Studying Political Science at Villanova

Looking Below the Headlines & Beyond the Classroom to Get Ready

for a Complex Word

Why Choose Political Science?

Political science is an extraordinarily diverse field of study that helps students with very different interests to become engaged learners. It provides news junkies the theoretical perspectives to connect the daily headlines; activists with the policy tools to address pressing social problems; globetrotters with the contextual knowledge to understand regional politics; math-whizzes the technical tools to analyze data; and the idealists with the philosophical visions to imagine a different future. In short, political science itself is incredibly diverse and yet anchored in a common quest to understand how large groups of people reconcile their differences in a peaceful manner and what happens if they do not. It embodies the ideals of a liberal arts education and imparts young minds with the skills necessary to tackle the complexities intrinsic in social phenomena. Political scientists like to quip that God left all the easy problems to physicists because atoms are far less unruly than humans whose conduct varies greatly across time and space. Understanding politics thus requires you to count, read, observe, interpret, speculate, discuss and write.

Our department draws on this longstanding and distinguished political science tradition that was first born in the United States and then gradually spread to other advanced democracies to make politics more democratic and more peaceful. It offers undergraduate and graduate courses in American Politics, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Political Theory.

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What Do You Do with Political Science?

The diverse careers of our majors reflect the diverse skills that they acquire during their studies. Our students find employment the following fields:

- Law (I.e. paralegal, public interest law, corporate law)

- Public sector (i.e. Foreign Service, state and local government, federal agencies)

- Non-profit sector (i.e. NGOs, think tanks)- Homeland security (i.e. FBI, intelligence

agencies)- Corporate sector (i.e. consultancy, finance)- Politics (i.e. congressional staffer, campaigns) - Graduate schools (i.e. MA and Ph.D. programs)- Journalism

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Curriculum

To receive a B.A. in Political Science, you are required to complete 33 credit hours, or 11 political science courses, as follows:

Four Foundational Courses (12 credits) that correspond to the four major subfields in political science:

o American Government (PSC 1100) o International Relations (PSC 1200) o Comparative Politics (PSC 1300) o Political Theory (PSC 1400)

Foundational courses should be taken immediately upon declaring the major. They serve as prerequisites for most upper division courses and the senior seminar.

Research Seminar PSC 1900 (3 credits): The research seminar is necessary to write effective research papers. It assists students in writing their first research paper on a topic of their choice.

The Senior Seminar PSC 6900 (3 credits) is the capstone requirement for the program. It is built around a substantive topic of a specialized nature, but it gives graduating seniors a forum for demonstrating proficiency with the reasoning, analytic, research and presentational skills developed throughout one’s earlier coursework.

Five PSC Electives (15 credits): Students may choose from upper division courses in the four major subfields (American Government, International Relations,

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Comparative Politics, Political Theory) in any combination.

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The Minor

To receive a minor in Political Science, you are required to complete 18 credit hours or six political science (PSC) courses, as follows:At least two of the four foundational courses (6 credits) and four elective upper division courses:o American Government (PSC 1100)o International Relations (PSC 1200)o Comparative Politics (PSC 1300)o Political Theory (PSC 1400)

Courses Offered:

American Government: U.S. Constitutional Law I: Powers and Structures; U.S. Political Parties and Elections; U.S. Public Opinion and Political Behavior; U.S. Congress; U.S. Presidency; U.S. Constitutional Law II: Rights and Liberties; Political Psychology; Constitutional Theory; U.S. Intelligence; Constitution Outside the Court

International Relations: Globalization; American Foreign Policy; Gender, Conflict, and Peace; International Law; War and Conflict; Development and Aid; Natural and Manmade Disasters; International Organization; Global Environmental Policy; Refugees and Displaced Persons

Comparative Politics: Politics of the Arab World; Russian Politics; East Asian Politics; African Politics; British Politics; Irish Politics; African/Caribbean Politics

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and Literature; Latin American Politics; Conflict and Peace in Ireland; Law in the Middle East

Political Theory: Theories of War and Peace, Law and Morality; Modern Political Theories; Politics and Religion

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Study Abroad

Political Science offers study abroad programs in Prague and Lille; in addition, students may opt for Villanova approved programs offered by other universities and colleges.

The Prague summer program in Politics, Culture and Literature is a six-week, six-credit program offering the opportunity to study with Villanova faculty in the Czech Republic. You will live and study in the heart of Prague as you take two Villanova courses: a political science course on communism and post-communism and an English course on politics and literature of the Czech Republic.

