Welcome to the University of Dayton

DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE

 

 

For nearly sixty years, the Department of Political Science has been providing educational opportunities for University of Dayton undergraduate students who have gone on to become leaders in the worlds of politics and business, lawyers, and educators. Starting with only two faculty members in 1938, the Department of Political Science has grown to include 11 full-time faculty members who offer courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. The department has approximately 160 students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science who take courses in the following areas:

• American Government

• Comparative Government

• International Relations

• Research Methods

• Political Theory & Law

• Public Administration & Public Policy

The department offers more than 60 upper level courses during a typical two year academic course cycle, along with special seminars and a variety of internships. Students who have completed a sufficient number of credit hours with a strong grade point average may participate in legal, state and local government, or federal internships.

 

The department's 36 hour undergraduate program is designed to introduce students fully to the discipline of political science, offer them the flexibility to pursue a variety of career objectives, and to acquire the skills necessary to be successful in graduate and law school, the workplace, and in life.

 

For more than thirty years, the department has also offered a Masters degree in Public Administration (MPA). For more information about the University's MPA program, please visit the program website.

 

The department is located in architecturally-stunning St. Joseph's Hall, one of the oldest buildings on campus. Inside, St. Joe's is a modern building having been completely remodeled after a fire in 1987. Departmental facilities include a state-of the art master classroom, a student news room, and modern seminar rooms.

 

As articulated in the department's Mission Statement, the Department of Political Science is "...dedicated to providing the depth and breadth required for our majors, the flexibility needed to serve non-majors, and the skill and expertise to reach out into the communities we serve. We must leave people we serve with a stronger ability to understand, maintain, change or otherwise influence in a positive manner the social and political structures and processes that influence our lives."

 

We welcome you to the departmental webpage and hope that you will spend some time exploring the many things we have to offer. If you have questions, please click at any one of the numerous spots on our webpage to contact the department chair or secretary.

 

department news

Ready for advising?  Check out your advisor's webpage by clicking on the "Advising" button.

Congratulations to Dr. Jason Pierce on his newest book, Inside the Mason Court Revolution (forthcoming).

Undergraduate political science and graduate MPA students are encouraged to use the  study lounge in St. Joe's 209.  Check it out!