I learned about politics when I asked for a new bike at age seven. First my mom, and then my dad, asked me if the other parent had agreed to this life-changing purchase. They had the authority to make the decision, of course, but I soon realized that they were also cooperating among each other along the way. In the meantime, I was running interference between my parents. I could tell that my mom was supportive of my quest for a bike, so I teamed up with her to convince my dad. A few days later, I was a happy little girl with a shiny new bike.  

Come study politics with us at UIS to learn how individuals, societies, and states cooperate and compete with each other to get what they want.

The Political Science Bachelor’s Degree at UIS offers students rigorous academic training, experiential learning opportunities, and powerful career mentoring led by our faculty members who are experts in their fields.

Five Reasons Why Should Consider a Political Science Bachelor’s Degree at UIS

(1) Award-winning faculty: Our full-time, tenure-track or tenured faculty members are award-winning teachers and researchers. Some of these recent awards include the University Scholar Award (the highest recognition of faculty excellence at the University of Illinois), Pearson Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence, and the Public Voices Fellowship. Our faculty members are also highly active in their fields. They publish books, articles in top academic journals, and assume leadership roles in their professional organizations.

(2) Rigorous academic training: The Political Science program provides students not just with a solid foundation across the major subfields (American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory), but also gives them the opportunity to shape their degree around their individual interests. Through our diverse menu of elective courses each semester, students enjoy ownership of their educational experience. Our research methods core puts students ahead of their peers at most other institutions in the region by teaching them key research and data analysis skills that employers eagerly look for in every industry. 

(3) Small class sizes, individualized attention: We love working with our students all throughout their undergraduate journeys at UIS. Our small class sizes are perfect for building supportive connections with students from day one. In our department, the professors know your name, and even your subject interests! This allows us to provide solid career mentoring and professional development support to all of our students.

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(4) Experiential learning opportunities: You name it, we have it. If you are interested in participating in real-world policy simulations, join our award-winning teams, Model Illinois Government and Model United Nations! Are you interested in studying abroad? Reach out to your advisor to learn how to spend a semester in Chile, Britain, or Germany! All of our Political Science students complete internships as part of their degree program. Our students are always in demand at the Illinois State Legislature, law firms, and various other agencies across the state.

(5) Career opportunities: Department faculty members are always available to provide students with career advice. We also organize career events with professionals and our alumni on how to write cover letters, resumes, and seek opportunities in specific industries. And we are so proud of our alumni! Some of our Political Science graduates have moved on to law school, others began fully funded graduate study in some of the top universities in the US including Johns Hopkins University, University of Michigan, Arizona State University, Syracuse University, and George Mason University. Still others took full-time job offers at the state capitol, the University of Chicago’s NORC, American Express, and more.

Choosing a college is hard. Our goal is to help make that easier for prospective students and their families. Visit our website at www.uis.edu/politicalscience to learn more about us, and don’t hesitate to contact me directly at sibelo@uis.edu for any questions.

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Sibel Oktay is Associate Professor of Political Science and Chair of the Department of Political Science at UIS.

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If you have questions, feel free to connect with us and request more information!