Students in political science pursue answers to the vital questions of equity, justice, and peace in the modern world. Our challenging courses consider the best political and social science literature with a view to gaining a deeper understanding of contemporary domestic and foreign controversies, including those of human rights and democracy, equality and race, poverty and social class, terrorism and war. In this way, students confront the promise and limits of political and social solutions to humanity’s gravest problems.
The department offers intellectually stimulating introductory courses in the following fields:
- American Government and Politics
- Comparative Government
- Political Philosophy
- International Relations
Courses go beyond the presentation of “nuts and bolts” to explore underlying issues of real significance. Upper level courses are limited in size and scope, allowing students to debate the political and social issues that are of greatest interest to them.
The department has internship programs in Washington, D.C., Columbus, and Cincinnati that allow students to earn course credit. Students may also earn credit for internship experiences closer to home, or by participating in the department’s Summer State Politics Internship Program at the Ohio General Assembly. Students can apply what they learn in their courses to the political and social institutions and processes that they experience as interns.
Faculty in the Political Science department help lead study abroad programs in Ireland and Paris, France. Students are also encouraged to undertake a major undergraduate research project under the supervision of a faculty member and to present their research at an undergraduate research conference. In addition, the department’s student-run undergraduate research journal, the Xavier Journal of Politics provides students with opportunities to participate in high-level research by participating in the editorial process or submitting their work for publication.
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