Undergraduate Programs

Political Science and International Relations are dynamic fields of study that prepare undergraduates for a range of professional careers. These majors specialize in students and citizens that care to matter and be change agents in their local, state, national, and international communities. 

We offer a major in political science with four concentrations (American Politics, International Relations/Comparative Politics, Public Policy, and a general major) as well as a minor.  The department is also the advising center for the pre-law program. Regardless of the field of study, students in political science classrooms benefit from enhanced critical thinking, writing, and analysis skills. These in-demand and transferrable skills make our students competitive in a global job market, as many of our alumni illustrate.

The department's faculty members are experts in their respective fields, well-published scholars, and dedicated to mentoring. Our students come first. Students benefit from professors who are able to bring their own research and experiences into the classroom. Faculty members demonstrate the ways in which the concepts covered in the classroom help us understand “real world” politics, and how students can become agents of change in their lives. Faculty members also use their expertise in advising and mentoring students. Undergraduates are assigned a faculty advisor, who can address questions regarding course selection, academic success, and plans beyond their undergraduate degrees including graduate school or career development. Our Undergraduate Coordinator advises students with questions about academic progress, the major or minor, the major in Global Studies, and general university requirements.

Finally, the Political Science Department is active in stay away and study abroad education. The department boasts two in-house, semester-long, 15 credit hour study away internship programs. The Columbus Program in State Issues (CPSI) and the Washington Program in National Issues (WPNI) take students to live, learn, and intern in Columbus in the fall and Washington, D.C. in the spring. These competitive programs welcome applicants of any major, and offer our students incomparable experience working in their field.

The department also participates broadly in study abroad. We have cohorts of students in the Destination Florence Program and the Florence Summer Institute. The department also has faculty-led study abroad courses to locations such as London, Germany, and Israel/Palestine.