Political Science
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Highlights
Political Science Subject Areas
American government, political philosophy, public opinion, political parties, the Presidency, the Congress, interest groups, public policy, the Supreme Court, constitutional law, civil liberties, biopolitics, international relations, comparative governments, international political economy and race and gender in global perspective
Internships
Sponsored by the department with the United States Congress, executive branch agencies, the state legislature, interest groups and law offices.
Program Description
The political science program at Loyola is designed to teach students about governmental systems and political processes, while emphasizing critical thinking skills and active learning. Government and politics have a major impact on our day-to-day lives. How much justice we enjoy under the law, how well our government is run and by whom, who we are as citizens and members of political communities and how good the prospects for peace may be in our lifetimes are important, lifelong questions.
Curriculum
The political science department offers students the opportunity to explore the theory and practice of politics at all levels and in all forums, from the voting booth to the Oval Office. The first-year courses in political science introduce students to the basic concepts of the discipline and to the nature of American government at the national level. After the first year, electives in a broad range of areas are available. Advanced seminars are offered on a regular basis that discuss current topics, such as national policy-making, the Middle East or elections. The department encourages independent studies and internships with various political officers, such as members of the state legislature or the Congress in Washington, D.C., as well as with members of the legal profession. Loyola political science students have also served as interns in the White House and in executive branch agencies.
Faculty
The diversity of the instructors and their commitment to student-centered learning are the key factors to the success of Loyola’s political science department. Republican or Democrat, internationalist or isolationist, the political spectrum is well represented. Faculty members are active researchers and offer a range of teaching approaches designed to give students the skills necessary to succeed in any career.
Michael FranzProfessor
B.S., Illinois State University
M.A., Ph.D., Loyola University Chicago
Areas of Interest: political philosophy and modern ideological movements
Douglas B. Harris
Associate Professor
B.A., American University
Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
Areas of Interest: congress, political parties, media and American political development
Janine Holc
Associate Professor
B.A., Illinois State University
M.A., Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
Areas of Interest: international relations, eastern European politics, and gender and race in global perspective
Kevin W. Hula
Department Chair, Associate Professor
B.A., University of Kansas
A.M., Ph.D., Harvard University
Areas of Interest: interest group politics, the American presidency, and strategic intelligence
William I. Kitchin
Associate Professor
B.A., Tulane University
M.S., University of Virginia
J.D., University of Baltimore
Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
Areas of Interest: public law and Russian legal system
Diana J. Schaub
Professor
B.A., Kenyon College
M.A., Ph.D., University of Chicago
Areas of Interest: political philosophy and politics and literature
Carsten T. Vala
B.A. Williams College
M.A., M.S., Ph.D. Candidate, University of California, Berkeley
Areas of Interest: comparative politics, China, religion and politics
Placement
Recent graduates have earned law degrees from institutions such as Columbia University, Duke University, University of Maryland and University of Virginia and graduate degrees from Georgetown University, Vanderbilt University, University of Notre Dame, Cornell University and London School of Economics. Many students have entered MBA programs or have been placed directly with businesses such as T. Rowe Price and USF&G. Others work on Congressional staffs, in government agencies, with trade associations and lobby groups or in the broad range of organizations devoted to public service and international competition.
Course Sequence
1st year
American Politics
Politics
Core courses (7)
General elective
2nd year
Political Science electives (3)
Core courses (5)
General electives (2)
3rd year
Political Science electives (4)
Core courses (2)
General electives (4)
4th year
Political Science electives (4)
Core course
General electives (5)
Political Science electives include:
African-American Political Thought
American Political Parties
Approaches to American Foreign
Policy Biopolitics
Comparative European Governments
Congress: Politics and Process
Crime, the Individual and Society
International Relations
Marxist Political Thought
Media and Politics
The Modern American Presidency
Natural Law in Legal and
Political Thought
Politics and Literature
Strategic Intelligence
Third World Politics
Women in Global Politics