Overview

Ranked in the top 50 national political science programs (2018)

The Political Science Department offers a B.A. in Political Science, a Minor in Political Science, and a five-year B.A./M.A. in Political Science.

Timely and important political issues on a national and global scale while helping them develop a set of analytical, reasoning and research skills.

Departments/programs/subject areas supported

Undergraduate - Major & minor, Combined BA/MA, MA Political Science

Students can focus your course of study by taking advantage of certificates in American government, international relations, non-profit management.

Students can take advantage of our security studies concentration and deepen your knowledge of national and international security.

Students can earn a graduate certificate by completing five courses in one of these areas of concentration:  American Government or International Politics

MA degree - Complete one course from each of the three areas of concentration (American Government, International Relations and Comparative Politics, and  Political Philosophy); complete a course in research concepts and approaches;  and then build the rest of your curriculum to suit your interests and goals. Students can complete ten courses and take a comprehensive oral examination, or complete eight courses and write a thesis in order to complete your master’s degree (2018).

Interdisciplinary with Public Administration:

The Department of Public Administration is committed to preparing students to develop the skills they need to become ethical, creative, inclusive, and intelligent leaders in public service.  The Department offers courses and programs at both the undergraduate and Master's level, both on-campus and online.  

A distinguishing feature of the Public Administration undergraduate and graduate programs is the focus on ethical decision-making.  Undergraduate and graduate students are exposed to a range of effective practices in the field of public service as well as opportunities for networking and professional development. 

Those interested in public service may complete a graduate certificate through the Master of Public Administration (MPA) program concentrating in:

Public Administration or Nonprofit Management

Resources Collected

NOTE: Electronic format is preferred for all Library holdings unless otherwise noted.

  • Scholarly monographs in electronic and print format

  • Subjects currently profiled to be considered for acquisition by Library:
    Environmentalism. Green Movement (GE), Population Geography. Migration, urban population, rural population, (HB), Income and expenditure.  The budget., expenditure, public credit. Debts., Local finance (HJ), Community (HM), Terrorism (HV), General Legislative and Executive Papers (J), general political science (JA), political theory (JC), political institutions and public administration (JF), political institutions and public administration – North America (JJ), United States (JK), political Institutions and Public Administration.  Canada, Latin America, etc. (JL), political Institutions and Public Administration. Europe. (JN), Political institutions and public administration:  Asia.  Africa.  Australia (JQ), Local Government.  Municipal Government. (JS), Colonies and Colonialization (JV), International Relations (JZ), Law (General) (K) - Environmental, Military, Public Law, International Law, International Science Policy, Atomic Law, and Global Warming, Islamic Law (KBP), Law, England and Wales (KD), United States and Constitutional Law (KF), Latin America (General) (KG), South America (General) (KH), History of Law (KJ, KJE), Germany (KK), Asia (General) (KM), South Asia.  Southeast Asia.  East Asia –comparative law (KNC), Africa, History. Indigenous peoples (KQ), Australia (General) (KU), Law of Nations, Law of the Sea, Space Law (KZ, KZA, KZD), Oriental Languages and Literatures – Arabic (PJ), Military Science (U) - selected, Naval Science (V) – selected.

  • Academic Journals in electronic format (Peer reviewed preferred)

Selected topics of faculty interest:
U.S. Presidency/presidential history, U.S. Congress, The CIA and other U.S. Intelligence agencies, the Vietnam War and other contemporary wars, national security policy

Security, violence, civil war, war, terrorism, foreign policy, international relations, genocide, Armenian Genocide, Holocaust, Shoah, Rwandan Genocide,

History of Arab/Eastern Christianity, Modern Middle East History and diplomacy, Social movements in the Arab world.  Muslim/Christian relations. The Arab Nahda;renaissance, the Arab spring

U.S. Congress; U.S. elections and election systems; political parties; political reform; legislative-executive relations

Political communication/mass media and politics; U.S. political parties; U.S. campaigns and elections; U.S. presidency

Democratization, Europe, Eastern Europe, History (Europe), Methodology, Parties, democratization, political institutions, constitution, political economy, social policy, philosophy of science, sociology of science, history of science, historical sociology, political sociology, comparative sociology, historiography, data visualization, digital humanities

Political economy of development, Long-term Developmental and Political Consequences of Colonialism in the Global South, African Politics, Latin American Politics, Caribbean Politics

Comparative law (esp. criminal, nationality, and constitutional law, and gender-related issues); Middle East politics and culture; United Kingdom politics and culture; gender and politics; policing

Resources and materials collected selectively or by request:

  • DVD’s, data sets, material in foreign languages

Resources not collected:

  • Textbooks
  • Law for professional support, not all essential case law, not specific states

Collaborations within the library

  • Business, Unique Collections and Digital Library, Learning Commons

External collaborations

Department of Public Administration, Professional Studies, Eastern Academic Scholars Trust (EAST), PORTICO archive for preservation, PALCI, RAPIDILL, LYRASIS,