At its root, the study of politics involves the exploration of relationships between government and the governed, the powerful and the powerless, and identity and interests.  The Political Science curriculum investigates these and other thematic relationships in the context of five broad fields: American politics, comparative politics, international politics, political theory, and public law. Students are encouraged to take courses in each field, and many students choose to specialize in one.

While Political Science is one of the most flexible and diverse majors at Linfield, it is also one of the most challenging and rigorous.  Above all, the Political Science curriculum is intended to help students acquire the tool set and knowledge they need to excel in an increasingly interconnected world.  In successfully completing the Political Science major, students will be able to:

• Think critically, systematically, and creatively about political issues by employing a variety of theoretical and methodological tools;
• Demonstrate a fundamental grasp of the central political problems in local, national, and global contexts;
• Communicate in a clear, cogent, and literate fashion to a range of audiences, both written and verbally;
• Apply their coursework to their own experience through January term courses abroad, internships, and/or a semester in Washington DC;
• Engage productively and responsively in civic debate and discourse.

In addition to providing a core foundation in the study of politics, students are encouraged to pursue in depth issues of particular interest to them in two required proseminars, in which they work closely with faculty members on more intensive research projects. The proseminar sequence concludes with a substantial revision and oral defense of one of these papers, accompanied by small professional development workshops designed to help seniors make the transition beyond Linfield to pursue successful careers in government, law, NGO activism, education, journalism, business, academia, and many other fields. 

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