Your city, your country, your world
Politics touch everyone. It’s at work in the institutions that give power to some citizens and deny it to others. It’s wielded by those who distribute public resources and decide how conflicts are resolved. Whatever country you call home, politics affect you. A liberal arts major in Political Science is your ticket to the show.
Only@Eckerd
Pre-law minor
Eckerd College offers a Law & Justice minor for students planning to go to law school. It pairs nicely with Environmental Studies, Business Administration, Management or International Relations & Global Affairs.
Friends in high places
Study diplomacy with the former United Nations Humanitarian and Resident Coordinator for Ukraine right here on our Florida campus. Neal Walker is an alumnus (’78) and our diplomat-in-residence.
Fast track to law school
Offered in partnership with Florida State University, Eckerd’s 3+3 Accelerated Law Degree Program allows students to finish both degrees in six years instead of seven.
In Their Own Words
“Having a basic understanding of how politics works and how it is connected to government, governance, and civil society is the absolute cornerstone of citizenship in a free and open society. The political science department at Eckerd equips students with the skills to pursue gainful employment in the workforce or adequate preparation for advance study in the field of political science, government, and law.”
— Johnny Boykins ’08
Project Development Manager at Criterion Holdings Corporation
Beyond the Classroom
One recent student interned with a Member of Parliament in the U.K., another spent a summer as a Field Organizer for the Democratic National Committee in South Carolina. A third worked in a local law office. There’s simply no better way to tell if a field is right for you.
Spend the month of January at the United Nations in New York City or spring semester studying international law and human rights, including three weeks at the Hague in the Netherlands. Or choose from 300+ other destinations offered every year.
Study Abroad Pics on FlickrService is a big deal at Eckerd. One recent Poli Sci major volunteered for Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA), a local shelter and rehabilitation program. For more than a year, she spent every Wednesday morning in court, helping women through the legal process of escaping abusive relationships.
Service Pics on FlickrPassionate about something that’s not on the class schedule? Do an independent study. After her high school received a bad accreditation review, one recent student reviewed current accreditation practices and suggested improvements.
Popular classes
Intro to International Relations
Using case studies and simulations, you’ll learn about the international system including key actors, theories and concepts. Covers global issues such as war, wealth and poverty, hunger and environment, and global justice.
Human Rights & International Law
Study the most pressing international human rights issues of the day, ranging from women’s rights to protection of minorities and the right to economic subsistence. You’ll also examine the role of United Nations and other international organizations in setting and enforcing human rights standards. Students participate regularly in the Model U.N.
Outcomes
What can I do with a political science degree?
- Business Manager
- Foreign Correspondent
- Human Rights Advocate
- International Banker
- Journalist
- Lawyer
- Political Consultant
- Public Opinion Analyst
- Public Relations Director
- Teacher
Where our political science majors go to graduate school
- Harvard Law School
- Columbia University
- Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law – Arizona State University
- Stetson University College of Law
- SUNY – Buffalo Law School
- Tulane University Law School
- Wake Forest University School of Law
Where our political science majors go to work
- AmeriCorps
- ASB Real Estate Investments
- City Councillor
- CPR Institute
- Department of the Interior
- DSPolitical
- Flaharty Asset Management
- Forcier Consulting
- Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Right to Development Division)
- Ounce of Prevention Fund
- Raymond James
- Simprints Technology
- The Humane Society of the United States
- Working in Support of Education (Wise)
