Faculty/student interaction is key to our majors' educational success, both inside and outside the classroom. All political science majors are assigned a permanent faculty adviser who guides them during their academic program and provides counseling on future career options and graduate study. Students interested in pre-law can take advantage of our Center for Law & Society and our Law & Society minor.
We believe in education beyond the classroom. Recently, students in Canadian Politics spent two weeks traveling to Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec City and Montreal, meeting politicians, analysts and attending legislative sessions. Twelve students received credit for a course organized around the presidential inauguration and participated in a week's programming in Washington, D.C. Students also have opportunities to participate in organizations such as Model United Nations.
Many of our majors spend a summer or semester completing an internship in Washington, D.C., or in the state Legislature in Albany. Internships are also available in the offices of local state Senate and Assembly members.
Those interested in international relations have spent semesters abroad in popular programs in Ireland and Italy, but also as far away as Australia, Argentina and China.
St. Bonaventure University is a regular participant in the Congress to Campus program, welcoming bipartisan former members of Congress to campus each year for two days of presentations and dialogue with students, as well as a public forum.
The Department of Political Science offers a B.A. in political science and a minor in political science.
Bachelor of Arts in political science
The major in political science is grounded in four subfields: American politics, international relations, comparative political systems, and political thought. Beginning with American Politics, the student is introduced to each of these subfields within his/her first two years of study. Advanced courses may be taken across a broad spectrum of topics. During the fall semester of the student’s senior year, the capstone course is completed; the student works closely with a faculty member on an independent research project..
Degree requirements and a four-year plan for the political science major
Minor in political science
For non-majors, the political science minor provides a solid grounding in the fundamentals of political science to aid in the understanding of their major fields.
Requirements for the political science minor