Political Science

Welcome
New Student Orientation, Sept 6, 1:00, Room TBA
for a complete list of PS Courses for Fall semester 2013 (click here)

New! PS & IR Student Services Page

 

PS & IR Student Services Portal

 

[information on: Advising, Academic Help Resources, Career and Jobs, Internship Opportunities, Study Abroad, Research Opportunities, Law Schools, Grad Schools, Getting Involved in the Community, Getting Involved on Campus]

Virtual Mentoring Program 

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Get advice from those who have come through the program before you!

They have all sat where you sit now..and survived. They have taken many of the same classes, probably had some of the same professors, struggled with some of the same challenges, graduated, and today work in a wide range of fields.  

mentoring

       Click Here

They have all VOLUNTEERED to serve as virtual mentors to our current students. They are more than happy to hear from you and offer professional or even personal advice, share their thoughts about career choices and opportunities, or even share stories about their times in Peck Hall and MTSU.     


The DepartmUS Student Fulbright Producerent of Political Science at MTSU offers the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) and Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degrees in Political Science with a general focus or with a concentration in Pre-Law or Public Administration, a Bachelor of Science (B.S) degree in International Relations, and a Master of Arts (M.A.) in International Affairs. Minors are offered in Political Science, International Relations, Public Administration, and Political and Civic Engagement. The Department also coordinates interdisciplinary minors in Urban Studies, Russian Studies, and African Studies. Click on UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAMS to learn more about the requirements for the undergraduate programs.

Programs in Political Science prepare students for a wide range of careers in government, law, public service, public affairs, international affairs, non-governmental organizations, and education.The programs also help prepare students for more advanced degrees in the area. 

The faculty of the Department of Political Science is committed to excellence in teaching, scholarship and service, and providing you an excellent undergraduate education that combines the traditional classroom experience with applied and practical training, and experience through fieldwork, internships, and active student organizations. Click on FACULTY to explore the experience and expertise of our faculty.

If you have any questions concerning our programs, please do not hesitate to contact me or the Executive Aide, Pam Davis. Thank you for visiting the Department of Political Science at MTSU.

Stephen Morris, Chair  

   Check out...    College Game Project   |     The Political Science Major - Tips   |   brief history of the Department as part of the 100 anniversary

 

News


Department recognized with 2 (out of 4)
Distinguished Alumni Awards

Larry Cox '68 (B.S. in Political Science)
Distinguished Alumni - Service to the Community
Larry Cox is a well-known volunteer and philanthropist in the Knoxville area. The list of his nonprofit involvement is very lengthy as are his awards.  He is the owner of Homestead Egg Co., Chicken City and Cox Family Leasing.  He is also a field representative for Congressman John Duncan.  He was nominated several times this year and had over 10 letters of recommendation including letters from Governor Haslam and the mayor of Knoxville.

Aaron Carlton '05 (B.S. in Foreign Language/
International Relations)
Young Alumni Achievement Award
After serving in the Army, Aaron joined the U.S. Department of State as a Foreign Service Officer. While serving in Uganda, he drafted the Department of State's annual reports on human rights, human trafficking, child labor and religious freedom.   He also assisted the Ugandan government in starting their own Prevention of Trafficking office and task force.  Aaron moved on to serve as a reporting officer and advisor at the United Nations in NYC.  He is currently in training for his next assignment as a Consular Officer in Venezuela.


The Department welcomes Dr. Zhen Wang  to MTSU and to the Department. Dr. Wang's research centers on the politics of China and will be teaching our Politics of Asia course and Comparative Politics and a course under Global Studies Special Problems and Topics called Global China.


Congratulations (and thanks) to... graduating seniors who took the Major Field Test

Once again our students scored above the benchmark of 500 on the Major Field Test, earning the Department the Academic Performance award.


Congratulations to...

Kaity Newman for winning the TPSA (Tennessee Political Science Association) undergraduate paper award (and a check!) for her paper  "Philosophies of Justice: An Examination of Modernism and Postmodernism in Post-Genocide Rwanda."  

The TPSA awards a best paper award for undergraduates (with a letter of support from a faculty mentor) and an award for the best graduate paper presented at the conference.  The 2014 TPSA conference will be held in Nashville on February 22, 2014.  Students interested in submitting papers for the undergraduate award should contact Dr. Petersen (karen.petersen@mtsu.edu).


 

and to...

2013 DEPARTMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS

Award recipeints 2013

Award recipeints 2013

Back row: Mahmud Brifkani (Meritorious award - Moot Court), Joey Meyer (Senior Honor Student award for College of Liberal Arts), Dr. Karen Petersen, Andrew Mitchell (Meritorious award - Mediation), Joseph Huckleberry (Norman L. Parks Award for top pre-law major), Mark Fyke (Meritorious award - Moot Court), Dr. Amanda DiPaolo, Michael Reed (Meritorious award - Moot Court)

Front Row: Kaitlin Beck (Meritorious award - Mock Trial and Moot Court), Heather Haggard (Meritorious award - Mock Trial).

Not Shown: Constance Grieves (C.C. Sims Award), Clifton Barnett (John W. Burgess Award), Kaitlyn Newman (Jack Justin Turner Award for top IR major and Meritorious award – Model UN)


And to...

Mahmud Brifkani for FIRST PRIZE in the Scholars Week Poster competition for his research "Islamic Law in International Relations: A Case Study of Iran and the Conflict over its Nuclear Program" (and congrats to his faculty adviser, Dr.  Lefler).

                 Brifkani at scholars week

Alexandria D. Miklich for being accepted into the graduate program at New York University. She will start in the fall.

Kendra Campbell for her successful defense of her Honor's Thesis: "Medical Malpractice: A Comparative Analysis of German, English, and United States Practice."

Alumni Aaron Shew who received the Distinguished Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Arkansas to pursue a PhD in Environmental Dynamics.


IR Graduate Receives Prestigious Charges B. Rangel International Affairs Fellowship

IR graduate Patrick Pratt has received a 2013 Rangel International Fellowship. Extremely competitive, the award includes many benefits, including: up to $20,000 annually toward tuition for a two-years masters program; a stipend up to $15,000 per year, an 11 week internship on Capitol Hill; a 10 week overseas internship in a US Embassy; assistance in preparing for a career with the foreign service; among others. 


Spring 2013 Newsletter

Newsletter spring 2013 page 1


Internship List of Opportunities 2013




Events


New Student Orientation
Mandatory meeting of new majors
(freshman and transfer students) 
Friday, Sept 6, 1:00 pm, Peck Hall 209



New student orientation

 

 

New student orientationNew student orientation