Political science is one of the most useful tools we have for examining today’s complex, ever-changing world. If you’ve ever wondered about how people, institutions and ideas shape political systems, a degree in Political Science will satisfy your curiosity – and prepare you for a high-impact professional journey.
Our curriculum begins with a comprehensive overview of American government, comparative politics, international relations and essentials of political thought. Then, we empower your ambitions with a wide range of elective classes, plus opportunities to gain hands-on experience through internships at a local political office or in Washington, D.C. Our graduates enter the workforce as good global citizens dedicated to pursuing creative, responsible political action.
At the undergraduate level, the Department of Political Science and Law offers three majors and five minors.
Majors
- Political Science major (33 credits required). This major enables students to pursue areas of interest in American Government and Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory.
- Jurisprudence, Law and Society major (33 credits required). This major provides a solid foundation for students aspiring to law school and other graduate studies, as well as for work in many other careers that require analytic, conceptual and communications skills.
- Policy Studies major (42 credits required). This major provides students with an understanding of the public policy process through a multidisciplinary curriculum grounded in Political Science. Students majoring in Policy Studies gain a practical skillset preparing them for work in government, with interest groups, businesses, and non-profits.
Minors
- Global Security and Diplomacy (18 credits required)
- Political Science (18 credits required)
- Policy Studies (19 credits required)
- Public Administration (18 credits required)
- Pre-law (21 credits required) (This minor provides preparation for students planning to seek admission to law school.)
Explore All Majors and Minors
The MA in Law and Governance is a program combining state of the art public policy and state of the art legal analysis in a regulatory law context. Graduates typically work in legal and policy application in industry, state and local government, private non-profit organizations, non-governmental organizations and international organizations.