Political Science Department

Politics is principally about human beings coming together to collectively advance their common interest. In its best form, it is democracy whereby citizens have relatively equal influence over the decisions that affect the whole community, including themselves. In essence, politics is about human freedom. The Political Science Department is committed to these core values in its teaching and in its curriculum.

Ask the Fundamental Questions

How does American politics work? Do some benefit more than others? Can this be changed?
What causes war? Is war the failure of politics?
How does the international political system operate? Who has power in this system and why?
What is the nature of politics? What is the nature of democracy and how is it linked to equality, justice and freedom?
How do other countries govern their citizens? Who has power and why?

Through innovative teaching by our faculty, including debates, simulations, and dynamic discussions, our students have the opportunity to address these and many other fundamental questions about politics and public policy, in the U.S., other countries and the international system.

Meet the Political Science Department faculty and staff.

View the Political Science Department Annual Report

Our Academic Programs

Learn more about the programs offered by our department:

Political Science major with a traditional major and a track in:
- Applied Politics
International Studies major
Political Science minor
International Studies minor
Law, Justice and Advocacy minor
Middle East Studies minor

Meet Ben – International Studies Major

Learn about the exciting course offerings featuring modern issues that Ben loves about the international studies major.

What we do in our political science classes is create a scaffolding or a framework to think about the world.

Dr. Sarah Surak Political Science Department Faculty

One Department, Two Majors

Within the department, we explore issues related to both Political Science and International Studies.

Political Science Major

The study of political science is a basis for citizens' responsible political participation and critical thinking, particularly in analyzing public policies. Internship courses provide hands-on experiences in the real political world.

Political science prepares students for law school and graduate programs in political science, public administration and policy sciences.
International Studies Major

As technological innovations make the world an increasingly smaller place and as the forces of globalization make everyone in this world much more closely inter-connected, it is becoming increasingly important that students know more about the world in which they will have to live and work. We believe that this means not only knowing about the history and politics and cultures of other countries, it also means gaining competence in communicating with other peoples in their own languages and developing actual experience abroad in a foreign culture. The International Studies Major at Salisbury University seeks to provide students with a means to achieve the knowledge, skills, and competencies to successfully negotiate one’s way in this increasingly complex world.

The International Studies Major is an interdisciplinary program designed for students who wish to develop a broad course of study focusing on the contemporary world that is unconstrained by the boundaries of traditional academic departments. The program encourages students to view the world from a multitude of perspectives and to be broadly concerned with social, political, economic, historical and cultural processes, power relations, and linkages that connect individuals, communities, states, and regions.

The major seeks to educate students in understanding the world outside the United States so that they can better serve as informed citizens in a democratic society and also as specialists and professionals in careers and pursuits spanning national boundaries.

Student Information and Resources

Political Science Internships Lead to Legislative Jobs

For recent SU graduates Rylie Shewbridge ’16 and Nadia Williams ’19, their internships as political science majors helped them gain experience and make connections in Maryland’s state capital. Both landed jobs with government officials once they graduated. Learn more about SU’s political science program and internship opportunities with the Maryland General Assembly.

5 % Increase of SU Voters in 2016
18 Courses Offered
18 Current Presidential Citizen Scholars

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Political Science Department Fund