Undergraduate Programs

Study basic political and governmental institutions, major political processes, and important patterns of political behavior. Learn how the political system operates, why public policy emphasizes particular values and allocates certain resources to different groups and individuals, and who benefits and loses in policy outcomes in policy areas like housing, the environment, and the economy. Understand the federal structure of American government and the diversity of the U.S. population by becoming familiar with state politics, urban and suburban politics, law and politics, African American politics, and women and politics.

Explore the politics in two or more countries other than the United States, and systematically compare important aspects of their politics, such as social movements or policymaking processes. Delve into the politics experienced by elites and ordinary people. Consider the differences and surprising similarities in how power is gained, and how it is justified and wielded in different countries. Although comparative politics courses do not focus on the United States, we do examine specific questions about American politics — including policies, experiences, and assumptions — as they are seen from the vantage point of people in other countries.

Examine nation-states and their interactions with other states and consider the role that non-state actors — such as intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations, multinational corporations, and individuals — play in global politics. Explore topics such as human rights, social movements, development, women’s rights, the environment, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, religion, gender, and economics. Engage in rigorous investigations of competing theoretical and analytical traditions to make sense of the day-to-day politics comprising global affairs.