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If you are intrigued by local, domestic, or global affairs, then a political science degree may be for you.

Political science is the systematic study of "who gets what, when, and how." This includes topics like American politics, comparative politics (the study of foreign countries), international relations (interactions between countries and other global actors), political theory, public policy, and public administration.

Our students develop a strong foundation in concepts, theories, and methods in these fields. They apply their knowledge and skills to real-world situations through simulations, research with faculty, extra-curricular activities, and supervised internships.

We offer a BA and a minor in political science.

Group photo for poly sci website

Internships and Career Opportunities

Our BA program lets you customize your studies around your interests and career goals. Our majors work closely with their advisors to structure a curriculum that best People standing inside Asteriaserves their objectives. We will take time to discuss your desired career path, the advantages and disadvantages of that path, and help you select the best courses for that path. We can also help you choose courses geared towards careers in public administration, issue advocacy, public policy, global affairs, and many other careers.

Internships are often the best job preparation our undergraduate students can get. In fact, many of our alumni are now working in careers thanks to their CMU internships. Our majors gain hands-on experience through internships in a wide range of roles and locations, including Washington D.C., Denver, and Grand Junction.

 

Because experiential learning is such an important part of learning about political science, we have made it a formal part of our curriculum.  We want you to experience your future before you take the big leap.  Discover your career firsthand while still in college. There is no better way to learn about something than by living it!

A political science minor complements any other degree in the social and behavioral sciences. It also pairs well with CMU's programs in business, mass communication, criminal justice, and education.

Faculty

Your full-time political science faculty all hold doctorates in their fields.

More than just award-winning educators, our faculty have real-world experience in public administration and emergency management, military service, consulting, research, international education, local government, and non-profit management. Our research and teaching also crosses disciplines. 

In this video, Dr. Tim Casey unveils an innovative new course on technology and empire that he team-taught with a historian.

 

Tim Casey and others for poly sci website

 

Classroom photo for poly sci website

Get Involved!

Learning goes far beyond the classroom in our program.

Our students work alongside faculty on the Redifer Institute's research projects.

They're active in CMU's Political Science Club.

They grapple with complex policy issues in CMU's Associated Student Government.

They participate in the Colorado Capital Conference.

They earn graduate degrees through a unique partnership between the University of Denver and the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs.

They present in CMU's annual Student Showcase.

They're also members of Pi Sigma Alpha (the honors society for political science), among many other organizations.


Graduates of this major will be able to:

  • Critically analyze the theories and concepts relevant to political science (specialized knowledge);
  • Defend a political argument using established methods (empirical and normative) in the field of political science (intellectual skills, communication fluency);
  • Articulate diverse perspective surrounding a political issue (critical thinking);
  • Devise a strategy to promote civic involvement within the broader community for themselves and others (civic engagement)

Program Overview