Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

If the study of politics could be summed up in one word, it would be power. How do powerful groups create order or laws increase inequality? Who gets what, when, and how? Our program invites political science majors to grapple with questions like these through rigorous coursework, active learning, individualized study, and extraordinary educational practices both inside and outside the classroom. Our graduates possess the skillsets necessary to thrive in their chosen careers, in graduate or law school, and as citizens.

An Individualized Program of Study

We’ve designed a cohesive program of study so that you can follow your interests and develop new ones. Foundational courses help you become familiar with core concepts, theories, research methods, findings, and contemporary dilemmas in the discipline’s major subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Political Theory. Upper-division coursework allows you to specialize in an area of interest, either in a concentration that is already defined (such as Law and Politics) or one you design yourself in consultation with your Political Science advisor. In our senior capstone course, you put your analytical, logical reasoning, and writing and oral communication skills to work in an independent research project. Along the way, we strongly encourage study abroad, interdisciplinary pursuits, and experiential learning that will extend your perspective and deepen your intellectual roots. We want to help you make the most of your education.

Local and Global Learning Opportunities

Not only do we encourage study abroad and offer courses focusing on politics in the U.S., Africa, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America, but also our May Term travel courses represent unparalleled opportunities for intensive study away from campus as well as interaction with alumni. We regularly offer a Washington, D.C. travel course, as well as a California Politics course that features a trip to the state capital (Sacramento). Our professors lead students down historic stairs in Salzburg, Austria, through glistening paths in Botswana, and up winding streets in Mexico. Opportunities and department scholarships to defray costs vary annually.

First-Rate Teacher-Scholars

You will learn from professors who are among the finest educators in the field. Our faculty has a wealth of academic expertise and professional experience, and a diverse range of intellectual interests and research specialties. Among the faculty are APSA’s 2019 Distinguished Teacher of the Year, campus outstanding teaching award winners, and APSA’s 2008 Innovative Teaching Award recipient. They are accomplished researchers who have testified at state legislative hearings, authored scholarly books and textbooks, and are knowledge creators who regularly present at professional conferences. Among them are Fulbright Scholars, a NATO research fellow, and a former fellow at the Center for US-Mexican Studies and at the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Germany. They are builders of programs, including the Public Policy major and international student exchange programs. In other words, our faculty rock.

We invite you to explore our website to discover the value of a Political Science degree and to learn more about our students and alumni.

Mock Trial

Mock trial is a student-led organization at the University of Redlands. Students work together to prepare a case for mock trial competitions held at undergraduate campuses across the U.S. In 2018-19 our students competed at two invitational tournaments as attorneys and witnesses and outscored opposing teams. We're especially proud of our University of Redlands A team that won 4.5 ballots out of 8 at the Claremont Regional tournament, missing an organized regional championship bid by only one ballot. A sophomore student, Tara Takenaka, also won an outstanding witness award at the Southern California regional tournament.

We welcome new members and encourage your participation. Please see our Dept. Coordinator, Starla Strain, for more information (located in the Dept. office on the 3rd floor of Hall of Letters).

Careers in Political Science

Next Steps: Career Preparation

Our Political Science faculty are dedicated to guiding our students onto meaningful and successful career paths, which could include professional or graduate school programs, working in government, moving into a prestigious fellowship, or landing a job in a nonprofit or the private sector.

Because we know that coursework is enhanced when students gain actual experience in policy settings, through study abroad, by learning activities in the classroom, and by interacting with people who help define politics and policy, we integrate these activities into our program of study. We strongly encourage our students to complete off-campus internships and offer help with landing appropriate placements, and we offer one-of-a-kind learning opportunities through May Term travel courses and First-Year Seminars. Bottom line: through dynamic experiential learning opportunities, rigorous coursework, and attentive advising, we help prepare students for academic success and life post-graduation.

What can you do with a Political Science major? Redlands graduates go on to earn advanced degrees in law, management, international relations, urban planning, public administration, public policy, and political science. Our alumni are thriving in Congress, California's capital, the military, business, the Peace Corps and other service organizations, the foreign service, and our nation's intelligence community; they serve as elected officials; they are employees, professionals, and executives in non-profit organizations around the globe. Graduates of our program are researchers, teachers, career civil servants, volunteers on local governing boards, lawyers and judges, advocates, and consultants, and legislative staffers... and this is merely a sample of the possible careers for a Poli Sci major. You'll find that a liberal arts degree in Political Science prepares you for more than just a job. It's preparation for life.

Recent Graduate School Acceptances

• Cambridge University
• Duke University
• Johns Hopkins University
• London School of Economics
• Oxford University
• University of California, Los Angeles
• University of California, Irvine
• University of Virginia

Recent Law School Acceptances

• American University
• Cornell University
• Berkeley (Boalt Hall)
• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• University of Chicago
• University of Michigan
• University of Washington
• Yale University