Political Science prepares students for active citizenship, public affairs careers, and advanced social sciences and professions study by training them to become good observers of political behavior in their own country and worldwide.
It is an exciting field because of its complexity, its diversity, and, above all, its relevance to the modern world. Political scientists attempt to describe and explain the wide range of political systems using various powerful analytical techniques.
An education in political science exposes students to issues over which people struggle and disagree in the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Students learn about the latest research findings on public opinion, executives and bureaucracies, parties and elections, the legislative and judicial systems, international organizations, and other aspects of the governmental process. They acquire a better understanding of how public affairs are conducted and a more practical knowledge of how citizens, elected representatives, judges, and administrators approach the decisions they are called upon to make.
Political science cannot be studied in isolation from other disciplines. Many different and constantly changing influences - historical, geographical, economic, sociological, psychological, philosophical, and cultural - determine the form and continually affect the functioning of political systems. See our Research Sub Fields below.
