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Political Science Major

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Why Study Political Science?

Political science majors study how laws are made. They learn the comparative structures of governments across the world. They also learn about public policy and its impact on society and the economy. Political science majors are prepared to pursue careers in public policy and administration, law, diplomacy, international development and foreign relations, environmental and gender politics, academia and socioeconomic research or campaign studies.

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Why Study Political Science at Eastern?

Eastern’s Political Science major combines a core of political science courses with an internship or study abroad requirement to provide professional and analytical skills. Students gain an understanding of domestic and international political processes through classroom discussion; guest speakers and special events; political debates; and a review of current political issues. The major includes a track for students seeking certification to teach high school social studies. A Political Science minor is also available to other majors.

Professor lecturing in front of class
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Salary Potential

$62,000

Median salary Public Administration

$65,000

Median salary Public Policy

* Center on Education and the Workforce, Georgetown University

Hands-on Learning

Members of the Pre-Law Society

Clubs

Political science students run student clubs such as the Pre-Law Society, Campus Republicans, Campus Democrats, the Conservatives/Libertarians, and Campus Radicals that allow them to develop their own political platforms. 

Student giving a presentation

Internships

Internship options include the State of Connecticut and municipalities, the federal government in Washington, D.C., local law firms, and international opportunities.  Political Science students also conduct and present their research on public policy.

Members of the Alpha Beta Gamma honor society

Honor Society

The Alpha Beta Gamma chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national Political Science honor society, provides students with membership to the national professional society focused on political science and government.

Career Options

  • Diplomacy
  • Foreign service and international relations
  • Grassroots activism
  • Healthcare administration
  • Law school
  • Lobbying organizations
  • Political campaigns
  • Public opinion polling
  • Public policy
  • Working with elected officials

Successful Alumni

Recent Eastern students who earned a bachelor’s degree or a minor in political science are at the following companies and professional/graduate schools:

  • CIGNA
  • Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance
  • Connecticut General Assembly
  • Cornell University
  • Department of Public Health
  • Duke University
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • London School of Economics
  • Syracuse University
  • University of Chicago
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
  • U.S. Coast Guard
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For more information


mendozabotelhom@easternct.edu
(860) 465-0650

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In the News

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‘Voting Matters’ kicks off with political panel featuring acclaimed professors

October 02, 2024

Eastern Connecticut State University began its “Voting Matters” week on Sept. 30 with a thought-provoking panel discussion featuring political science experts from prestigious institutions. With the 2024 election quickly approaching on Nov. 5, the panel provided valuable insights and answered students’ most pressing questions, aiming to encourage voter registration and turnout among the student body.

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Eastern inducts hundreds into honor societies in spring 2024

May 16, 2024

More than 20 academic programs and departments at Eastern Connecticut State University recognized student achievements this spring 2024 semester during honor society inductions and award ceremonies.

Christian Deras-Rodriguez

Political science honor society hosts first ‘Emerging Minds’ conference

April 11, 2024

Eastern Connecticut State University’s political science honor society hosted a conference “for students by students” on April 5 in the Science Building lobby. The inaugural "Emerging Minds” showcase offered a platform for students to present their research, creative work and internship experiences related to political science.

Alumni Testimonials

Quanece Williams
Cornell University

Quanece Williams ’16

Quanece earned her law degree at Cornell and works for a law firm in New York City. “My Eastern experience was transformative. As a student, I took rigorous courses, conducted research, served as a teacher’s assistant, and went on a global field course to Europe. I learned to think critically, seize new opportunities and strengthen my leadership skills.”

Morgan Considine ’16
History

Morgan Considine ’16

Morgan is director of data for the Connecticut School Finance Project, an organization that provides nonpartisan information about education finance to state and local governments. “History is intertwined with a lot of subjects, including government. Government analyses are done from a historical perspective; we want to understand what’s been done in the past in order to inform decision making in the present.”

