BA in Political Science

Why choose political science at North Central College?

Interested in being a political science major? Political science students will apply what they learn from their day-to-day life experience with political economy, international affairs, and more to further their academic and career goals. Our political science students agree that our energetic faculty run one of the most rigorous, communication-intensive majors at North Central. Our political science courses will challenge your critical thinking process about international and American government structure, public policy, and political processes- whether you're analyzing source materials, reading online news sources or preparing to cast a vote for a political campaign. You'll start contributing to local and global communities right away.

With North Central College's political science degree program, you can also:

• Work one-on-one with faculty members on their research projects, whether authoring a textbook or monitoring political candidates.
• Complete your own research projects, then present them at the Rall Symposium for Undergraduate Research and other forums.
• Apply for a Richter Grant to fund your research anywhere in the world.
• Attend at least one professional conference, such as the Midwest Political Science Conference in Chicago, and write a paper about your experiences.
• Gain valuable practical experience in law and international relations through the faculty-led Mock Trial and Model United Nations organizations.

Major Requirements

A minimum of 32 credit hours, including:

• POLS 101 - The American Political System
• POLS 102 - Introduction to International Relations
• POLS 200 - Scope and Practice of Political Science
• POLS 490 - Seminar in Political Science

Electives

The remaining credit hour requirements must include at least one course from each of the following areas:

American Politics

• POLS 211 - The Politics of the Presidency
• POLS 212 - Congress: the Least Popular Branch
• POLS 215 - Public Opinion and Political Behavior
• POLS 220 - First Ladies: Symbol of American Womanhood
• POLS 224 - Political Psychology
• POLS 310 - The American Electoral Process
• POLS 312 - Women in American Politics

World Politics

• POLS 221 - Comparative Politics
• POLS 222 - American Foreign Policy
• POLS 300 - Great Decisions in International Politics
• POLS 321 - Model United Nations
• POLS 333 - International Law

Law and Courts

• POLS 203 - Law, Politics and Society
• POLS 335 - Constitutional Law
• POLS 336 - Rights, Liberties, and Justice

Additional Requirements for the BA Degree

Students must demonstrate elementary competence in a foreign language.

A North Central education integrates career preparation with rich academic study. Our faculty encourages you to refine and apply your knowledge in an interconnected world. Here you'll learn to think independently and work globally to solve problems and lead.

Internships

Recent graduates in political science have served as:

• Intern, White House
• Campaign intern, U.S. Representative Judy Biggert, Naperville
• Consulting firm, Coleman Group, Chicago
• Senate press intern, Office of U.S. Senator Richard Durbin, Chicago
• Volunteer relations intern, World Relief, Aurora, IL
• Legislative assistant, Illinois Physical Therapy Association, Naperville
• Youth intern, Global Vision International, Esteli, Nicaragua
• Law clerk, Keough and Moody P.C., Naperville
• Office of Member of British Parliament Vincent Cable, London, England

Careers

Recent graduates in political science include:

• Manager of federal government relations, Darden Restaurants, Orlando, FL
• Associate attorney, Wolfe & Stec, Ltd., Woodridge, IL
• Associate director of global operations, Peace Corps
• Assistant state’s attorney, DuPage County
• Community resource coordinator, Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter
• Vice president of advocacy, economic growth, and quality of life, Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, Naperville, IL