The name Political Science might seem a little vague. If you hear it, you probably think of lawyers, elected office holders, or international diplomats. And political science is all of that, but it’s also much more. Political Science is understanding the world around you, and how people cooperate to govern the world. Political Science is having the knowledge and skills to be a leader – in your workplace, your community, and the world.
Political Science is a unique field of study because of the important combination of skills you develop:
As a political science major, the world is your laboratory. What starts in the classroom emerges into the real world. You don’t just take classes, you experience everyday politics and participate in real-time. The political science curriculum includes high-impact elements like simulations, service learning projects, internships, and a variety of other hands-on opportunities.
Professional Contributions by Political Science Faculty: Research and Service
Making us stronger teachers, we are engaged scholars in our fields. We need to be engaged with our discipline in order to bring the debates, methods, and trends of political science research into the classroom for our students. Our scholarship engages us on the important public issues that made us become professors in the first place. It also brings prominence to the department as our contributions are recognized in diverse areas. Further, it helps to make the world a better place through service provided to local and global communities.
There's something special, and unique, about the Highlander Experience in Political Science. Our focus on Wicked Problems, internships, and career preparation mean your entire college career is built around getting you to that next step in your professional career.
All of our faculty have been practitioners in the field, so you have the advantage of real-world experience in diplomacy, local government, political campaigning, and legal practice. Our faculty have relationships with the United Nations, state and local governments, major media outlets, and law schools just to name a few. A network of alumni, leaders in their fields, are there to help make connections for internships and careers.
Radford University's size allows us small classes with close contact with your peers and faculty. Every student gets a faculty mentor the moment they step on campus to help them all the way through to graduation. Our close-knit student community means you always have friends to support you and work with you. Political Science majors at Radford University are leaders, starting during their college career. Our students are active in civic engagement, student government, and community leadership. If this sounds like the right kind of experience for you, then it's time to become a Highlander.