Department of Political Science

Kerry Crawford, Academic Unit Head
Phone: (540) 568-6952
Email: c rawfokf@jmu.edu
Location: Miller Hall, Room 2123
Website: http://www.jmu.edu/polisci

Professors
M. Adams, J. Adolino, B. Blackstone, C. Blake, A. Broscheid, J. Byrne, M. Cohen, K. Crawford, K. Ferraiolo, S. Hammond, J. Hulsey, M. Jamal, D. Jones, B. Kaussler, J. Keller, T. LaPira, H. Lee, H. Lubert, E. Oldmixon, L. Peaslee, R. Roberts, K. Rutherford, J. Scherpereel, V. Sulfaro, A. Teye, Y. Yang

Associate Professors
R. Alexander, A. Goldberg, K. Grant, F. Mayhew, N. Swartz, J. Taylor, K. Wylie

Assistant Professors
B. Carter, S. Muzata, C. Price, J. Swift

Mission Statement

The Department of Political Science offers strong major and minor programs sharing a focus on public concerns. We are committed to providing our students with the tools and competence to succeed in their lives, their graduate education and their careers by instilling academic rigor, information access and research skills, dedication to life-long learning and respect for diversity in cultures, nations and institutions of democracy.

Goals

To carry out the above mission, the Department of Political Science seeks to:

Offer strong major programs: the B.A. in political science, the B.S. in public policy and administration and the B.A. in international affairs (cross disciplinary).
Offer strong minor programs: political science, public policy & administration and political communication (cross disciplinary).
Enhance critical thinking, communication and information gathering skills.
Foster active learning through research, simulations and internships.

Career Opportunities

The political science department offers programs that lead students to careers in the following fields:

Administration and management
Federal, state and local government
International organizations
Law
Not-for-profit organizations
Politics
Private sector

To enhance the marketability of its students, the political science department supports career-related internships. For information contact the political science office, Miller Hall, Room 2120, (540)568-6149 or contact the internship coordinator, Rob Alexander (alexanrw@jmu.edu).

Co-curricular Activities and Organizations

Pi Alpha Alpha: public administration honor society
Pi Sigma Alpha: political science honor society
Pre-Law Society
Sigma Iota Rho: international affairs honor society
PASO: JMU Public Affairs Student Organization

Majors in the Department of Political Science

The Department of Political Science offers the B. A. degree with a major in political science, the B.S. degree with a major in public administration and the B.A. degree with a major in international affairs.

Washington Semester

Website: https://www.jmu.edu/polisci/washington.shtml

David Jones, Program Director
Phone: (202) 422-6161
Email: jones3da@jmu.edu
Location: 1400 16th St. NW, Suite 320, Washington, D.C., 20036
Website: https://www.jmu.edu/polisci/washington.shtml

The Washington Semester program enables students to explore the wealth of political and cultural opportunities available in the Washington, D.C. area. The program includes semester-length internships, courses taught on-site, panel discussions by people in various professions, cultural activities, and networking opportunities with JMU alumni working in the DC area.

The Washington Semester program is open to all majors and is offered every semester. Students not majoring in political science, international affairs, or public administration should consult with their departments about how the internship and coursework fits their academic plans; some departments may be willing to arrange course substitutions.