Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Prepare to Lead Changes in your Community and Beyond

Political Science at SXU provides a small, supportive environment where students have a unique opportunity to study how decisions about resources are made. Grounded in the Mercy mission, our curriculum will help you explore and assess the world around you, with a focus on critical thinking, effective communication and what decisions best promote human dignity and the common good.

Our program challenges you to take your skills and ideas beyond the classroom. With many opportunities to participate in RSOs, engage in simulations and direct government activity, and take on internships, you will leave our program ready to change society with your skills.

Situated in Chicago, we are able to offer a front-row seat to urban politics and international relations, all within a close-knit academic community where you conduct deep research, defend a senior thesis, and present your work at the SXU Research Expo under faculty mentorship. Graduates from Political Science at SXU go on to careers in law, national security, local government, journalism, the nonprofit sector, business, and beyond.

Why Earn Your Degree in Political Science?

This major is designed for students who are looking to become leaders and strengthen their analytical reasoning and communication skills. We move you from being interested in politics, policy, and law to having the practical tools to find meaningful work in these fields.

Our program sharpens the analytical skills you need to pursue legal work and engage in politics, government, nonprofit work, and business.

Students dressed up in front of displays

About the Program

As a Political Science major, you will learn about local, national, and international policies and law. You get to explore your passions with courses in elections, urban politics, Latin American politics, politics and film, war, peace and alliances, among others. We use a hands-on approach, encouraging students to engage directly with government and policy decision-making by visiting local policy leaders, participating in debates, and engaging in simulations. We also take learning outside the classroom through Mock Trial, student organizations including the Political Science Forum and the Pre-Law Association, and a required internship. Student interns have worked for U.S. Representative Sean Casten, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, the American Medical Association, several local law offices and nonprofits.

The Political Science Forum:

A place for students to gather and hear directly from local governing officials, debate issues, and explore social issues.

Pre-Law Association:

Pre-Law Association: The RSO for students interested in legal studies, hosting events geared toward getting them ready for law school or paralegal work.

Our Capstone course, Senior Seminar, is the place for showing what you have learned through in-depth research.
Our Field Experience course helps you gain firsthand experience interning in your desired field. Recent student interns worked at the offices of U.S. Representative Sean Casten, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, the American Medical Association, political campaigns, local law offices and nonprofits.
Guest speakers co-sponsored by History and Political Science include governing officials, candidates running for office, and people who work in political science-related industries, including business, nonprofit, law, and government.
Students get statistical training and hands-on independent or faculty collaborative research experience.

Students should describe and apply concepts used to study political institutions, processes, and actors in the U.S. and across global contexts.
Students should engage, analyze and critique assumptions, ideas, and debates about competing values in political science scholarship and discourse.
Students should identify and critically interrogate power relations in theoretical and disciplinary literature and in the contemporary world.
Students should evaluate the effectiveness and ethical considerations of civic engagement at the local, regional, national and global contexts.
Students should identify, evaluate, properly use, and cite verifiable sources of evidence.
Students should cogently communicate their ideas and arguments in spoken and written forms.

Studying political science at Saint Xavier will help you decide how you answer those questions and how society's behaviors affect how you answer them in reality. Taking what you learn in a nurturing environment with small class sizes and turning it into an internship, student association or simulation, you can see how you want to work to change society, which gives you the insight into what you think needs to be done and the practical tools to help you achieve it.

A Political Science minor helps you understand the intersection of politics and economics, and how you can be a more effective citizen of that world. Reflecting on significant events, ideas, movements, and passions that have shaped the political world, we come to understand better our own values, to refine our beliefs, and to gain the knowledge and understanding needed to analyze critically, to evaluate transparently, and to think strategically as you navigate the 21st-century political landscape.

Program Requirements

The political science minor requires students to complete 18 credit hours in political science, including: POLSC 101, POLSC 102, introductory courses, courses in political theory, and more! Students should consult with a division faculty member when considering a minor. Please review the program requirements and course descriptions in the SXU Academic Catalog for more detailed information. To declare your minor, please fill out the Intent to Minor form found on the Records and Registrations Forms page.