Introduction to the Political Science Degree
See also: Introduction to the Pre-Law Concentration and Introduction to the International Relations Concentration
Political Science as a Field of Study
Political Science is more than a civics lesson. It is a well respected liberal arts discipline that explores who gets what, when, how, and why in the government arena. It searches for answers to fundamental questions such as Why is government necessary? Why do people surrender to the wishes to government? Why do some people choose to participate in elections while others do not? Students of politics, in their quest for answers to these questions, must master topics ranging from those in Plato's early thought to those surrounding issues like health care reform in the 1990's.
Career Opportunities
UL-Lafayette Political Science graduates are well educated individuals with both written and oral communication skills and well practiced research and critical thinking skills. They are prepared for a wide variety of careers and for admittance into graduate and professional school. Graduates with high grade point averages, quality letters of reference from faculty and employers, promising performance on professional entry examinations, and high levels of personal motivation are particularly well situated for the career or graduate/professional school of their choice. Careers in government service are attractive options. Federal, state, and local governments in the U.S. employ more than 8 million people in non-military, non-educational positions. A large portion of those positions require undergraduate degrees in areas like political science. Some government employment opportunities require advanced degrees in public administration, law, or other areas. Numerous graduates of UL-Lafayette's Department of Political Science have developed public service careers. They include: a U.S Senator, a U.S. Congressman, judges, state legislators, a program analyst for the federal government, a public defender, university professors, an Assistant Attorney General, an administrative assistant for the state legislature, a regional program supervisor for the Louisiana Office of Public Health, social workers, a performance auditor for the Louisiana Office of Legislative Auditor, a community organizer, and several officers in the U.S. military. Business careers are also options. Our graduates hold a variety of positions which include: chief executive officers of companies, a human resources manager for a large chemical company, a director of corporate risk management for a Fortune 500 company, purchasing and contracts officers, real estate developers, publisher's representatives, lobbyists, translators, convention managers, real estate and insurance brokers, salesmen, landmen, and farmers. Many political science graduates continue their formal education after receiving an undergraduate degree. UL-Lafayette graduates have completed or are pursuing graduate degrees in political science, public administration, and social work at various nationally recognized universities such as Connecticut, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Missouri, LSU, Southern, and New Orleans. Successful completion of undergraduate work in political science provides a basis for the study of law. Many of our students have gained admittance to outstanding schools of law such as Harvard, Virginia, Georgetown, Houston, Tulane, and LSU.
The Curriculum
Political science majors follow a course of study based in traditional liberal arts, which includes English, history, foreign languages, the arts, mathematics, and science. These courses, recognized as fundamental knowledge for all educated persons, provide a context for the specialized study of politics. Students take 33 hours in political science selected from a variety of courses in constitutional law, state and local government, public policy, political philosophy. Middle-Eastern and African politics, campaigns and elections, public budgeting, congress, political behavior, judicial process, and research methods. Students also complete 18 hours in a field which complements political science. Students frequently choose English, history, and sociology; but math, science, business, and a variety of other fields may also be selected. For more specific curriculum requirements, please see the POLS Programs page.
Scholarships and Internships
There are many scholarship opportunities for Political Science majors, including those who choose the Pre-Law Concentration. Two of the more notable scholarships for entering freshmen are The John Breaux Scholarship and The William Martin Scholarship. Sophomores may qualify for The Colonel Thomas Ritchie Memorial Award or The Ray L. Barry Memorial Scholarship. Junior and senior political science students are eligible for scholarships such as the Police Jury Scholarship, The Mouton Scholarship, and the Walter S. Craddock Scholarship, among others. Also, each year the department nominates one student who is interested in pursuing legal studies for the Joseph Onebane Memorial Endowment Scholarship. Our most qualified students are eligible to participate in a variety of internship opportunities. In recent years political science majors have successfully completed internships with the Democratic National Committee, the U.S. Congress, the Pentagon, the State Board of Regents, the Secretary of State, the Displaced Homemakers of Louisiana, the Chief Administrative Offica of Lafayette Parish, the Lafayette Regional Planning Commission, and the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. Eight students have also served as McNair interns working on research projects with faculty members. Many of these internships earn academic credit and in some cases stipends are attached. For a complete list of available scholarships and requirements, please see the POLS Scholarships page.
The Students
Political science students are some of the most exciting and successful on campus. Our nearly three hundred political science majors frequently hold leadership positions in student government, are members and officers of honorary and social fraternities, are on the campus newspaper editorial staff, and work actively in the community. Political science graduates have been recognized as "Outstanding Graduates" of the College of Liberal Arts several times.
The Faculty
All our faculty members in the Department of Political Science have Ph.D.'s in political science from outstanding universities, and one faculty member also holds a law degree. The department is known for the quality of its classroom teaching and for the professionalism and scholarly passion found in its classrooms. Moreover, student evaluations of instruction consistently grant high marks to teaching efforts. Faculty involvement with students does not end in the classroom. Each student is assigned an advisor who is available for consultation on academic affairs throughout the student's university career. Faculty are also involved in student affairs. They serve as members of the Union Program Council, advisors for a variety of campus student organizations, mentors for the McNair Scholars program, and as a liaison for major university internship programs in Washington, D.C and in Baton Rouge. Faculty are actively involved in research activities as well and bring the excitement of that research to the classroom. Articles by UL-Lafayette political science faculty have been published recently in some of the most prestigious journals in the profession. A book was recently published and several others are in production. For a list of faculty and staff members, along with background and contact information, see the POLS Faculty and Staff page.
Tel. 337-482-6171; E-mail: pols@louisiana.edu