Why Come Here?

Mercyhurst College is a small liberal arts college that prides itself in providing students with excellent academic instruction, challenging academic experiences, and personal attention by the faculty. The Department of Political Science excels at meeting these goals. In order to make an intelligent decision about where to go to college, you need to be informed about the specific nature of the academic and extracurricular experiences that await you.

Small Classes

At Mercyhurst you will get to know your professors. More importantly, they will get to know you! The faculty not only has the academic credentials necessary for teaching, they have expertise in teaching. They work closely with students to better meet their needs. They spend a great deal of time on campus and hold regular office hours (times set aside for students). In many areas, including term papers and research, help is available from the professor who teaches the class.

Personal Advising

As a political science major you will have a faculty adviser to assist you in choosing courses, researching internship opportunities, and exploring and prepare for options after graduation. Many graduates find that they continue to seek advice and counsel from the faculty long after graduation.

Faculty

The political science professors at Mercyhurst are dynamic, energetic, and creative. They all have their doctorates, approximately seven years of teaching experience each, and are professionally active. They have won awards for excellence in teaching and teach in the college Honors Program. The department is heralded for interesting classes that combine rigor and innovation.

Whether it is simulations, investigations into the most current literature, research on the Internet, trips to Washington, D.C., Model UN activities, or informal discussions about hot political issues, the faculty interact with students inside and outside the classroom.

Students

At Mercyhurst College, political science students are among the most active and respected members of the campus community. They are active in student government, Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society and several have won Mercyhurst student awards including The Carpe Diem Award. In addition, political science students volunteer for nonprofit organizations and enjoy the Department's social and acdemic events.

Your Future

To get accepted to and to do well in law or graduate school it is required that students develop research and analytical skills. Developing these skills is central to the teaching philosophy of the department. They will advise you into the courses that will best prepare you for the direction you have chosen, and all of our courses provide the rigorous intellectual experience necessary to succeed in whatever career you choose. The Department of Political Science at Mercyhurst College has a long history of helping students to make the most of their lives after graduation.