Leigh Generous ’19
Political Science

Leigh Generous ’19

Leigh is in quality assurance/quality control at American Distilling. “I worked as an intern at the Organization of American States (OAS), where hemispheric events are monitored, discussed, and analyzed in real-time. I feel incredibly lucky to be on the front lines of international relations. It was fascinating to witness transactions between the OAS and heads of state from member countries as they finalize agreements.”

Alex Cross ’12
Student Life

Alex Cross ’12

Alex is the dean of students at American International College in Springfield, MA. “My experiences as a double major and resident assistant (RA) led me to a job in the career field I wanted, helped me develop lifelong mentors, and made me marketable across the field.”

Sierra Colon ’17
Political Science

Sierra Colon ’17

Sierra is academic services coordinator at the University of Connecticut’s Hartford campus. She interned in South Africa for the Surplus People Project, a nonprofit organization that supports farm workers. “Traveling abroad is very valuable. By living in another culture you start to understand other viewpoints, which expands your knowledge of how the world works.”

Jonas Bjornes
International Policy

Jonas Bjornes ’18

Jonas earned his master’s degree in international social and public policy at the London School of Economics. He is now a senior communications advisor at the Institute for Energy Technology in Norway. “My political science degree from Eastern was extremely helpful for my graduate studies, because the core classes covered theories and methods that were examined to a greater extent in my social policy-related courses.”

Isabelle Lastrina
Political Science

Isabelle Lastrina ’24

Isabelle will be working towards her law degree at Quinnipiac University. “My professors had a large role in preparing me for law school. Being in the Department of Political Science has allowed me to curate relationships with my professors and they have become a great support system for me every step of the way of my journey. Being able to take some law-related classes will also prove helpful.”

Adam Murphy ’18
Fulbright Scholar

Adam Murphy ’18

Adam won a Fulbright scholarship to study the Indonesian language on the island of Java, Indonesia. “I’m honored to have been selected for such an amazing program, which enabled me to continue learning about Indonesia and its wonderful people.” Murphy is now in a master’s program in public policy at the University of Connecticut.

Isabelle Lastrina
Pre-Law

Isabelle Lastrina ’24

Isabelle is using a scholarship from the Connecticut Bar Association to prepare for law school. “Since I was about 14 years old, I have been interested in politics, changes in government and how that affects people on the ground.” In spring 2023, she was an intern at Qualey, Williams & Aikens Attorneys at Law. On campus, Isabelle is the secretary of the Pre-Law Society.

Olivia Puckett ’11
General Assembly

Olivia Puckett ’11

Political Science major Olivia Puckett received her master's degree in public administration at the University of Connecticut, and is a performance auditor for the Connecticut Auditor of Public Accounts. “I hope to use my education and legislative experience in obtaining an analyst or manager position in the legislature.”

Jessica DeFelice ’16
Public Policy

Jessica DeFelice ’16

Jessica DeFelice received her master’s degree in public policy at Oregon State University and works at Penn State University as a human resource technologist. “Eastern’s rigorous academic training provided me with the skills to successfully conduct research and proficiently author and present arguments. I look forward to a career of shaping policy in the public and nonprofit sectors.”

Tess Candler ’18
Financial Analyst

Tess Candler ’18

Political Science and Economics double-major Tess is a financial manager at Cognex Corporation. “Eastern was a great place to develop my research skills because professors are truly interested in working with students. Whenever I approached a professor about independent study, I was met with enthusiasm. The fact that Eastern is a small, primarily undergraduate school contributed to that environment.”

Olivia Anderson  ’21
Columbia University

Olivia Anderson ’21

Political Science major Olivia Anderson ’21 earned her master’s degree in climate and society at Columbia University and is now a climate analyst at Eversource. She developed interest in this field while researching her Honors Thesis at Eastern. “Climate change is something I have a passion for learning about and I believe understanding opinions of it will help inform climate policy in the future.”