Political Studies

Our Political Studies program explores the intricate political landscape of the United States, the vibrant contributions of its communities, the workings of political systems, and much more

professor adrian pantoja teaches a political studies class

About This Program

  • Explore the four sub-fields of Political Studies: 
    • Political Philosophy: Engage in concepts including authority, law, freedom, rights, equality, justice, and the state. 
    • Comparative Politics: Compare the domestic politics and policies of the U.S. and other countries around the world. 
    • Global Politics: Examine the relationships between nation-states and the forces that give shape to the global political system.
    • U.S. Politics: Dive deep into U.S. politics and public policy and the power and influence of communities such as African American, Asian American, and Latino politics. 
  • Your coursework is designed to examine political powers, interests, institutions, choices, values, and the process of governing. 

At a Glance

Degree Awarded

  • Bachelor of Arts

Field Group

Political Studies

Program Type

Area of Study

Get Involved

portrait of cesar vargas nunex sitting at a desk in a office

Academia

Cesar Vargas Nuñez ’14, political studies major, uses his experience as an immigrant from a low-income background to inspire his research and teaching as an assistant professor of government at Claremont McKenna College.

Read Cesar's Story

Political Studies Program Details

View Course Catalog

What You Will Learn

  1. Theory: You will understand the philosophical underpinnings of political phenomena and evaluate and employ different theories in the discipline to analyze and explain political outcomes.
  2. Method: You will be able to analyze politics from a variety of methodological approaches and understand the advantages and limitations of each.
  3. Research: You will be able to conduct original research that engages ongoing debates in the discipline and applies appropriate research design methods.
  4. Expression: You will learn to think, write, and speak critically and insightfully about political phenomenon and how to apply these skills to enhance active citizenship.
  5. Diversity: You will understand many of the diverse political experiences and philosophies of various identity, community, and cultural groups in the U.S. and around the world.

Learn More

For more information and resources, visit the Political Studies Field Group page. 

Political Studies Field Group

Political Studies Faculty

portrait of william barndt

Will Barndt

  • Associate Professor of Political Studies
  • Political Studies Field Group
Professor Geoffrey Herrera

Geoffrey Herrera

  • Fletcher Jones Associate Professor of Political Studies
  • Political Studies Field Group
portrait of adrian pantoja

Adrian Pantoja

  • Professor of Political Studies/Chicano Studies
  • Political Studies Field Group
  • Chicanx-Latinx Studies Field Group
portrait of Lako Tongun

Lako Tongun

  • Associate Professor of Critical Global Studies and Political Studies
  • Critical Global Studies Field Group
  • Political Studies Field Group
portrait of hanzhang liu

Hanzhang Liu

  • Assistant Professor of Political Studies
  • Political Studies Field Group
portrait of rachel sickle-vanward

Rachel VanSickle-Ward

  • Professor of Political Studies
  • Political Studies Field Group

Contact Us

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