University of St. Thomas

Welcome to the political science facts page, where you’ll be taken beyond the course offerings and program description and deeper into the political science major. You’ll learn what St. Thomas students are doing now to enhance their educations and how recent graduates are succeeding in the real world. More importantly, we hope you’ll be able to use this information to decide if this major interests you.

A real student asks:

 

I watch the news every night and consider myself politically knowledgeable. Why would majoring in political science be important to me?

A political science faculty member responds: “If you are interested in making things happen or simply understanding the way the world works, then political science is for you. You will learn about political systems and processes, about how social change happens, and about all those stories you hear and read about on television, in newspapers and on the Web.”

What jobs are possible with a Political Science major?

What are recent graduates doing now?

Jim Nikolai ’04, works in intergovernmental relations at U.S. Bank, and Melissa Martin ’04, is a legislative legal secretary in the Minnesota Senate.

What opportunities are there to bolster my resume while I'm in the program?

Internships. The department has made a renewed commitment to the development of an internship program. We are currently developing a roster of internship sites and will be working with students to identify sites relevant to their interests. In the past, students have interned at a host of governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations, law firms, judicial offices and private sector businesses.

Study abroad.  Our students travel all over the world to learn about how things are done in places beyond their own backyards. Recent study abroad experiences include New Zealand, Europe and Latin and South America. In all cases, students return home with an invaluable set of cultural and classroom experiences that enrich and broaden their understanding of political and governmental systems and processes.

Faculty at work

In addition to being outstanding teachers, political science faculty are engaged in a broad array of research and service activities. For example, Drs. Hoffman and High-Pippert (with Dr. Kay Wolsburn) recently edited the sixth edition of Minnesota Government and Politics; Dr. Hatting contributed a chapter to the book. Drs. Hoffman and High-Pippert also are continuing their research on community energy initiatives, a project which has involved a number of students in various parts of the work. Dr. Hoffman recently co-edited a book on hydroelectric development in northern Manitoba and has published articles in a variety of international venues, including a recent article on U.S. environmental policy in the Journal of International Law and International Relations and an article on the 2005 parliamentary elections in New Zealand. Dr. Toffolo continues her work for Amnesty International, serving as an expert witness on a number of Pakistani political asylum cases. Dr. Hatting also continues to work with St. Thomas’ mock trial teams, adding to an already enormous set of trophies crowding his office.