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Political Science

Analyze and engage politics around the globe.

Political scientists examine elections, governance, social movements, policies, and political parties to learn how people relate to one another.

By studying political science, you will train yourself to become an active, well-informed citizen in the classroom, the community, and the world.

You will also gain valuable skills in writing and communicating, analysis, and critical thinking to prepare for careers in government, law, nonprofits, diplomacy, academia, and more.

Why study political science at Macalester?

Let’s start with the classroom. Led by innovative teachers, your classes will be interactive and hands-on. While studying the rhetoric of campaigns and elections, for example, you will create your own press releases, stump speeches, and bumper stickers. Other classes may feature classroom debates or simulations in which you develop, present, and defend a policy proposal. As you discover your interests, you can pursue opportunities to collaborate with faculty members on research, or serve as a course preceptor. Throughout your interdisciplinary education you’ll be supported, challenged, inspired, and pushed by your Poli Sci peers—one of the most engaged and informed groups of students on campus.

Our Chuck Green Civic Engagement Fellowship allows you to put your ideas into action. Each year, 12 students are selected to co-create a spring seminar. Each student receives a grant to complete a full-time, on-site summer project to implement in collaboration with a local community organization. Recent projects have included domestic violence prevention; lowering pharmaceutical drug prices in partnership with Minnesota’s attorney general; mental health for queer and trans youth; immigrant rights; literacy; and arts for social change. We have high expectations for you and all you can accomplish in political science.

Life after Macalester

Macalester’s Political Science Department has a strong reputation that will help open doors for you wherever you land.

  • Recent Graduate Schools

    • Georgetown University

    • Johns Hopkins University

    • London School of Economics

    • New York University

    • University of Minnesota/Twin Cities

    • Boston College

    • Columbia University

    • UC Berkeley

    • University of Michigan/Ann Arbor

    • Arizona State University

    • Boston University

    • Central European University

    • College of William & Mary

    • Cornell University

    • Free University of Berlin (Freie Univ)

    • George Washington University

    • Graduate Institute of International & Devlopment Studies

    • Hamline University

    • Korea Development Institute

    • Lesley University

    • Loyola University of Chicago

    • Miami University

    • Mitchell Hamline School of Law

    • Northwestern University

    • Oxford University

    • Quinnipiac College

    • Simon Fraser University

    • Stockholm University

    • University of Chicago

    • University of Edinburgh

    • University of Iceland

    • University of North Carolina/Chapel Hill

    • University of Southern California

    • University of Virginia

    • University of Wisconsin/Madison

    • Uppsala University

    • Vanderbilt University

    • Washington University
  • Recent Employers

    • Peace Corps

    • Americorps

    • Black Hills IP

    • City of Minneapolis

    • Ecolab Inc.

    • Inter-American Development Bank

    • Nichols Kaster, PLLP

    • Sanford, Pierson, Thone & Strean, PLC

    • Science Museum of Minnesota

    • Starbucks

    • Accenture

    • American Academy in Rome

    • American Civil Liberties Union

    • Angie Craig for Congress

    • Appcues

    • Arizona State University

    • Atkinson Law Office, PLLC

    • Balance Gym

    • Bilingual English Development and Assistant Program

    • BlueCat Motorcycle

    • BOKS Program

    • Book Culture

    • Booz Allen Hamilton

    • Bridge International Academies

    • Broward County Metropolitan Planning Organization

    • Cadreon

    • Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids

    • Capitala Investment Advisors – Charlotte, NC

    • Catholic Migration Services

    • Center for American Progress

    • Center for Transforming Lives

    • ChainSafe Systems

    • Chemonics International

    • Citizens League

    • City Year

    • Collins, Buckley, Sauntry & Haugh

    • Conklin Company, Inc.

