What is Political Science?
What is a Political Science degree?
Political Science at Saint Peter’s University is a broad and versatile degree that can prepare students for a wide range of careers in both the public and private sectors.
Political Science seeks to generate knowledge and insights that can inform policymaking, improve governance, and contribute to a deeper understanding of political processes and systems. It is an interdisciplinary field that draws on insights from other disciplines such as history, economics, sociology, psychology, and law.
It is also a popular degree choice for students at Saint Peter’s University, where the Political Science department is known for its strong academics and engaged faculty.
Political Science students seek to answer many questions, including:
- How do political systems evolve and change over time?
- What are the impacts of policies and political decisions on society?
- What are the processes of decision-making within political systems?
- How can political systems be improved to better serve the needs of citizens?
What makes Political Science at Saint Peter’s University different?
Saint Peter’s University is located near New York City, offering students the chance to interact with every level of politics possible. Students regularly attend public lectures and conferences on global affairs at NYC-based global organizations, like the United Nations.
Additionally, the Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership at Saint Peter’s University gives students the unique opportunity to hear lectures on campus from top names in global, federal, state, and local politics.
Having the opportunities to gain first-hand experience in the world of politics prepares Saint Peter’s University students to successfully enter this field and gain a deeper understanding of this career path.
The Political Science program offers a variety of courses on topics such as:
- Perspectives on Politics
- The Mass Media and American Politics
- Urban Politics and Policy
- Politics of Migration and Mobility
- Rent Control in New Jersey
What can I do with a Political Science degree?
Your Saint Peter’s University Political Science education equips you with a dynamic skillset that opens doors to a multitude of rewarding careers.
Think tanks, advocacy groups, and non-profits welcome your analytical mind and passion for social justice. Craft policy that impacts communities, champion environmental causes, or fight for human rights – the possibilities are endless!
Peacocks with a degree in Political Science can find success in many areas, such as:
- Policy Analytics
- Political Consulting
- Public Relations
- Government Affairs
- Public Opinion Research
- Campaign Management
Remember, your Political Science degree isn’t just about elections and ideologies; it’s about critical thinking, effective communication, and a deep understanding of how the world works. These are the skills that top employers seek, regardless of the industry. So, whether you’re drawn to the public arena or the boardroom, Saint Peter’s University political science degree empowers you to chart your own unique path and make a meaningful impact.
From local advocacy to world affairs
Unlike many undergraduate programs in political science, our faculty’s background and our location near New York City offers our political science majors and minors the chance to interact with every level of politics imaginable.
Students regularly attend public lectures and conferences on global affairs at NYC-based international organizations such as the United Nations. Professors organize special visits and theme-based class trips to the United Nations Development Program, the UN Security Council and UN-linked advocacy groups. An exciting part of the political science curriculum, the Harvard Model U.N. permits students to gain first-hand experience at the processes of conference diplomacy and negotiation that characterize international politics.
And our Guarini Institute for Government and Leadership regularly brings top names from global, federal, state and local politics to campus for lectures and workshops.
From local advocacy to world affairs, at Saint Peter’s you can master the road from political theory to practice.
Project Democracy
Project Democracy aims to embody “politics in action” in myriad ways, whether through voter education and registration drives, political conversations in our department, new course development, political organizing, etc. In our first foray, we will introduce a series of video installments featuring our terrific students. They will speak to you about why they chose to major or minor in political science, what they have learned, and their dreams for democracy (and fears, too!).
Project Democracy: Rebecca Marcillo-Gomez, ’23
Project Democracy: Omotolani (Tola) Osipitan, ’22
Project Democracy: Sandy Rodriguez, ’23
The Department of Political Science: Politics in Action
The Historic Visit to the United Nations: November 18, 2022
What Our Students Say
My experience as a political science major was fantastic. All of my professors, especially Dr. Brown, were always so helpful when I had a doubt about something. I struggled to find the correct major for me since I entered as an undergraduate student at Saint Peter’s University, but once I took Perspectives on Politics, I knew it was for me. I graduated in the year 2017 and was able to get a job right after graduation as an Executive Assistant for a local non-profit organization, where I have learned so much. This job opportunity has opened many doors for me. I am now applying to graduate school to obtain a master’s degree in social work! I am very thankful to the Political Science Department for giving me such a positive college experience.
One of the best decisions I made as an SPU student was adding political science as a major. Not only did I meet people I will call friends and mentors for a lifetime, but I also received a phenomenal education. I learned so much about our world, the injustices surrounding us, and how I can actively play a role in changing that. I learned how to stand up for what I believe in, to organize, and to be a “woman for others.”
I was disappointed that my final year of college was completely virtual, but because of the leadership of Dr. Anna Brown and the Political Science Department, my fellow students and I were able to organize, even virtually. We fought for racial justice, and we were successful in changing our newspaper name, making SPU history. Since graduating, I have continued my education in law school. The Political Science Department provided me with the foundation and confidence I need to be an impactful attorney, especially as a first-generation law student.
Deciding to major in political science has been one of the best decisions I have made in life. As a freshman, I was exposed to differing world views and was able to learn the fundamental aspects of power in a political context. Dr. Brown is the best instructor I have had because she is truly invested in her student’s futures. She doesn’t just concern herself with how we perform in class, but she provides her students with the skills needed to fight institutional injustices.
As a political science student, I was also taught soft and hard skills that allowed me to immediately jump into the political world. Unlike many college graduates, I already had a campaign position lined up. After the campaign concluded, it only took me a month to find another position at a local senate office in Jersey City. I’m biased, but the political science department is, without a doubt, the best department on campus.
I majored in Political Science with minors in Anthropology and Philosophy at Saint Peter’s University. Upon graduation, I began a graduate degree. I graduated with a Master of Arts in Diplomacy and International Relations. I had specializations in Latin America and the Caribbean and Post Conflict State Reconstruction and Sustainability. Since graduating, I have worked for the State of New Jersey briefly as Senior Aide in the Office of Governor Philip D. Murphy, and presently as Cultural Commissions Coordinator and Program Officer under the guise of the New Jersey Commission on National & Community Service AmeriCorps National and Governor’s Office on Volunteerism, housed under the New Jersey, Department of State.
Every political science course has shaped me into a more critical thinker. Dr. Anna Brown’s Seminar in Genocide introduced me to the political and social forces that can spawn racism and genocide… As a Latina student, I became conscious for the first time of the political elements that influenced the development of South American and Caribbean countries.