Political Science * 1
Politics is about power: who has it and how it is used. The goal of the Department of Political
Science is to provide students with a superior program of study into the many different and
intriguing ways in which power is given, taken, distributed, limited, manipulated, and used, and
to help them better appreciate and understand the many different forms taken by systems of
government around the world.
Careers
What can you do with a Political Science degree?
The best answer to this question, based on the skills our majors develop, and on the careers our
graduates have followed, is this: "Just about anything."
As with almost every other liberal arts major, a training in political science is not designed to
prepare you for a specific job so much as to give you skills that you can use in almost any job.
We focus on encouraging our students to think critically, to be aware of the world around them,
and to think about and develop their own views and opinions on political, economic and social
issues. This means that there is no one occupation in which most of our graduates can be found,
but that they achieve success on a wide variety of fronts.
The following list includes some (not all!) of the careers which our graduates are presently
pursuing, along with specific courses or other departmental opportunities that can help you
prepare for each of them.
- Legal careers: Y211, Y304-305, Y320, attendance at the annual Polsa law school admissions
forum, involvement in Phi Alpha Delta
- Federal government and politics: Y103, Y301, Y317-322, Y481 internships
- State or local government and politics: Y306, Y307, Y481 internships
- Private interest groups and associations: Y213, other public policy courses, Y301
- International organizations: Y217, Y219, other advanced courses in international relations or
area studies (eg, West European politics, Southeast Asian politics, Russian politics)
- Business careers abroad: Y101, Y217, Y219, international Y481 internships
- Personnel management: Game theory and negotiation skills (in many courses)
- Campaign management and political polling: Y205, employment in the Public Opinion Lab
- Journalism: Extensive writing requirements in political science courses
- Secondary education: Combine political science with School of Education certification
- Graduate school: Preparation for taking GREs and for graduate school
If career choice is not an issue for you, there are still plenty of benefits to be had from
studying political science. These might include a life-long interest in politics and the ethical
issues involved in politics; improved opportunities for volunteering or part-time participation
in political causes; community organizing around a long list of issues that are important to
educated people; involvement in organizations promoting good government; part-time work with
interest groups in many different areas; and running for and serving in public office on a
part-time basis. In all these areas, political science graduates can be important forces for good
on others who know less about government and politics.
In short, a political science degree can prepare you both for a variety of rewarding careers, and
for satisfying participation in the human enterprise that extends well beyond a formal career.
For more information about Political Science, please visit this website:
American Political Science Association
http://www.apsanet.org/
Degree Programs
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
Political Science degree requirements
B.A. degree check sheet
Political Science course descriptions
For more information, contact:
Division of Liberal Arts
4601 Central Ave.
Columbus, IN 47203-1769
Office: 812-348-7393
Fax: 812-348-7370
Email: liberalarts
iupuc.edu
* The IUPUC curriculum offers a significant portion of the IUPUI plan of study. Students
transfer to the Indianapolis campus for degree completion.
1. Courses which meet all general education requirements (approximately 92 credit hours) and Political Science courses which fulfill six of the 33 credit hours for the major are available in Columbus.
