About
Why Study Politics at Macalester?
Macalester has a rich tradition in the study and practice of politics. For decades, students have been drawn to Macalester for its committed faculty and location in a capital city, which combine to give them nearly unparalleled opportunities to enjoy both the close learning environment of a liberal arts college and a wide range of co-curricular experiences off campus. You will find very few campuses in which the student body is so committed to understand current events, reflect on their commitments, and work with others to act on those commitments. This long tradition gives today’s students another vital resource: thousands of alumni, all over the globe, who are engaged in interesting and important work in diverse fields. We believe there are few places better for studying political science.
Declaring Political Science Major Form
Our Mission
The goals of the faculty in political science are to help students understand and interpret important political phenomena occurring around the world; to develop a political imagination by drawing upon and applying the theories and practices of political science as a discipline; and to develop critical civic skills in leadership, civility, ethical behavior and respect for diversity.
Studying political science at Macalester means making connections between the theory and practice of politics. Our concerns range from perennial philosophical issues regarding power, justice, freedom, human dignity and social responsibility to practical matters such as policy making, electing candidates, and solving public problems.
We aim to meet these goals by offering students courses in four subfields: American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations and Political Theory. We also provide students with a host of campus-wide guest lectures, special summer research opportunities, community-service projects, study-away programs, and local , national and international internships.