Political Science
Program Overview
Political Science seeks to explain the world of politics and government. As the world becomes more complex, the importance of the discipline of political science grows. Politics is at the heart of social decision making; and the need for thoughtful, human interactions in the modern era is clear. Solutions to today’s problems revolve around individuals, institutions, and their respective activities. Political science is the discipline that brings together traditional and modern inquiries concerning the place of humans and their decisions in the world.
Careers
Options include: employment in a diverse array of administrative agencies at the federal, state and local levels of government; completion of law school followed by admission to the bar and law practice; teaching at both the college and high school level; research in the public sector, for private firms and not-for-profit organizations; employment in governmental liaison work for private sector firms and organizations (This type of opportunity continues to grow as more private organizations have more frequent, even regular contacts with the government.); employment as journalists doing political reporting in the mass media where knowledge and understanding of the political process have become at least as important as the technical skills of modern communications.
Among the positions held by graduates of King’s College political science program are: foreign service officer in the State Department, intelligence officer in the Department of Defense, the CIA and the NSA; budget analyst in OMB; judge, magistrate, mayor, city councilperson, city manager, city planner, election campaign manager, administrative assistant to the governor, legislative assistant, lobbyist, state party chairperson, congressional aide, assistant township manager, policy analyst in the Department of Public Welfare; and campaign consultant. Employment outlook for the political science field is excellent as government expands into new areas and private sector organizations seek employees with knowledge of public affairs.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
- Law School (J.D.)
- M.P.A., with various specializations
- M.A. and Ph.D. in political science
Recent graduate school admissions
- American University
- George Washington University School of Political Management
- Maxwell School-Syracuse University
- Pennsylvania State University
- State University of New York
- Lehigh University
Program Details
Each semester many political science majors pursue internships with one of the numerous municipal, county, state, and federal offices located in the area; additionally, some elect to pursue one of the state or national intern programs that take them for a semester to government offices in Washington, DC. or Harrisburg, PA. These programs have proven to be among the most popular and rewarding of all the opportunities the College offers. The young men and women who have participated in these internship programs return enriched in knowledge and with valuable job experience.
The Department of Political Science offers a pre-law program, with an enviable record of placing its students in top law schools. For students preparing for legal careers, the Department offers a multi-course sequence in Law and the Courts, and a senior year legal internship. Every fall the Department holds a Legal Career Day, bringing successful alumni and friends in the field of law to the college to talk to students about their experiences. Our students have been accepted to some of the finest law schools in the country, including Villanova, Boston University, Dickinson, Catholic, Case Western, and Syracuse. In addition to the legal profession, there are other career opportunities being pursued by recent King’s political science graduates. In the public sector our graduates have been successful in obtaining employment at the local, state, and federal levels in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches. A number of our graduates have also been successful in gaining elected positions. Other recent graduates have entered careers in the private sector in education and business.
The major in political science provides a student with a foundation in the American political system and along with an introduction to traditional and contemporary methods of social research. An integrated survey of various fields within the discipline is included in the major. Students are also required to take at least three elective courses (9 credits) within the major.
The Department of Political Science has created four tracks of required and elective courses along with certain non-department courses. These tracks are intended to assist the student in planning his or her course of study and to give the student an opportunity to undertake a more intensive study of certain areas within political science. The tracks also provide the student an opportunity to develop a more individualized course of study that best fits his or her specific interests.
