Current Students FAQ

A degree in Political Science can take you so many places! Our Alumni have gone off to do so many amazing things! They have run for various government positions, worked with politicians, became lawyers, worked for non profits, and so much more! Our majors have gone on to fulfilling careers paths such as:

• Victim Advocate
• Contract/Legal Administrator
• Attorney
• Judge
• Elected Official (Local, State, National)
• Wealth Management
• Professor, Principal, or other Educator
• Education Administration
• Consultant (training, software, marketing)
• Property Management
• Nonprofit Professional (Director, Program Coordinator/Manager, Grant Management, Fundraising, HR,)
• Entrepreneurs/Business Owners
• Campaign Manager
• Court Reporter
• Legislative Assistant
• Journalist
• Policy Analyst
• Communication Director
• General Counsel for businesses, schools, and nonprofits
• Government Relations
• Urban Planning Contractor

We love talking about this topic so much we made a separate page so we could go into more detail. Check it out by clicking the link!

Complete the change major request form, which is located in ULink under the “student services” tab. The change may be within your same school/college or a change between schools/colleges. It is recommended that students consult with an academic advisor or a career coach prior to making the request. If you have any problems with this please contact our advisor Dr. Grady by phone at (502) 852-1928 or email at kristopher.grady@louisville.edu

We have several different degree tracks with different requirements.
Click here to check out our BA track options and their requirements.
Click here to check out our BS option and its requirements.
Have additional questions? Schedule an advising appointment here!

If you transfer to UofL, you can earn credit hours and fulfill general education requirements, but the grades are not counted toward your UofL GPA. They are, however, part of an “expanded GPA” that considers your transfer GPA and your UofL GPA; for example, some graduate programs may ask for your “expanded GPA” if you were a transfer student.
To learn more, please visit the admissions website at https://louisville.edu/admissions/apply/transfer/services/course-credit

We regularly update our website with new internships we hear about! There are three separate pages for internship listings we think our majors would be interested in. Internship opportunities is for broadcasting our general non partisan internships. We also have Democrat internship and Republican internship pages.

In addition to those listings we also offer opportunities to intern with local and state government each semester! The Louisville Metro Internship Program is offered every Fall semester. This Internship Program assigns interns to individual legislative offices, the duties will vary from office to office, but should include research/projects, constituent work, and participation in meetings such as biweekly caucus meetings and council meetings as deemed appropriate. To learn more about this program please visit our Louisville Metro Internship page!

The Frankfort Internship is offered every Spring semester. This program was established to provide University of Louisville students with an opportunity to work and learn in a hands-on legislative environment. The interns work in individual legislator’s offices and assist with their activities and work functions. The internship counts for 3 academic credit hours and all interns will receive a $250 stipend. To learn more about this program please visit our Frankfort Internship page!

Make sure to check out our page on how to get your internship experience as class credit here!
In order to enroll in an internship, students:

• Must be a Sophomore, Junior, or Senior standing enrolled at UofL
• Must have a minimum of 45 credit hours, including nine (9) earned credits in Political Science. (Exceptions include students who have earned at least 30 credit hours with prior related experience can also be considered for internships)
• Must have a minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 2.5 grade point average
• Can apply up to six (6) hours of academic credit or two three (3) credit hour courses toward a Political Science major or minor degree

Students should check eligibility with Dr. Kristopher Grady, the Undergraduate Advisor, for other stipulations.
Dr. David Imbroscio is the faculty supervisor and primary contact for all independent internships.

Students need to find an honors advisor that is willing to work with them. Click here to view the form. Please contact Dr. Kristopher Grady with any questions.
In order to graduate with honors from the Department of Political Science there are a few requirements.

• 45 semester hours completed in the College of Arts and Sciences.
• Above a 3.7 GPA in political science courses and above 3.0 in their overall GPA.
• Completing a 300-level or above class as an “honors option” (contact the instructor about what this would mean, usually an additional assignment).
• Completing a 500-level or above class as an “honors option” (contact the instructor about what this would mean, usually an additional assignment).
• Complete POLS 499 (this is a course students sign up for the semester they finish their honors thesis).
• Successful oral defense of the Honors Thesis.

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. Students apply to the graduate program in the second semester of their junior year. In their senior year, they can take nine credit hours of graduate coursework. Those credits apply both to the BA/BS in Political Science and to the MA degree, and they are charged at the undergraduate tuition rate. This option allows students to finish the MA degree in three semesters after finishing their BA/BS in Political Science.
Please contact the Graduate Director and Advisor Dr. Melissa Merry with any questions!

There are so many ways to get involved! First, we highly recommend all our students take an internship! Our motto is students should build resumes while earning degrees.(Please see our internship question above for more information on internships!)

We also have a Model UN group, Model UN brings together regional universities that convene 60-100 students every year. Students act as delegates who represent countries on the UN Security Council. The model simulated the proceedings of the UN Security Council which assesses security threats and international crises in order to discuss and debate what role the body should take. Over the years we have debated and passed resolutions on a broad range of international issues, such as Israeli-Palestinian conflicts, peacekeeping missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, refugees crises and nuclear arms control. Click the link to learn more about the United Nations Association/Model UN!

Additionally, We have an honors society, Pi Sigma Alpha. The nationally-recognized Pi Sigma Alpha Honor Society is the only honor society for undergraduates studying political science and government. It is accredited by the Association of College Honor Societies. Membership will not only connect you to the national organization, but also to our local chapter. Within our chapter, many opportunities exists, including scholarships, officer positions, special events, and the opportunity to publish your own political science research in the Pi Sigma Alpha quarterly journal Click the link to learn more about Pi Sigma Alpha Honors Society!

Finally, the Political Science department hosts and promotes events throughout the year! The department hosts several events throughout the year including the annual Grawemeyer Award Lecture for Ideas Improving World Order, The Asia in Focus Speaker Series, Our Spring Fete, and so many more!
We also post events and other information on social media. Check out our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Our main office is located in Ford Hall room 205. The faculty mailboxes are located in the main office near the entrance.

YES! We are very proud of our fourth floor loft! This is a unique quiet study space available for our students.
We also have our first floor computer lounge. Here students can type papers, do research, print, and study! If the door is locked come up to room 205 and we can unlock it for you!

All advising related questions should go to Dr. Kristopher Grady.
Any other questions, please email polisci@louisville.edu and we will get back to you as soon as possible!