must be in political science. Students should select courses that correspond to their own substantive interests and are encouraged to take cognate areas (e.g., if you choose international politics courses, also choose international economics courses). Students should plan their schedules well in advance, since many courses are not offered each semester.