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

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Blog: Mackin ’20 Eager to Travel Around Latin America During Semester Abroad in Peru
NAME  Johanna Mackin ‘20 HOMETOWN  Houston, Texas AREAS OF STUDY  Political Science major, Latin American, Latinx and Caribbean Studies concentration WHERE SHE’S STUDYING  Pontificia Universidad Catòlica del Perú in Lima, Peru DURATION Fall 2018 WHY SHE CHOSE PERU “I chose …
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Four Alumni Recognized Among 2018 Most Influential Black Lawyers by Savoy Magazine
  Four Holy Cross alumni were named among the 2018 Most Influential Black Lawyers by Savoy Magazine this summer: Michael Brown ’86, Dominic Blue ’98, Damon Hart ’96 and Theodore V. Wells, Jr. ’72. According to the publication, the list …
Matthew Cummings '20 works with a scanning tunneling microscope in the physical chemistry lab of Gaby Avila-Bront, assistant professor of chemistry.
Over 100 Students Spend Their Summer Conducting Research Around the World
For 113 Holy Cross students, summer has been a time to dive deep into innovative research through the Weiss Summer Research Program. Sixty-eight students conducted research in the natural sciences; 37 in the humanities, social sciences, and fine arts; and …