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THE
MAJOR
The Political
Science major is a department within the College
of Arts & Letters.
Admission and Progression Standards for this major:
Click on the link to learn more about the admission and progression standards of this major: http://www.jmu.edu/advising/snapshots/SSPOSC.shtml
Description
of Major:
Political Science is offered as a major at JMU. Students are required to take courses
across the sub-fields of political philosophy, United States government, international relations and
comparative politics, but there is considerable flexibility within this major. Core course work
introduces students to career opportunities, the conduct of political inquiry in the major areas of
the discipline, an awareness of global issues and cultural diversity, and the application of research
techniques. Emphasis is also placed on students developing computing skills relevant to social
science research. As good citizens, all educated people need to know about the nature of
government and their own political system. Today, reasoning and analytical skills and competence
in oral and written communication are essential to most careers. Political science, like other fields in
the arts and sciences, will help students develop these skills. Students who expect to have jobs
representing the political system in any way have an obligation to get more than a minimum
knowledge of how government works. The Political Science major is offered through the Political
Science Department. This department also offers a major in Public Policy and Administration, a major in
International Affairs and a minor in Political Communication.
Tell
me more about this field of study.
Political Science in the broadest sense is the study of how power is used in collective decision making. Governments are the formal structures for making and implementing decisions and settling disputes, but other entities are also involved in this process. Thus political science has many facets. Political scientists are interested in the various styles and the preconditions for effective decisions, the growth and evolution of governments, and the kinds of problems that all societies face. Relations among countries as well as the diverse characteristics of different governments are important to the discipline. Political scientists also are interested in the tensions between group decisions and individual desires, and between liberty and order and between rights and responsibilities. They seek answers to both normative questions (what should be) and practical questions (what can be). Political scientists also study how individuals think and act politically examining their values and positions on issues and candidates and their willingness to engage in political activity.
Tell
me more about specializations in this field.
As with any discipline, the scope and emphasis of academic concentration change to some degree in response to the needs of the times. However, those individuals interested in political science usually study within specific sub-fields such as: political parties and voting behavior, interest groups, bureaucracies and administrative procedures, international politics and organization, executive politics and legislative behavior, courts and the administration of justice, intergovernmental relations, political socialization and political recruitment, political personality, mass movement and revolutions, political philosophy, community organization and urban politics, policy studies, the political systems of foreign countries and political economy.
What
common major or minor combinations from other departments
complement this major?
Political Science combines easily as a second major or a minor. Some common combinations are: African/African American Studies, American Studies, Communication Studies, Conflict Analysis and Intervention, Criminal Justice, Economics, English, English as a Second Language, Environmental Management, Environmental Studies, History, Human Resource Development, Human Services, Management Science, Nonprofit Studies, Philosophy, Political Communication, Public Policy and Administration, Sociology, Statistics, Technical and Scientific Communication, Urban and Regional Studies, Women’s Studies or Writing and Rhetoric.
CHARACTERISTICS
OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS
Naturally success in our program comes more easily to those students with an interest in politics and government. Students who enjoy keeping up with current events and getting involved in political, government or community agencies also tend to enjoy the political science major as well as those interested in the philosophical questions concerning the relationship of the individual in society. Those students who are able to understand complex arguments and apply broad concepts systematically to concrete situations can expect to do well in this major.
CAREERS
Many graduates choose typical career paths associated with this major. However, some graduates choose unrelated careers that utilize skills and experiences developed during their years in college. Keep in mind, that some fields will require graduate study or further training. The listing below offers examples of possible career paths and is not meant to be comprehensive.
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