The Lille semester-long program is a wonderful opportunity to learn and grow in a decidedly French environment. Lille is situated in the north of France and is one of the country’s foremost student centers. With a variety of course offerings in both French and English, this program is designed to deepen and enrich the participant’s knowledge of the French language and way of life. Various disciplines included in this program are: French, History, Economics, and Political Science.

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Other Special Programs

BA/MA Program:The Combined B.A./M.A. program allows undergraduate students to earn a Master's degree in half the time and at half the price of a regular M.A. degree. Students take 3 graduate students during the senior year and enroll in the remaining 7 courses during the 5th year. For more details go to https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/psc/undergrad/fiveyear.html

Washington Minimester:The Washington Minimester is aimed to offer students a look behind the scenes of Washington politics students. Students can earn three credits toward the degree by spending three weeks meeting policy-makers as they travel around Washington and learn how the American political system works. The program is run by a Villanova faculty. It is scheduled in late May and early June to allow students to use the remaining for internships.For more details go to https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/psc/undergrad/dc.html

Villanova on the Hill:The Villanova on the Hill is a professional development program that takes students to Villanova to network with alumni, explore career options in DC, and get a behind the scenes look at our national politics.

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For more details go to https://vuevents.villanova.edu/ehome/index.php?eventid=462459

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Political Science Faculty

David Barrett, Ph.D. - University of Notre DameUS Presidents; US Congress; The Central Intelligence Agency; National Security, Vietnam War.

Camille Burge, Ph.D. - Vanderbilt UniversityPolitical Psychology; Racial and Ethnic Politics, Public Opinion.

Jennifer Dixon, Ph.D. - University of California, BerkeleySecurity Studies Genocide and Mass Killing; Memory Studies and Transitional Justice.

Lowell Gustafson, Ph.D. - University of VirginiaLatin American Politics; Theories of International Relations; American Foreign Policy

John Johannes, Ph.D. - Harvard University Presidency, Congress, Political Parties and Elections, Political Reform.

Matthew R. Kerbel, Ph.D. - The University of Michigan

Politics and the Media; The Presidency, Parties & Elections

Marcus Kreuzer, Ph.D. - Columbia University Qualitative Methodology; Comparative Historical Analysis; European Politics; Parties and Elections; Democratization.

Eric Lomazoff, Ph.D. - Harvard University Constitutional Law, American Political Development, US economic history, political theory.

Daniel Mark, Ph.D. - Princeton University Political Theory; Philosophy of Law; Politics and Religion; Constitutional Studies; American Political Thought

Cera Murtagh, Ph.D. - University of EdinburghPolitics of Divided Societies; Gender Politics; Irish Politics.

Olukunle Owolabi, Ph.D. - University of Notre Dame

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Post-colonial Development, Democratization; African, Latin American and Caribbean Politics.

Mark Schrad, Ph.D. - University of WisconsinRussia, Central Asia and the Caucasus, International Organizations and Law, Politics of the Environment, Health and Demography.

Deborah Seligsohn, Ph.D. UC - San Diego China, Environmental Politics, Economic Development, India

Shigehiro Suzuki, M.A. CUNY Graduate CenterWorked for UNHCR, UN, Peacekeeping, Disaster Relief, Globalization, Japanese Politics

Catherine Warrick, Ph.D. - Georgetown University Middle East; British Politics; Developing Countries; Gender; Civil Liberties

Affiliated Faculty

Peter Busch, Ph.D - University of TorontoPolitical Theory, Montesquieu, Machiavelli

Mark Schiffman, Ph.D - University of ChicagoClassical Political Theory, Aristotle, Plato, Religion and Politics

Colleen Sheehan, Ph.D - Claremont InstituteAmerican Political Theory; American Founding, Jurisprudence; Politics and Literature

Thomas Smith, Ph.D. – University of Notre DameClassical Political Theory; Politics and Religion;Liberalism; Literature and Politics

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Contact Information

Dr. Markus Kreuzer, Department Chairmarkus.kreuzer@villanova.edu St. Augustine Center, Room 202

Dr. Olukunle Owolabi, Graduate Directorolukunle.owolabi@villanova.eduSt. Augustine Center, Room 258

Abigail Minor, Senior Administrative Assistantabigail.minor@villanova.edu

St. Augustine Center, Room 202https://www1.villanova.edu/villanova/artsci/psc.html

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Check out our blog:

https://novapsc.wordpress.com/

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