Mission Statement and Learning Goals
Department of Political Science Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Political Science at Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ is to foster a vital community of citizen scholars committed to the study and understanding of politics. The department nurtures a culture of excellence that helps students to become active knowledge producers and to reach their career goals in the non-profit, public, or private sectors.
Political Science students are required to take both a research methods class and a senior seminar. In addition, they publish a research journal annually, join faculty in reading groups, and thrive in the social science lab they oversee. Regardless of their path, Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ political science students learn to take the liberal arts seriously and to strive to make the public good a reality at home and across the globe.
See also the Mission Statement of Ä¢¹½´«Ã½.
Political Science Student Learning Goals
(Adopted July 15, 2022)
A graduate in Political Science from Ä¢¹½´«Ã½ will:
- Know the theoretical traditions, debates, and methodological approaches used in the empirical study of political phenomena;
- Know the processes, institutions, and contexts that shape politics at local, national, transnational, and international levels in comparative perspectives;
- Be well-versed in the common strategies employed by advocates for change and their opponents concerning the great challenges facing humanity;
- Be able to analyze political phenomena critically, recognizing the implications of privilege, diverse perspectives, normative positions, and evidentiary claims;
- Be able to conduct rigorous and original political research, using appropriate analytical frames and methodological instruments to test hypotheses;
- Be able to communicate research findings and arguments in a clear, logical, and persuasive manner, whether in written or oral form.

William Munro - Betty Ritchie-Birrer '47 and Ivan Birrer, Ph.D. Endowed Professor of Political Science
Department - Political Science