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.

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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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Holy Cross Produces Fourteen Fulbright Scholars
Thirteen members of the Class of 2017 and one member of the Class of 2016 have been awarded Fulbright grants to teach and conduct research around the world during the 2017-18 academic year. Since 2005, Holy Cross students have received …
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Revisionist: Che Anderson ’11 Leads the Way for Urban Renaissance
When Che Anderson was growing up in the projects of New York City, his mother ran a tight but loving ship. Her two boys were not allowed to watch TV until their homework was done, not allowed outside after dark …
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Professor and Political Expert Discusses Recent White House Log Privatization
In his latest op-ed for Fortune, Donald Brand, professor of political science at the College of the Holy Cross, argues that president Trump’s recent decision to make the White House logs private is a “serious political miscalculation.” Brand considers the …