Welcome
Making a decision about which college to attend can be a daunting task, especially for students interested in studying political science. Every major college and university offers a political science major, and descriptions of the courses that they require their students to take all sound about the same. So, what makes studying political science at Mercyhurst different?
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Mercyhurst College prides itself in providing students with excellent academic instruction, challenging academic experiences, a wide range of opportunities and personal attention from the faculty. The Department of Political Science excels at meeting these goals. The department’s faculty, which is dedicated to teaching excellence, has developed more than three dozen courses for their majors and minors, and offer students a host of extracurricular academic, professional and social opportunities. At Mercyhurst College, students are more than just a number. Individualized advising by faculty members ensure that students are able to pursue their interests and lay a foundation for personal and professional success. The lives of alumni prove something special is going on at in the Department of Political Science at Mercyhurst College.
Studying Political Science at Mercyhurst College
The political science major is designed to provide a sound basis for both graduate and career work in such fields as government service, law, teaching, politics, journalism, and foreign service. The department offers a wide range of rigorous courses on American political institutions, law, contemporary public policy, political theory, comparative politics, and international relations. The department emphasizes writing, critical reading, analysis and problem solving, and research skills within the context of questions about values. Though the major allows students the option to focus their studies on just about any area of interest, concentrations in pre-law, international relations, environmental studies and politics, and applied politics are available, and specialized contract majors and minors allow students to create more specialized programs of study.
The seven full-time faculty members in the Department of Political Science work hard to provide students with high quality learning experiences inside and outside of the classroom. In class students are encouraged to explore and analyze both perennial questions associated with the discipline and cutting-edge research that is transforming the way we see our world. Excellent small classes combined with personalized advising by faculty members in the department ensure that students receive a high quality education that will help them achieve their intellectual and professional goals. Outside of class students have the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities, including internships, Model UN, Pi Sigma Alpha (the national political science honors society), trips to Washington, DC, and study abroad options.
After Graduation
Students who graduate from Mercyhurst College with a degree in political science are well prepared for success in a wide range of careers. For example, our graduates have attended top-ranked law schools and PhD programs, and worked for members of Congress in Washington, DC and state and local governments. They have pursued careers in the Environmental Protection Agency, State Department, Central Intelligence Agency; and worked for think tanks, presidential campaigns, interest groups, and lobbying firms. Regardless of the career they choose, the department’s graduates are well equipped to fulfill their responsibilities as citizens and make the most of their professional lives.