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THE DEPARTMENT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

Chairperson:	Wallace McMichael, Box 9065, Room 100 Colson Hall, Phone: 524-5037
Professors:	Murel Jones, Wallace McMichael
Associate Professors:	Earl McClenney, Chaya Jain
Assistant Professors:	Gary Baker, Wayne Jones, James Phillips

Description of the Department

The Department of Political Science and Public Administration prepares students for entry into the various careers in the public service. Faculty members promote and maintain educational quality to address the common core courses and specializations for pursuing graduate and professional education in political science, international relations, public policy and administration. Through strong senior thesis and internship programs, students participate in policy analysis of contemporary problems and hands-on challenges of public management

Majoring in political science can lead to a career as a lawyer, diplomat, state legislator, pollster, campaign manager, research scholar, newspaper reporter, or editorial writer. Majoring in public administration can lead to a rewarding career as a public servant who designs, implements, manages, or evaluates public policies on topics as varied as health, social services, transportation, energy, education or waste management in local, state, national governments, or international agencies.

The technical competencies fostered in the department's curricula and extra-curricula activities include being able to think carefully and critically about important questions, writing and speaking well, acquiring knowledge for grounding problems in a political, social, economic, or legal context, and demonstrating the ability to collect information to analyze problems or to make a difference in the quality of people's lives. Through internships in which students are paired with professionals who prosecute cases, defend clients in court, shape environmental regulations, manage money, people and things, draft bills, or lobby for the rights of children, students become aware that working in politics or public administration is anything but boring. Through participation in the departmental clubs, honor society, and professional organizations, students work in groups and participate in community, civic life, and public affairs.

Mission of the Department

The mission of the political science major is to offer education that emphasizes scholarship, the pursuit of knowledge through research and instruction, and the development of a critical understanding of government, both nationally and internationally. The political science faculty offer a program of study leading to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree in political science.

The mission of the public administration major is to prepare men and women for active service and employment in national, state and local agencies in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government. The public administration faculty offer a program of study leading to the Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in public administration.

Public administration is the field of study and practice dealing with the art and science of managing and administering the functions of the government in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of the federal, state and local governments. The emphasis is on academic excellence in the preparation of students for entry-level positions in government employment, non-profit agencies and businesses. The department encourages all students, regardless of race, creed or color, to demand the best of themselves so that they may serve those who are less fortunate.

Students are exposed to a rigid series of structured courses in liberal arts, public budgeting and finance, intergovernmental relations, organizational theory and development, public policy, personnel administration, administrative law, land use law and environmental law. Throughout the program students are encouraged to explore and use the resources of the University and state local and federal agencies to integrate theory with practice. An intensive 192-hour executive agency internship is required.
General Objectives of the Department are as follows:

to help develop the critical and analytical skills to understand how political systems function, and how to make rational decisions about government policies and those who govern,
to provide a foundation of theory and knowledge, values and skills for students who are interested in pursuing advanced study in graduate or professional school,
to prepare students for careers in the public and private sectors by incorporating marketable skills into the general curriculum..
to develop the critical and analytical skills which enable students to understand policy and program formulation, implementation and evaluation, decision-making and problem-solving.
to prepare students for entry-level positions in managing and administering the human resources, budgeting and financial processes, and information systems functions of the various levels of governments and of non-profit agencies.
to provide opportunities for students to develop and test empirical hypotheses, use statistical research methods, and communicate results using multi-media presentations in capstone courses and internships,
to acquaint students with the skills to enable them to act ethically and effectively in the institutions and processes for public sector agencies;

Programs in the Department

The Minor Program in Political Science

The Minor Program in political science is specifically designed to give the non-political science major an opportunity to complement his or her course work with a focused and structured program of study. The program will broaden student understanding of national and international issues, and increase the range of career and professional options. The Minor Program is especially recommended for majors in Management, Economics, History, International Studies, Sociology, Public Administration, and Education. The program consists of 18 credit hours; twelve credit hours in core courses, and six credit hours in political science electives at the 300 level or above.

The Legal Studies Program

The Legal Studies Program, a joint effort with the History Department, consists of 24 credit hours of course work that is designed to help the student develop the cognitive, analytical, and logical reasoning skills necessary to cope with the challenges of a law school environment. The program gives the student the flexibility of concentrating in legal studies while at the same time pursuing a degree in a traditional discipline.

Assessment in the Major

The Comprehensive Assessment Examination is a major component of the department's continuing commitment to academic excellence and intellectual development in the discipline. All political science majors, in their junior year of study, are required to take the Comprehensive Assessment Examination. The examination assesses a students' basic knowledge of political science concepts, principles, and facts in the areas of United States Government, State and Local Government, and Comparative A Government.