B.A. Political Science

Why Choose Political Science

Aristotle provided us with many great insights through his writing and teaching; two of the most significant are that humans are political animals and that "politics is the master science." This program will give you a solid foundation to stand on if you plan to pursue a political, legal, or become involved in the government.

In general, successful political science majors will:

Understand and be able to interrelate the leading theories, literature, and approaches in the subfields of American government, political theory and methods, international relations, and comparative politics.

Have competence in the basic methodology of research and analysis in political science and be able to analyze and formulate effective argumentation about the political world in writing and oral presentation, making use of that competence.

Critically assess actors' actions in the political process and determine their motives.

Understand the decisions human beings make in political settings, including those regarding the forms of government available, and understand the philosophical underpinnings of political systems, significant ideologies, and political parties.