Political Science
To inquire about this program:
Dr. Samir Saliba | 276.944.6186 | Email
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The Department of Political Science has six faculty members whose interests range widely from the study of Western to non-Western political and legal thought; from the politics of the U.S. to those of Japan, China, India, and the Middle East; from international relations to public policy-making processes; and from the political development of Europe to that of the Islamic world. The Department is also a major contributor to the International Studies and Business program, which offers degrees in Asian, European, and Middle Eastern and Islamic studies, and to the Public Policy and Community Service program, which is administered by the Appalachian Center for Community Service.
Degree Program
The degrees will provide you with a sound knowledge of five principal areas of study—American politics, political thought, international relations, comparative government, and legal studies. You also will gain a wider understanding of the world by focusing on both the theoretical and practical problems of politics through a combination of core courses and advanced specialized concentrations. You will be encouraged to link theory and practice and to compare different political systems and cultures. Students are expected to translate concepts into action, to become real-world problem solvers rather than merely classroom puzzle solvers, to explore such central issues as the exercise of power in its myriad forms and consequences, to analyze the role of religion in global governance, to explore the impact of the war on terrorism on national and international politics, to examine the causes of war and peace, and to contemplate the history of such important ideas as “liberty,” “justice,” “community,” and “morality.
Teaching and Assessment
The Department places considerable emphasis on teaching in small groups, giving you ample opportunity to participate as well as providing close contact between you and members of the faculty.
This approach becomes more pronounced during the third and fourth years of study when seminars and independent and directed studies gradually displace formal lectures. In such seminars, students present reports and lead class discussion. You are assessed by a variety of means, including essays, projects, class presentations, and examinations. This assessment is continuous so that you can, with your personal academic advisor, monitor your progress at all times.
Program Options
The Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science offers students four degree options, each designed to enhance students’ qualifications to pursue either further study or any number of varied career options. The following are brief descriptions:
Political Science Objectives: To give students an understanding of the full spectrum of political science and political activity, with focus on four traditional branches of the discipline: American, comparative, international, and political theory. To prepare students for graduate study in political science and careers in teaching at the secondary level.
Political Science-American Political Studies Objectives: To study in-depth American government and politics; to prepare students for advanced study or entry into careers related to public service, government, or administration.
Political Science-Law and Politics Objectives: To provide the student with an integrative approach to the study of law as a part of liberal education; to introduce fundamental notions of the nature and functions of law, both national and international, its history and development, and principles which underlie its administration. To prepare students for entry into law school or to pursue other work in the legal profession.
Political Science-Comparative and International Political Studies
Objectives: To provide a unified approach to the study of thepolitical dimensions of the relationships among nations, to develop students’ ability to think comparatively about the relationships among nations, to develop students’ ability to think comparatively about the diversity of political systems, and to prepare students for political work in the international field.
Special Opportunties
The Political Science Department supplements its regular course offerings with a number of other opportunities designed to help students gain practical experience to complement their theoretical proficiency. These opportunities include the following:
Honors Thesis Program. All areas of specialization include an honors thesis program that encourages more intensive study of political science than is required for the regular major. Because honors research provides for close contact between students and their advisors, the program builds a near professional level of interaction between all members of the faculty as well as the students.
Joint Faculty/Student Research Opportunities. Because of the faculty’s active involvement with contemporary political events and close interaction with students, undergraduates have a rare opportunity to assist professors with actual research and even to initiate substantive projects.
Mentoring. Always actively involved in the educational process, the faculty of the Department of Political Science is always available to provide counsel and to guide students in making appropriate academic and life choices.
Integrative Seminars. Even as national boundaries have blurred, the boundaries between disciplines have become less pronounced. Knowledge from one area may prove invaluable in another. The Political Science Department strives for an integrative and unified approach to learning, incorporating the contributions of other disciplines into courses and program offerings. The department encourages double concentrations from other social science disciplines, from the humanities, and from foreign languages.
Opportunities for Study Abroad. The opportunity to study abroad is an integral component of the political science program that will add value and practical experience to students’ researches into the political process of both the United States and other countries. The college enables students to study any specialization, particularly international law and international relations, literally anywhere in the world, especially through Emory & Henry’s international study abroad programs in China, India, France, England, the Middle East, and Europe.
Faculty
With each of its members holding the Ph.D. degree, the faculty of the Department of Political Science is distinguished by its scholarship, service, and teaching. All have published widely. They are frequently called upon to serve as political commentators, guest lecturers, and consultants. It is a department dedicated to assisting students to achieve their best.
Career Options
Studying politics gives students the skills necessary to succeed in an increasingly global, complex, and dynamic environment. The ability to research and collect data, to conceptualize, to solve problems, and to communicate clearly and effectively will serve you well regardless of your career goal. In addition, a major in politics is good preparation for graduate work in the fields of law, business, journalism, politics, public administration, education, social service, and diplomatic and international affairs.
Courses Offered
- Politics of the United States
- Law and Society
- Community Organizing
- Appalachian Political Economy
- Introduction to International Relations
- Constitutional Interpretation
- Comparative Politics in the Middle East
and North Africa
- Comparative European Politics
- Sources of Asian Tradition
- Comparative Politics of Asia
- Politics and Public Policy
- Race, Class, Gender, and Sexuality
- Parties and Elections in American Politics
- The President and Congress
- Civil Rights and Liberties
- International Political Economy
- Contemporary Islamic Legal Thought
- Regional and International Implications of the
New Europe
- History of Political Philosophy
- American Political Thought
- Advanced Political Systems of Asia
- Jurisprudence
- Moot Court
- Democracy, Civilizations, and World Order
- America’s Approach to the Middle East
- American Federalism
- International Dispute Resolution
- Independent Study
- Internships
- Honors Thesis
The Ultimate Reality Check
However impressive the school and its facilities and faculty, the most important aspect of the Political Science Department is the students. Emory & Henry’s political science program is highly selective and consistently attracts some of the college’s most capable students, graduating, on average, 15 students per year, many of whom are often ranked among the top 15 percent of the senior graduating class. A substantial percentage of the department’s majors go on to graduate or professional schools, such as law school; others choose to pursue careers in government work, public service, or journalism.
We are always looking for the top students of the year—those who, like us, want to leave their mark on politics and society. If you think you share our aspirations, apply to study with us. Together let us make the Emory & Henry political science program a strong and vibrant force in shaping the leaders of tomorrow.
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Admissions inquiries
Office of Admissions
800.848.5493
Email: ehadmiss@ehc.edu
"The Political Science Department at Emory & Henry is top notch. I could not have received the same experiences, such as internships, an honors thesis, and the personal attention, at any other school, large or small. The faculty has enriched my life and has placed me in a position that will enable me to attend a prestigious law school."
-- Shawn Gobble, Class of 2000
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