Political Science

Political Science: Major

Holy Cross students who major in political science gain in-depth understanding of the American political system, other political regimes, the international system, and political philosophy. In uniformly small classes, students also improve their critical and analytical skills and competence in oral and written expression.

Political science is one of Holy Cross’ most popular majors. The major is rigorously structured so as to ensure breadth as well as depth, with courses required in each of the discipline’s four subfields. Department faculty conceive the most fundamental purpose of the major as helping students to become thoughtful, well-informed, and ethical citizens of a constitutional, self-governing republic. Political science majors have gone on to successful careers in local, state, and federal government, academia,  law, journalism, business, high-school teaching, nonprofit organizations, the armed forces, and the priesthood. 

Program Highlights

Students majoring in political science take courses in four main areas:
 
  • American government
  • political philosophy
  • comparative politics
  • international relations
students and a professor in a class
Subfields

Learn more about the political science department’s four subfields.

students in a classroom with a powerpoint
Charles Carroll Program

The program brings guest lecturers to campus, funds a sophomore seminar and provides paid summer research internships.

Group of students in Washington DC
Washington Semester Program

Many political science majors spend a semester working, studying, and conducting research in Washington, D.C.

Political Science News

El Mundo Boston's "Latino 30 Under 30" celebration took place on November 9.
Two Holy Cross Alumni Named to 2019 ‘Latino 30 Under 30’ List
Two Holy Cross alumni, Michelle Moreno-Silva ’15 and Philippe Doria Candido ’11, are among those named to El Mundo Boston’s “Latino 30 Under 30” list for 2019. Now in its fourth year, “Latino 30 Under 30” honors young individuals making …
Students hold a banner in front of a large crowd
The Climate Crisis: Holy Cross Students, Faculty and Staff Explore a Warming World
Climate change is such a large, global challenge, it can be hard to imagine how a single person can make an impact. But not for Renee LeBlanc ’21, an environmental studies and political science double major, and co-chair of the …
Shreyashi Chakdar, Liat Spiro, Conor Carney, Elizabeth Spragins, Sarah Klotz, Nina Barzachka and Amy Finstein stand in Memorial Plaza
Holy Cross Welcomes Seven Tenure-Track Faculty Members for the 2019-20 Academic Year
Seven faculty members at College of the Holy Cross have been welcomed into tenure-track positions for the 2019-20 academic year. They will each join a different department: economics, English, history, physics, political science, Spanish and visual arts. The new faculty …