9PO - Political Science

Mission

The Political Science major emphasizes the objectives of the liberal arts, which are to help the student cultivate powers of analysis and exposition in reading, writing, and communication; to expand the student’s intellectual horizons; and to increase the student’s knowledge and curiosity. The program explores the realm of politics; its vocabulary, its principal concepts and strategies, its ethics, and its expediencies. To do so, the program encourages students to appreciate and understand theories about government and politics, as well as the methods of the discipline.

Goals

• Develop skills that enable students to have successful and rewarding careers.

• Provide students with a working knowledge of the vocabulary, concepts, ethics, and strategies of politics as well as an appreciation of how politics and public policy impact the lives of people locally, nationally, and globally.

• Give students the opportunity to do independent research and develop their own ideas in the field of political science by being mentored by professional political scientists. 

There are no additional criteria to declare this major.

Potential Careers

• Military Officer

• Lawyer

• Intelligence Officer

• Political Scientist

• Public Administrator

• Policy Analyst

• Foreign Service Officer 

Internships:

The Political Science program has a strong record of supervising internships for students throughout the United States. The intent of the internship is to provide students with opportunities to apply their classroom learning and to enhance their academic programs through practical experience. Students find internships as an invaluable experience through which they can explore potential careers and examine the links between the theory and practice of politics and government.