Welcome to Political Science at SIUE!
Political scientists study who gets what, when, where, why, and how. Consequently, political science affects every aspect of our lives ranging from why cities function in the way that they do, what makes people more politically active, why ethnic conflict happens and how it matters, attitudes with respect to issues related to sex, gender and sexual orientation, and a diverse array of public policies. Our faculty study all of this and more.
Our Department is an excellent place to learn about these things and gain the research skills necessary to study them. We have outstanding faculty who thrive on working closely with students. Our faculty employ undergraduate students as research assistants, present research at political science conferences with students, and coauthor publications with them. Every student has at least one major experience doing research while working closely with a faculty mentor by the time they graduate from our program.
Our Department provides many opportunities for students to become politically active. The Department sponsors the Political Science Association, a student organization whose purpose is to disseminate information about candidates and issues in a nonpartisan way. In addition, our students are regularly recruited to participate in high quality internships that have led to jobs upon graduation. What is more, we often have more internship opportunities with candidates and organizations from both sides of the aisle during election years than we have students to fill them!
Our Department supports its students. We have an excellent alumni network with many who have gone onto distinguished careers in law, business, the military, as well as the public and nonprofit sectors. Our alumni and donors pay it forward by funding scholarships for our students. They also pay it forward by providing internships and career advice to our students.
Thanks for coming by!
Laurie Rice, Ph.D., Professor and Chair
Department of Political Science
Disclaimer: The Department of Political Science and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville do not endorse candidates or political parties, nor take positions on ballot measures in accordance with the Illinois State Officials and Employees Ethics Act (5 ILCS 430). The photo of the JB Pritzker on this webpage was taken to document his visit to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville on July 30, 2019. This was his first visit to campus as Governor in which he signed a bill that allows for equal representation by students from both campuses of the SIU system on the Board of Trustees. This is not an endorsement of any candidate, campaign, political party, or ballot measure.
