Political Science
Aristotle called Political Science the Master Science over 2000 years ago, expressing the notion that ultimately everything is political from the most mundane of who gets which classroom to the most central concern of the state of whether to go to war or not.
Because virtually everything is political, studying politics means studying almost everything. Political Science in this sense is an interdisciplinary discipline, borrowing from and overlapping with all of the other social sciences. At times, it is difficult to figure out where anthropology, history, human geography, economics and psychology leave off and Political Science begins.
Graduates in Political Science, equipped with analytical skills to better understand how society works in its economic and political complexities, enter into a wide variety of careers. And yes, some might also end up becoming the next U.S. president like Woodrow Wilson.
For more information on the great diversity of career paths, check out the American Political Science Association career website.
Political Science students handing over a 500$ check to the Lewiston YWCA in the spring 2013
WHAT IS POLITICAL SCIENCE?
An analytical focus on the exercise of power is at the heart of Political Science. Who gets what and why and is the distribution fair are questions, which keep political scientists awake at night.
In other words the discipline concentrates its attention on the balances and imbalances of power, aka resources, by studying ideas, institutions and individuals' self-interests.
Subfields in the discipline include political theory, American government, comparative politics, international relations, political economy, policy studies and a host of related fields.
WHAT COURSES DO I NEED TO TAKE AT LCSC?
View our Social Sciences Major requirements with a Political Science emphasis.
You can also view the requirements for a Political Science Minor, if you have selected another major.
Model European Union: Discover the Modern Face of Europe
The Model European Union is an annual simulation of an European Council Summit. Teams made up of two undergraduate students play the roles of representatives of EU member state delegations, the European Commission, the European Central Bank and the European Parliament.
The West Coast Model EU is hosted regularly by the University of Washington’s European Union Center of Excellence during the spring semester. This is an international event, with undergraduate EU “teams” recruited from around the United States and Canada.
LCSC has been participating since 2013. This is a fun, intense weekend where you simulate real life political issues and have a great time.
This coming year students will negotiate issues discussed during Bulgaria's EU presidency of 2018.
Selection will be competitive. It is desirable to have some background or strong interest in the European Union or contemporary European affairs. The UW European Union Center and the LCSC Social Sciences Division will provide most expenses for each participant chosen.
Please contact Associate Professor Leif Hoffmann for an application form or with any questions.
LCSC Model EU Team 2013 (from left to right): Leif Hoffmann (Advisor), Amy Cooper, Sandra Kelly