Political Science

Whether you’re looking to build a career in campaign management, city management, or policy and political analysis, a graduate degree in political science from the University of Idaho will help you get there. Our distinguished faculty and quality hands-on and research opportunities will help you learn to apply your knowledge of political institutions to further the interests of organizations that share your vision for the future.

The Department of Political Science and Public Affairs Research offers the following graduate degrees:

• Master of Arts (M.A.) in Political Science: General M.A. requirements.
• Master of Public Administration:Three credits in national or state government and three credits in a statistics course such as Statistics 251 is required. Core classes emphasize topics surrounding administrative law and regulation, public organization theory and behavior, budgeting in the public sector, public personnel administration and more.
• Ph.D. Political Science: General Ph.D. requirements apply. There is also a foreign language requirement and a heavy emphasis on research based learning and experiences.

Through engaging class discussions, lectures, research and hands-on experience, you’ll learn about political institutions and processes and develop the ability to think critically about political controversies and public policies. You’ll also learn how to methodically study individuals, groups and mass behavior in political settings and formulate conclusions about expected outcomes based on historical perspectives.

Prepare for Success

A majority of graduate students in political science are interested in exploring the complex relationships that exist in society related to power, conflict, peace and justice. Students in our program are generally drawn to the research and analytical side of political science study, including the development hypotheses and performing analysis to better understand how these concepts apply in the real world.

Your First Year

In addition to internship experience and research and writing work, you may take the following courses:

• Scope of Political Science (POLS 530)
• International Organizations & International Law (OLS 540)
• Constitutional Law (POLS 567)
• The Judicial Process (POLS 569)
• Intergovernmental Relations (POLS 571)
• Public Personnel Administration (POLS 575)

What You Can Do

With a graduate degree in political science, you can become a:

• Government administrator
• Public affairs adviser
• Lobbyist
• Administrator of state- or federally-funded aid programs
  
• Counselor
• Immigration officer
• Journalist
• Pollster
• Political adviser
• International business consultant

Opportunities

Many of our graduate students are interested in pursuing administrative positions for government-based organizations or working in international relations. Others are interested in working as consultants or lobbyists where they use their understanding of the political process to further specific agendas of the groups they support. Some become teachers at the college and university level, which generally requires a Ph.D.

Employers are looking for political science graduates, particularly those with relevant internship experience and excellent communication and writing skills. In fact, according the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of social scientists, not including economists, is expected to continue to grow by 10-20 percent.

Current Research

The James A. and Louise McClure Center for Public Policy Research, a unit affiliated with the Department of Political Science at the University of Idaho, will give you the opportunity to broaden your experience and skill set as a graduate student. This organization produces research reports for local and state officials and conducts topical policy and political analysis. In addition, the group hosts colloquia, a seminar series, and brings in experts to discuss current topics and policy issues facing our state, the Pacific Northwest and even the nation.

Activities

In addition to numerous events and panel discussions happening on campus, the Political Science Club is another great way to learn more about the field and to get connected with fellow students and faculty. You may also become involved in Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society.

Hands-On Experience

We place a heavy emphasis on teaching research skills and providing you with the opportunities to collaborate with faculty on research efforts, as well as the opportunity gain hands-on work experience with local agencies, government organizations and nonprofit groups. Many of our graduate students have benefited from experiences with a political campaign or by working with the legislature or the executive branches.

Each of our graduate programs has an internship requirement and our faculty and staff is committed to helping you identify internship experiences that best suit your interests and career goals. We award credits for management internships, legislative internships and other directed study programs.

Faculty Involvement

Lisa Carlson, Ph.D.
Professor
Lisa Carlson is an professor of Political Science. Her main areas of research interest are: International and Domestic Conflict Processes, and Theories of Deterrence and Escalation.
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Jie Chen
Dean & William Borah Distinguished Professor of Political Science
Jie Chen is the Dean of the College of Graduate Studies and a William Borah Distinguished Professor of Political Science.
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Don Crowley, Ph.D.
Professor & Chair
Don Crowley is the Department Chair and a professor of Ploitical Science. His areas of research interest are: Privacy, the Supreme Court and the Cultural War, and Law and Social Change.
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Nickolas Jorgensen, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Nickolas Jorgensen is an assistant professor of Political Science. His academic areas of research interest are: Comparative Judicial Politics, International Relations, Democratization, Ethnicity and Nationalism, and Political Development, Conflict Studies.
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William Lund, Ph.D.
Professor of Political Science
William Lund is a professor of Political Science. His areas of research interest are: History of Political Theory (esp. Hobbes) and Contemporary Liberalism and Its Libertarian and Communitarian Critics.
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Sandra Reineke, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Sandra Reineke is an assistant professor of political Science and is the coordinator of the Women's Studies program. Her areas of interest include political philosophy, democratic theory, social movements, feminist political theory, sexual politics, causes of war, and human rights.
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