Learning Goals & Mission

Mission

It is the mission of the department, broadly stated, to prepare our students to be knowledgeable, politically active, and ethical citizens not only in their local community, but also their country, and as members of an increasingly global society. To prepare our students to attain this goal necessitates the teaching of a science of politics; i.e., a rigorous, questioning, and probing analysis of what Madison (See quote above) right calls “the common affairs of the people”. While the faculty of the department recognizes that the life paths of our students are likely to lead them into professional fields which are not viewed as being closely related to the specific study of politics, we seek to give our students a basic foundation in the four disciplines of the study of politics. – American politics, comparative politics, international politics, and political theory and social justice. It is the shared view of the department’s faculty that through this scientific grounding we can best assure the completion of our mission.

Learning Goals

Demonstrate an understanding of the theoretical foundations of classical and contemporary political systems, behaviors, thought and analysis

Be proficient in the application of those theoretical foundations in their own lives and in their interactions with others in their local political communities, the national political community and the broader international political community

Analyze and critically examine contemporary events in the communities of which they are part using the specific theoretical and practical tools to which they are introduced in each of the four disciplines

Scientifically analyze contemporary local, national, foreign and global events using the specific theoretical tool processes that correspond to the four political science disciplines.