myCSUSM
Political Science
Offerings: Bachelor | Minor
Course Description
Political science is the study of government, individual, and institutional behavior in the public sector; relations among nation-states; and theories of politics. Political science addresses the fundamental issues confronting modern society — war, inequality, poverty, the environment — and seeks to evaluate the processes, policies, and theories that have been devised to deal with them.
Typically, the discipline of political science is subdivided into topical fields: U.S. government and politics, including the subfields of public law, public administration, and public policy; comparative politics, which deals with government and politics within nations other than the United States; international relations, which is the analysis of politics among nations, including foreign policy, war and peace, and political economy; and political theory, which encompasses political thought throughout the ages as well as contemporary approaches. The Political Science Program at Cal State San Marcos offers courses in each of these areas and invites students to explore a broad spectrum of topics. Political science majors may choose between a general concentration, which provides wide exposure to the fields of political science, and a global concentration, which offers majors an opportunity to focus on foreign political systems and international relations. Majors and non-majors alike are encouraged to think critically, independently, and objectively about government and politics. The goal of the program is to produce informed, empowered citizens who will contribute to their national and global communities.
- General Concentration
- Global Concentration
College of Humanities, Arts, Behavioral & Social Sciences (CHABSS)
Careers
- Attorney
- Consultant
- Diplomat
- Foreign affairs officer
- Journalist
- Lawyer
- Lobbyist
- Paralegal
- Policy advisor
- Policy analyst
- Politician
- Program manager
- Public relations specialist
- Reporter
- Research analyst
- Researcher
- Urban planner
Industry
- Business
- Charitable organization
- Consulting firms
- Executive
- Government: legislative
- Intelligence
- Law
- Law enforcement
- Lobbying
- Media
- Non-governmental organizations (ngos)
- Non-profit
- Or judicial services
- Public relations
- Social services
- Think tanks
Key-Terms
Community affairs, Federal, Foreign service, Government, Government affairs, Law, Political campaign, Politics, Public administration, Public affairs, Public interest, Public policy, Public relations, Regulatory affairs