Political Science and International Relations
About us
Politics in a democracy, politics in different societies, politics in the workplace — We study politics wherever it happens in life.
Our students receive practical training in political behavior and practices for careers in government, private institutions, nonprofits and international organizations. They examine politics at the micro level, nationally and internationally using a mix of scientific method and humanistic perspective.
Political science majors focus on the four major fields of the discipline: American government, comparative government, international relations and political theory. International relations majors examine interactions in the international system and how they affect security, governance, conflict resolution, environmental sustainability and the global political economy.
Spotlight on the Student Experience
James Toberman took an 8-day study tour as part of POL 410: Study Tour to Washington D.C. where the class discussed global leadership with leaders in the pentagon, state department, alumni at the capitol, and multiple embassies.
“Before the trip started, we came up with a topic related to global leadership that we would focus our final paper on and developed questions to ask at our various meetings. When we met with different government organizations or embassies, we were allowed to ask questions to use for our paper.”
James said the best part of the Washington D.C. trip was meeting with the Department of State where they ran a simulation for the class, demonstrating what their job is.
“As a political science major, lots of work related to my major happens in Washington, DC. I loved seeing the many different opportunities and careers I could go into as it is such a broad major, and the possibilities are endless. This trip was the highlight of my summer, and I am already planning my trip back.”
of 2020-21 graduates were employed in a related field within one year of graduation.
Job Outlook
Careers for political science and international relations graduates are diverse and reach far beyond government and public service opportunities.
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