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Political science is the study of government, individual, and institutional behavior in the public sector; relations among nation-states; and theories of politics. Political science addresses the fundamental issues confronting modern society - war, inequality, poverty, the environment - and seeks to evaluate the processes, policies, and theories that have been devised to deal with them. Typically, the discipline of political science is subdivided into topical fields: U.S. government and politics, including the subfields of public law, public administration, and public policy; comparative politics, which deals with government and politics within nations other than the United States; international relations, which is the analysis of politics among nations, including foreign policy, war and peace, and political economy and political theory, which encompasses political thought throughout the ages as well as contemporary approaches.

The Political Science Program at Cal State San Marcos offers courses in each of these areas and invites students to explore a broad spectrum of topics. Political science majors may choose between a general concentration, which provides wide exposure to the fields of political science, and a global concentration, which offers majors an opportunity to focus on foreign political systems and international relations. Majors and non-majors alike are encouraged to think critically, independently, and objectively about government and politics. The goal of the program is to produce informed, empowered citizens who will contribute to their national and global communities.

Program Student Learning Outcomes

• Summarize the foundational principles and key concepts of Political Science.
• Describe and analyze the roles played by political identities in historical and contemporary political environments.
• Analyze the impact of state and non-state actors, institutions, and organizations on policy.
• Apply theories, political thought, ideologies, and ideas to historical content and/or contemporary political realities.
• Apply knowledge of research methods to formulate and implement an appropriate research design to analyze political phenomena.
• Utilize effective communications skills to analyze political issues, ideas, and policies.