What is Political Science and why should I study it?
Socrates and Aristotle referred to the study of politics as the master science.
Politics is everywhere, shaping not only governments but families, social organizations, schools and decision-making bodies of all types, from student councils to international institutions.
Political science educates citizens, who are able to act and respond to national and global political changes in an informed way. Political science provides valuable social science training and prepares students for a variety of careers.
Some of the questions political scientists answer are...
What can you do with a Political Science degree?
Ultimately, what you do with a political science degree is up to you, but a background in political science will benefit you throughout your life by giving you the analytical tools to understand and act on the politics affecting you.
From teaching, to law school, to careers in international politics, it’s all possible with a degree in political science from UAF.
- develop communication, research and analytical thinking skills you can apply to many different careers and endeavors
- learn how to make an argument and back it up with facts.
- learn to communicate your ideas effectively, both verbally and in writing
Political Science at the University of Alaska Fairbanks
Degrees Offered:
Courses are offered in the traditional subfields of international and comparative politics, American government, political theory, and public law. The department also offers a number of classes in environmental policy and politics and indigenous politics.
The political science department offers a series of courses related to environmental politics and policies examining the relationships between government, inter-governmental, and non-governmental decision-making and the natural world. Through this sub-disciplinary training, students will learn to identify public needs, collect data on controversial issues, compare alternative solutions to problems, and conduct evaluations of ongoing public programs. Additionally, they will learn about and apply different approaches to methodology in social science research.
While pursuing their degree, students often choose to participate in an internship in Alaska or elsewhere in the United States, to gain valuable workplace experience. Many students chose to intern through the highly popular Senator Ted Stevens Legislative Internship Program.
How else can I get involved around campus?
Our students are highly active on campus and commonly participate in a variety of extracurricular activities, including the Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks (ASUAF), the model United Nations and Pi Sigma Alpha (the Political Science honors society).
The Associated Students of the University of Alaska Fairbanks is UAF's student government. ASUAF gives students an opportunity to develop leadership skills while advocating for all UAF students.
Established in 1982, the Model United Nations of Alaska is a simulation of of the United Nations. Each year a different topic is selected and the simulation focuses on a specific issue or set of issues unique to the topic. MUN allows students to gain a greater appreciation of the dynamics of the relations among states and the United Nations' role in the international system
The Political Science Department hosts a local chapter of the National Political Science Honors Society, Pi Sigma Alpha (PSA). The PSA offers an opportunity for students to contribute to their campus community as emerging political scientists.
Our faculty have expertise in their respective fields, and all have multiple interdisciplinary research interests. Faculty research has been funded by major granting agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF), Social Science and Humanities Research Council (Canada) and the Harry Frank Guggenheim Foundation. Faculty research has been published in highly recognized academic journals.
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