Program Overview

The political science faculty is committed to the belief that understanding politics and government is essential to a well-educated person, vital to democratic citizenship, indispensable to effective public service, and critical to the maintenance and ethical progress of a free society.

Politics and government affect the lives of all of us. What we do, and what we think, is affected by the decisions and actions of local, state and national governmental institutions and political leaders.

The objectives and policies of foreign countries also can affect our daily lives, particularly during periods of international tension and war.

In an increasingly interdependent world, the study of politics and government has flourished as the relations between persons, groups and nations have become more complex, and questions of freedom and authority have challenged every citizen. Modern political science is equally concerned with questions of political philosophy and with the pursuit of social scientific research. These concerns are reflected in a broad and diverse curriculum.