About the Department of Political Science
Boasting more than 40 faculty members, over 600 majors, and a strong and active graduate program, the Department of Political Science at the University of Notre Dame is committed to excellence in both teaching and research.
It provides undergraduates and graduate students an education in four broad areas: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory. Political Science’s close affiliation with renowned centers for European Studies, International Studies, and International Peace Studies attracts diverse scholars who produce insightful research and contribute immeasurably to Notre Dame’s intellectual community. The department edits the distinguished journal Review of Politics and is home to the Comparative Politics Newsletter of the APSA.
Political Science continues to reflect major elements of its history and Notre Dame’s Catholic identity. Its faculty, always highly interested in normative questions and pressing political and social issues, are now recognized nationally and internationally for the study of democratization, conflict resolution, political theory, and democratic inclusion.
Faculty
In recent years, the Department of Political Science has grown in both numbers and distinction, welcoming 25 new faculty members in the last decade, many of them scholars from top graduate programs in all areas. Faculty hold or have held major positions in the discipline, including the presidencies of the Midwest Political Science Association and the International Political Science Association.
The political theory and comparative sub-fields were ranked 10th and 18th respectively in the 2006 U.S. News graduate rankings...
The political theory and comparative politics sub-fields were ranked 10th and 18th respectively in the 2006 U.S. News and World Report graduate rankings, and the department is making major additions to the American and international relations fields. We are committed to maintaining our traditional excellence in teaching while becoming one of the top research departments in the country.
Undergraduate Program
The undergraduate major in Political Science offers students an introduction to all four sub-fields as well as to a range of diverse methodological and substantive specialties. Students often complement the major in Political Science with area studies minors in Latin American, European, Middle Eastern or Asian Studies, or with interdisciplinary minors such as Philosophy, Politics, and Economics or the Hesburgh program in Public Service. Graduates compete for and win such prestigious fellowships as the Marshall and Fulbright awards.
The internship program offers students the opportunity to work for more than two dozen different agencies during the school year, and helps students find summer internships in Washington, D.C., and in other cities, both in the United States and abroad.
Graduate Program
Over 75 graduate students study in residence at Notre Dame, enjoying top-flight training in both research and teaching. Students are supported not only during the year, but also have access to funds for summer research and presenting papers at professional conferences. Graduate student publication has grown in both quality and quantity, with graduate students in 2005-2006 publishing articles in American Political Science Review, American Journal of Politics, and Journal of Politics.
Institutes
The department is a major contributor and beneficiary of several institutes on campus. The Kellogg Institute focuses on comparative politics, especially Latin America. The Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies focuses on conflict resolution and international relations. The Nanovic Institute centers on European politics, and the new Program in American Democracy focuses on American politics, particularly with regards to inclusion and equality. The Institute for Educational Initiatives helps foster research on several dimensions of educational policy. These institutes and programs provide graduate and undergraduate students alike access to a steady stream of top national and international visiting scholars.