Introduction to the Department
The Department of Political Science began in the 1940s as a joint department with History. The two separated in 1942 with courses on government taught by the vice president of the university and by Paul Bachman, then the Dean of Academic Affairs. Within several years, the department recruited its first professor, Allan Saunders from Amherst College, who wrote the curriculum and began planning for the growth of an autonomous faculty. The department quickly gained momentum with the recruitment of its faculty from premier mainland institutions known for political science: primarily the University of Minnesota and Michigan State University. By 1947, the department began offering the M.A. degree, in addition to the B.A. which began in 1945. The department grew in size and visibility, gaining national stature by the time it offered the Ph.D. degree in 1962.
The Department offers programs of study leading to degrees at the undergraduate, master's, and doctoral levels. Students are encouraged to broaden their perspectives by taking courses in other departments and through the many interdisciplinary programs associated with the university such as Asian Studies and the Pacific Islands program.
The Department makes a considerable effort to practice as well as to teach democracy. Faculty and students participate together in department meetings and most of the department's committees. While ideologies range across the political spectrum, there is a shared preoccupation with the critique of dominant historical forces and centers of power. Research interests include classical and critical theoretical perspectives, policy analysis, quantitative computer methods, innovative applications of biological and physical theories to political phenomena, peace and future studies, and many other issues and approaches.
In accordance with departmental philosophy, students are encouraged to participate in all levels of departmental decision-making. Meetings to discuss and decide on affairs of concern to the Department are held on a regular basis, and all interested members of the departmental community are welcome to attend, participate and vote on issues that require such action.
Department Mission Statement
In the fall semester of 1993, the department formulated the following mission statement:
The graduate program in Political Science is both an intellectual and a community resource. Applicants for either the M.A. or Ph.D. degrees are expected to show evidence of potential for graduate study and to articulate reasons why this discipline, program, and location are relevant to their concerns. The department seeks a diverse pool of applicants whose pursuits and interests will contribute to our community and the broader world. Admission to the program is competitive, and applicants who meet or surpass minimum requirements may be denied acceptance.
The M.A. program is a learning environment in which applicants may further develop their interests in exploring ideas and abilities to think critically. The structure of the program encourages scholarly inquiry and intellectual growth across a range of political themes. It is expected that a few students will continue on in graduate work while the majority enter careers and responsibilities in both public service and private organizations with greater analytical and critical faculties.
The doctoral program in Political Science encourages the development of broad understandings of political phenomena. It is an intellectual environment that seeks students with previously demonstrated abilities to develop further the creative and analytical skills necessary for thinking critically, conducting research, and producing original scholarship. It is a fertile environment for students who bring a wide variety of backgrounds to the study of politics and who have the competence to initiate their own investigations, and to work independently. The Department, in emphasizing a problem-solving and critical perspective, expects, as well, that students enrich their knowledge of and proficiency in several traditional elements of the discipline.
The Academic Program
Political science (POLS) examines politics not only in government and among nations but also in private organizations, businesses, universities, families, language, and daily life. Various methods are used to do this, ranging from the interpretive and historical to the quantitative and statistical. Although properly eclectic in our orientation, the department’s major methodological emphasis can be called critical interpretivist: we utilize and develop poststructuralist, feminist, Marxist, post-colonial, queer cultural and philosophical theories, as well as more mainstream theories, in our approaches to political phenomena.
Political science graduates enter numerous professions: journalism, foreign service, social services, government, law, law enforcement, teaching, civil service, business, librarianship, and research. Undergraduate majors have done all of these and more. So have the department's graduate students, many of whom come from abroad and return to their home countries to become leaders in their fields. The Department of Political Science provides a sound undergraduate education that helps prepare people to think critically and constructively about the world and to be active, concerned citizens in whatever walk of life they choose. Its internship program permits undergraduates to earn academic credit while working in community or governmental institutions and processes.
At the graduate level, the department stands out in the fields of international relations, political theory, comparative studies, Asian politics, futures studies, and policy analysis. The Department is an open, informal place where students, staff, and faculty alike are encouraged to participate in departmental affairs and governance. For further information, call (808) 956-7513 or email the Department.
Degrees Offered