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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No Major? No Problem: First-Year Students Learn It’s Never Too Early to Explore Business
“Major in anything and succeed in business.” That’s the motto of the Ciocca Office of Entrepreneurial Studies (COES) Professional Program and Prebusiness Program, which connects Holy Cross’ liberal arts education to the marketplace. But what about first-year students who have …
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Blog: Caron ’20 Looks Forward to Academic and Extracurricular Endeavors at Holy Cross
NAME Spencer Caron ’20 HOMETOWN Belchertown, Mass. STUDIES HE’S CONSIDERING Political science, philosophy and economics WHY HE CHOSE HOLY CROSS “I chose Holy Cross because it offered everything that I was looking for. The small size, proximity to Boston, strong …
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Arts Transcending Borders Kicks Off the Semester with Sō Percussion’s ‘A Gun Show’
  This semester, Arts Transcending Borders at the College of the Holy Cross is offering a series of events that bring some of the most pressing issues of our time into conversation with the arts. On Thursday, Feb. 9, Sō …