Cornel West and Robert P. George Explore Truth, Community, and the Pursuit of Knowledge at Etz Family Institute Event
George and West also emphasized the need to clarify the true goals of higher education for students and educators alike.
Political Science
Is election night your Super Bowl? This might be the right major for you. A wide range of careers start as political science majors, including lawyers, journalists, consultants, and business people.
Major or Minor in Political Science
Course Spotlight
In Political Science, classes rooted in active debate help you explore how power works in real institutions and public life. Close faculty mentorship and an engaged campus community help you sharpen your research, writing, and argumentation skills as you explore the ideas that influence government, law, and policy.
- PS 131 Intro to East Asian Politics
- PS 225 Morality and Politics
- PS 234 Political Psychology
- PS 238 Peace, Sport, and Policy
- PS 320 Emerging Democracies
Politics in Practice
When you study Political Science at Knox, you’ll learn through hands‑on engagement with public life—whether that’s collaborating on research, interning in legal and policy offices, or working directly with community organizations.
Through programs like Power of Experience Grants, the Richter Program, and Chicago Term, students explore how government, law, and civic institutions function on the ground. Many gain experience just steps from campus at the Knox County Courthouse, while others pursue funded projects or internships in Chicago and beyond.
What Our Political Science Alumni Are Doing
Our alumni work in government, nonprofits, and international organizations, using the analytical and civic skills they developed here. Many continue on to top doctorate programs—including Washington, Wisconsin, UC Riverside, Delaware, Indiana, and Yale—or pursue law school as they step into roles that shape change in their communities.
- April Morgan ’04 | Chief of Staff, Office of the Chairman, Chicago Transit Authority
- Tom Bazan ’05 (pictured) | Chief Financial Officer, Illinois Department of Early Childhood
- Stephen Herzog ’09 | Professor of the Practice, James Martin Center for Nonproliferation Studies; Academic Co‑Chair, Beyond Nuclear Deterrence Working Group
- Philip Bennett ’14 | Director of Operations, Office of U.S. Representative Summer Lee (PA‑12); Founder & Former President, Congressional Workers Union
- Cayne Randle ’20 | Associate, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP; JD, Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law
Political Science News
Knox Professor Thomas Bell's New Book Discusses Supreme Court and the Separation of Powers
Bell's book began as his doctoral dissertation
Chicago Term Continues its Growth and Success
Knox College’s Chicago Term: Life, Work, and Culture in the Second City has become a successful short-term, summer immersion program
Knox Faculty Panel Explores Global Conflicts, Political Rhetoric Ahead of Election
Faculty experts provided context on major regional conflicts, including those in the Middle East, Ukraine, and East Asia.
Political Science FAQs
Knox students have gone on to careers in various fields including but not limited to public administration, law, professional politics, social services, and policy advocacy. The skills in writing, analysis, critical thinking, debate, and research you acquire will serve you well everywhere you go beyond Knox.
Our majors can and do find themselves in internships in city government, the state’s attorney’s office, and local organizations. They study abroad in Washington, Dublin, London, Amsterdam, Mongolia, Morocco, and more. They get the chance to learn from and even participate in research with our faculty on their active scholarship.
Students thrive in this program when they’re eager to understand how power works, how structures define the world around them, and how politics influences everything from daily life to international affairs.
Is Knox for you?
Contact us to find out more about our comprehensive majors, minors, and programs.
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