Political Science

Major, Minor

How We Work

Our faculty have a range of methodological and political perspectives. You might take "American Constitutional Law," join JusticeCorps, or participate in pre-law advising—all with Professor Sunderland. With Professor Kampwirth, you'll learn about Latin American politics and women worldwide in classes like "LGBT Politics in Latin America" or "Global Feminism and Antifeminism." Some of us are conservative, some are liberal, and others are in between. Whatever your views, you'll find a faculty member to support them—and to challenge them.

We're involved in politics from the ground up. Our students serve as interns in various areas of the government, like Brad Middleton '08, whose internship for Senator Durbin became a full-time job when he graduated. You can even participate in the Washington Semester Program through American University, where you'll have the opportunity to pursue academic study and an internship in a variety of disciplines. Some of our majors go on to a political career of their own. Elaine Wilson Stern '09 has spent her career on Capitol Hill and is now the Director of Government Relations for the Foreign Policy Initiative.

We create knowledge. Through independent studies and Honors projects, our students gain hands-on experience in pursuing original research. Charlie Harned '16, an ASSET Fellow, conducted primary research for his paper "Research on Reform to the American Democratic System." He spent the summer examining the impact of three political initiatives (redistricting reform, nonpartisan primaries, and campaign finance reform) on Americans across the country. For our students who pursue advanced degrees, long-term research experiences like Harned's are invaluable.

We learn locally. We know that our students don't just belong to the Knox community; you also belong to the Galesburg community. In "Power and Social Justice in Galesburg," you'll spend a term examining the issues facing your new home. The course explores race/ethnic relations, the politics of economic development, poverty policy, and urban sustainability. For your final project, you'll create a research paper analyzing and proposing solutions for problems facing the local community.

We learn globally. In classes like "Women and Latin American Politics," "European Governments," and "Religion and World Politics," you'll learn about political issues all over the world. But we don't stop there. Many of our students spend a term (or more!) abroad. You can take part in cultural excursions in Jordan: Middle East and Arabic Language Studies, study the Setswana language and learn about the political system in Botswana: Development in South Africa, or find a unique program that fits your own interests and goals.