    • Connections Media LLC

    • Costco Wholesale

    • Croatian American Association

    • DC Bully Busters

    • Delve

    • Department of Defense – Washington, DC

    • Dialpad

    • Doist

    • DreamWorks Animation

    • Duke University

    • Durham Exchange Club Industries

    • EAB

    • EnviroIssues

    • Environmental Defense Fund

    • Evology Creative

    • Ferdinand F. Peters Esq. Law

    • Fragomen, Del Rey, Bernsen and Loewy, LLP

    • Fredrikson & Byron Immigration

    • Frey Law Office

    • Friends Committee on National Legislation

    • Friendship Public Charter School

    • Fulbright Scholar Program

    • Fusemachines

    • Galveston Independent School District

    • Georgetown University

    • Glacier Guides

    • Global Kids

    • GoodRx

    • Greenwich Academy

    • Habitat for Humanity

    • Halfaker & Associates

    • Hispanic Advocacy for Community Empowerment through Research

    • Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota

    • International Rescue Committee UK

    • Irene Fernando for Hennepin County Commissioner District 2

    • J. Selmer Law, P.A.

    • Jasculca Terman Strategic Communications

    • Johns Hopkins University

    • Johnson Becker PLLC

    • Just Truffles

    • Kids of Summer Sports

    • Kidzu Children’s Museum AND Chapel Hill-Carrboro YMCA

    • Kipsu

    • L.A. Fitness

    • Law Office of Cheryl David

    • Macalester College

    • MacDonald Montessori School

    • Massachusetts Rivers Alliance

    • MBC Global Media

    • Meridian Institute

    • Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport

    • Minneapolis College of Art and Design

    • Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board

    • Minnesota Department of Revenue

    • Minnesota House of Representatives

    • Minnesota Senate

    • Naral Pro-Choice Washington

    • National Community Reinvestment Coalition

    • Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services – Lincoln

    • New Mexico Immigrant Law Center

    • New York City Hedge Fund

    • Nuclear Security Working Group

    • Office of Governor Mark Dayton

    • Office of Governor Walz and Lt. Governor Flanagan

    • Office of the Minnesota Attorney General

    • Optum Consulting (UnitedHealth Group)

    • Parks and People Foundation

    • Pesticide Action Network North America

    • Pike Market Child Care and Preschool

    • Podcast Review: A Los Angeles Review of Books Channel

    • PriceWaterhouse Coopers

    • Pritzker College Prep

    • Pritzker Hageman, P.A

    • Proskauer Rose LLP

    • Providence Public Schools

    • Prudential

    • RAICES

    • Rebiotix

    • Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism

    • Rights and Resources Initiative

    • Rotary

    • RPA Advertising

    • School Year Abroad

    • ShareProgress

    • Slalom

    • Social Impact

    • Stand for Children

    • Startup Guide

    • Steps to Success

    • Stinson Leonard Street LLP

    • Swedish Committee for Afghanistan

    • Target Corporation

    • TBWB Strategies

    • TCF Bank

    • Tesla Motors

    • The Half Barrel

    • The Task Force For Global Health, Inc.

    • The U.S. Association of Former Members of Congress

    • The Wildlife Society

    • Trader Joes

    • Umoja student corporation

    • UN Environment

    • Unified

    • Universal Strategy Group, Inc. (USGI)

    • University of California, Berkeley

    • University of Washington

    • Urban Farm Colorado

    • US Department of State

    • US Government Accountability Office

    • US Senator Maria Cantwell

    • Valens Global

    • Wheeler Middle School

    • Yale University

    • YMCA Youth Intervention Services

Political Science in the cities

Our Legislative Politics class combines classroom learning with an internship at the Minnesota State Legislature, just 5 miles from campus.

Our local community includes an extensive network of alumni who return to campus each year for our Alumni-Senior Mixer to offer advice and friendship to current students.

200 internship sites located within 8 miles of campus.

Join our community

  • Meaningful events. From our fall welcome back s’mores to our annual spring student/faculty trip to the Midwest Political Science Association conference in Chicago, our many social and academic events are grounded in strengthening relationships with classmates and faculty members.
  • Pi Sigma Alpha. Our students can take part in Macalester’s own chapter of this national honor society and help plan on-campus activities, including an annual student research conference.
  • Mitau Lecture. This annual lecture brings distinguished speakers to campus for lectures about current topics in political science.
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