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Political science students examine governments and the activities related to them. Governments range from modern states and international organizations to institutions and group activity in the everyday lives of ordinary people. You may study the general areas of political theory, American political institutions and processes, non-American (i.e., comparative) political institutions and processes, or international relations and organizations. Some students may wish to specialize in topics within these general areas to receive an emphasis area while fulfilling the requirements for the BA or BS degree or minor.
For more
detailed information, visit the Political
Science web site.
Why
Study Political Science at Iowa?
The political science department at Iowa is considered one of the top 25 programs of its kind in the country by U.S. News & World Report, in part for strong honors and research emphases featuring undergraduate research tutorials and senior research seminars.
Your professors are recognized within the profession for their scholarly production, and you’ll find them quoted and included on panels as expert commentators for local and national media.
Because of Iowa’s first-in-the-nation caucuses, every four years you’ll have a front-row seat to the American presidential election process. Students also have unprecedented access to candidates, who make frequent stops on campus and in Iowa City, and opportunities to work on presidential campaigns.
The presence of more than 400 student organizations on campus gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your organizational and leadership ability. Among them are College Republicans, University Democrats, UI Libertarians, and the Iowa International Socialist Organization; these groups represent a wide range of political perspectives.
Course
Work
BA in Political Science
A minimum of 33 semester hours (s.h.) of course work in political science must be completed for the major. The requirement includes Introduction to American Politics and any four of the following introductory courses:
- Introduction to Political Thought and Political Action
- Introduction to the Politics of Russia and Eurasia
- Introduction to Comparative Politics
- Introduction to Political Behavior
- Introduction to International Relations
- Introduction to American Foreign Policy
- Introduction to Politics in the Muslim World
- Introduction to Political Communication
- Introduction to Politics
Students who complete an area of emphasis in the major and request recognition from the department receive a notation on their transcript that validates their accomplishment. Areas of emphasis include:
- American institutions
- American political practice
- International relations
- Law and politics
- Political communication
- Political economy
- Political processes
- Political theory
- Politics of democratization
- Politics of developing areas
- Politics of industrial democracies
BS in Political Science
In addition to the course work required for the BA degree, the more rigorous BS degree program requires more quantitative courses, including:
- Understanding Political Research
- Undergraduate Research Tutorial
- One of three sets of three courses in mathematics or statistics with a minimum grade-point average (GPA) of 2.00
A GPA of at least 2.00 is required for both the BA and BS degrees.
Honors
In order to graduate with honors in political science, you must be a member of the University of Iowa Honors Program.
In addition, students in political science must maintain a minimum 3.50 GPA in political science course work, complete 9 s.h. of upper-level courses with grades of B or higher, take required honors seminars, and complete a research project or thesis.
Resources
The Vernon Van Dyke Computing Facility, in Schaeffer Hall, contains 20 computer stations. It provides students access to campus resources such as InfoHawk, the library system catalog; ISIS, the online service center; and Dasher, the foreign language practice drills. It also has worldwide network capabilities through the Internet.
The Comparative Legislative Research Center, housed within the department, publishes the Legislative Studies Quarterly, the official journal of the legislative studies section of the American Political Science Association.
Several faculty members are active in the Center for Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies, a designated National Resource Center of the U.S. Department of Education.
Careers
If you’re considering a career in a position of public responsibility, you should acquire knowledge of the function of political systems. This includes positions in business, teaching, civil or foreign service, the military, or law enforcement.
Other careers in which extensive training in political science can be useful include higher education, the legal profession, state and local government, urban planning, the federal government, journalism, or organizations that seek to monitor political processes or to influence the content of public policy.
Internships
Internships are encouraged and readily available. Government-related internships, in particular, are recommended. The Pomerantz Career Center located in the Pomerantz Center has information on and connections with internship programs in Washington, D.C., and around the world.
Scholarships
Consult multiple sources for scholarship information, including the Office of Admissions, the Office of Student Financial Aid, and departmental web sites.
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