The University is open, although some faculty and staff continue to work remotely. We remain operational and are available for virtual meetings or advising appointments via Blackboard Collaborate or Microsoft Teams. For assistance, please see faculty and staff contact information.
Your support is critical to our success. Gifts to the Department of Political Science help us continue our exceptional research and will support the development of outstanding graduates and professionals.
David Imbroscio "Say It Ain’t So, Joe: Biden’s Ill-Advised Plan to Eliminate Exclusionary Zoning" Shelterforce (2021)
Adam Enders, Miles Armaly "‘Why Me?’ The Role of Perceived Victimhood in American Politics" Political Behavior (2021)
Sherri Wallace, Hanes Walton, Robert Smith American Politics and the African American Quest for Universal Freedom (2020)
Jason Gainous, Jason Abbott, and Kevin Wagner "Active vs. Passive Social Media Engagement with Critical Information: Protest Behavior in Two Asian Countries" The International Journal of Press/Politics (2020)
David Imbroscio, "Race matters (even more than you already think): Racism, housing, and the limits of The Color of Law" Journal of Race, Ethnicity and the City (2020)
Adam Enders, "The different forms of COVID-19 misinformation and their consequences" Misinformation Review (2020)
Charles Ziegler, "A Crisis of Diverging Perspectives: U.S.-Russia Relations and the Security Dilemma" Texas National Security Review (2020)
POLS major Lexi Raikes is Kentucky’s only 2021 Truman Scholar
Alum Laura Douglas (BA-71) was just named the new director of the Muhammad Ali Center.
We're proud of our alum Michael Zeller, who published this excellent article in a top journal
Army vet and POLS major set to graduate after finding acceptance and support at UofL
POLS senior Brandon McClain quoted in UofL News story on Black fraternities and sororities
UofL students start policy development and advocacy organization
POLS major Ariana Velasquez cowrote this piece for Forward Kentucky
POLS Major Dillard Collier Making the Most of Internship Experiences
Prof. Adam Enders was recently quoted in several news articles about misinformation and conspiracy theories: article 1, article 2, article 3
Prof. Jason Abbott quoted in the Slovak newspaper Pravda on the coup in Myanmar
Prof. Jason Abbott quoted in this news article on the coup in Myanmar
Prof. Adam Enders quoted in this NY Times article about QAnon
Prof. Dewey Clayton quoted in WDRB on impeachment being used as a political weapon in Kentucky
Prof. Dewey Clayton interviewed for WHAS11 on Louisville community activist running for mayor
Prof. Adam Enders co-wrote this piece for The Washington Post
Prof. Dewey Clayton interviewed for WFPL on the D.C. riots, state and local changes
Prof. Jason Gainous quoted in articles regarding the D.C. riots in The Courier Journal and WHAS11
Political Science is a dynamic department at UofL with 400+ majors and 20 full-time faculty. Our students have won more national awards (including Fulbright and Truman) than any other department in the University. Our faculty have received dozens of teaching and research awards from U of L and professional associations. The recently-revamped POLS curriculum gives all majors internship opportunities so you can build your resume while earning your degree. Our majors go on to have successful careers in local, state, and national government, international affairs, nongovernmental organizations, political advocacy, business, academia, and the media.
The B.A. in Political Science prepares students for a wide range of careers in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. The major incorporates the all five traditional fields in Political Science with more class choices than any other track.
The B.A. with a concentration in Applied Politics prepares students for hands-on careers in public service, campaigns, and government relations. Students learn about political institutions, political behavior, and political identities. Along the way, students get the tools to put that knowledge to work in internships and other applied settings.
The B.A. with a concentration in Global Politics and International Affairs prepares students for careers with an international component, whether in the public, private, or non-profit sectors. Students can explore interests in foreign policy, international law, security, and particular regions of the world, among other topics.
The B.S. with a concentration in Law and Public Policy prepares students for a wide range of careers in public policy, politics, law, public service, as well as the private sector. Students take classes that emphasize topics in law, jurisprudence, and public policy.
If you are pursuing another major, but still have an interest in political science, we offer a political science minor that gives you an opportunity to experience key subfields of the discipline.
The MA program in Political Science trains students as analytical social scientists and broadens their understanding of domestic and international politics.
Traditional MA - students take courses covering the range of subfields in political science, including American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, and Public Policy. They also learn to conduct political science research and take electives tailored to their interests.
MA with Digital Politics Concentration - students not only get broad training in the discipline, but also take courses focusing on the intersection of information technology and politics. This concentration is particularly suited to students seeking to gain hands-on, practical skills and experiences in areas such as online campaigns and e-government.
Accelerated BA/MA - The accelerated BA/MA program allows students to get a head start on the MA degree while completing their BA or BS in Political Science. This option allows students to finish the MA degree in three semesters after finishing their BA/BS in Political Science.
Joint JD/MA degree program - Students in the JD/MA program must complete 81 hours in the JD curriculum at the Louis D. Brandeis School of Law (instead of the normal 90 hours) and either 21 hours in the MA curriculum (instead of the normal 30 hours) for the Thesis Option or 27 hours in the MA curriculum (instead of the normal 36 hours) for the Non-thesis Option.
A degree in political science provides strong preparation for a wide range of careers. Our UofL graduates go on to challenging jobs in government, campaigns, the nonprofit sector, law, public policy, academics, and business, both in the U.S. and abroad. The first stop for students who want to explore their career options with a bachelor's degree in political science is the Career Development Center. The UofL Career Development Center supports students from their freshman year to their senior year and beyond with career assessments, advising, job and internship postings, resume and interview help, special events and more.
Unemployment rates of 25- to 29-year-old bachelor’s degree holders, by selected fields of study: 2017
• Average for all fields of study: 3.1%
• Average for Political Science and Government study: 2.7%
The salary for POLS BA/BS degree holders is also about the same as the median salary overall.
U.S. News & World Report's "Best Jobs Overview"
https://money.usnews.com/careers/best-jobs/political-scientist
Bureau of Labor Statistics Date on Political Science Jobs
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/mobile/political-scientists.htm
American Political Science Association Career Information and Advice
Academic Calendar
https://louisville.edu/calendars/academic/undergrad-grad
Schedule of Classes
https://htmlaccess.louisville.edu/classSchedule/setupSearchClassSchedule.cfm
Internships
http://louisville.edu/politicalscience/internships
Career Development Center
Apply for an Undergraduate Research Grant
http://louisville.edu/politicalscience/undergraduate/undergraduate-grants