Department of Political Science

Degree in Political Science

The Department of Political Science offers courses designed to prepare students for advanced study in graduate school and professional school. Such preparation includes the understanding of political systems and political processes in the United States and elsewhere, the understanding of basic concepts found in the field of political science, and the learning of basic research methods. To provide students with a good foundation in the discipline, all students are required to take the following courses: Introduction to Political Science, American National Government, Research Methods, Political Theory, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Senior Seminar, and SSD Foundations in Statistics. It is strongly recommended that students take African American Politics. Law-related offerings have increased to give a stronger preparation to students who plan to attend law school. In addition, there is an internship offering to provide practical experience for students who have already demonstrated good performance in the classroom and the type of skills which would be of value to area community agencies and law firms. The capstone activity and product for Political Science majors is the senior thesis, in which students display their understanding of conceptual frameworks and research methodology in a twenty-page, well-documented thesis.

The learning outcomes for students who major in Political Science are:

To gain a basic knowledge of the field of political science
To become globally aware
To develop critical thinking and analytical reasoning skills
To develop research skills for quality research papers
To gain skills that provide a foundation for a professional career
To become prepared to pass the comprehensive exam in political science
To become prepared to write and defend a quality senior paper