Political Science

American politics involves the study of U.S. political institutions at the national level (e.g., Congress, Presidency, Judiciary), state and local government and politics, political parties, interest groups, policy making, elections and voting behavior, public opinion, public law and the judicial process, constitutional interpretation, and the field of public administration.

Comparative politics studies political systems of nations outside the United States, including those in Western and Eastern Europe, Latin America, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Russia.

International relations focuses on American foreign policy, international organizations (e.g., the United Nations), international economics, war and peace, and international law.

Political theorizing means questioning the assumptions underlying both politics and political science. Courses in political theory are designed to help students understand political experiences as they are interpreted by those who are engaged in politics and also by those who study it. Political theory therefore includes the history of political ideas, the writings of major theorists, and theories of history and the social sciences.