Department Overview

We offer four degrees, two undergraduate and two graduate (masters degrees). We also award a legal studies certificate in conjunction with the Department of Criminology and sponsor a moot court team.

We will also be offering our Masters Degree in Public Administration in a special off-campus program in Visalia for interested south valley residents (and in the past we have done similar off-campus programs for Hanford, Visalia, and Fresno County). For more information please contact Dr. Kurt Cline.

Department Pride Points:

* Our political science BA program has a very high graduation rate (86%). So do our other three degree programs;

* Our political science BA program has been very successful in placing our graduates in law schools and graduate programs;

* The pre-law component of our BA program offers a legal studies certificate with studies in constitutional and criminal law. The program also offers a moot court course and sponsors a very successful moot court team;

* Our Masters of Public Administration program is nationally accredited;

* Our Masters of International Relations program has twice won the University Outstanding Thesis award in the past decade;

* Our department's faculty have all received their Ph.D.s from outstanding research oriented universities and all have been active in research published in their fields (collectively publishing several dozen peer-reviewed articles and books), as well as engaging extensively in community service;

* Many of our graduates have served and do serve in Congress, in the state legislature, as city managers, as urban planners, as city council members, as judges, as mayors, as union leaders, as educators, as non-profit managers, as military officers, and as civic organizers. Numerous leaders in the San Joaquin Valley are our graduates.