2024-2025 Hope College Catalog
Political Science
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The academic program of the Department of Political Science seeks to provide students with a systematic understanding of government, political behavior and political institutions at the local, state, national and global levels. To accomplish these goals, students majoring in political science take coursework across the primary fields of political science - Political Theory, Comparative Government, American Politics and International Relations.
About The Program
In addition to in-class instruction, the department seeks to provide students with rich opportunities for hands-on and experiential encounters with political processes in the United States and abroad. For example, the Washington, D.C. Honors Semester Program is an interdisciplinary program that enables students to intern in the nation’s capitol and allows them to meet and interact with key political and governmental officials. Other Hope students intern or work in governmental and political offices in Holland, Grand Rapids or Lansing.
The political science major provides a broad-based training for those who might wish to work in government or the private sector, pursue careers in law, teach political science, or do graduate work in political science. Political science students who supplement their study with appropriate electives in other disciplines may also be equipped for eventual careers in journalism, publicrelations, industry, small business, personnel administration and many more. Hope College political science majors have taken part in such varied activities as:
- Directing the campus radio station
- Meeting with prominent campus visitors that include the former governor of the state of Michigan, presidential candidates, U.S. House and Senate members, and other high ranking members of both major political parties
- Organizing a “get-out-to-vote” campaign among college students
- Serving as youth chairpersons of county, congressional district and state political party committees
- Managing political campaigns
- Hosting candidate debate parties
- Leadership roles in student government
Graduates of the Department of Political Science have enjoyed such satisfying careers as:
- Members of the Michigan House of Representatives and the U.S. House of Representatives
- Assistant Presidential Press Secretary
- College professors of International Relations, Political Theory and American Politics at major universities
- Partners in a nationally prominent law firm
- Juvenile rehabilitation officer
- Budget analyst for a metropolitan transit system
- Campaign management specialist with their own consulting firm
- Deputy Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Department of State
- Assistant to the Mayor of Washington, D.C.
- Executive director of state and congressional district party organizations
- State and national legislative staff person
- City manager
- Pastor in the Reformed Church in America
- VP/Chief of Staff for the Chief Executive Officer of the New York Stock Exchange
- Sr. Policy Consultant, Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association
- Michigan Secretary of State
- Foreign Service Officer
- Vice President of Governmental Affairs for Bethany Christian Services
- College President
ProgramsMajorsMinorsCoursesPolitical Science
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