Our lives are affected by politics every day, and political events are happening all around us. Political Science is the study of politics and power in its many forms, including protest movements and revolutions, law-making and criminal justice, war and international conflicts, human rights violations and efforts to stop them, campaigns and elections in the U.S. and around the world, and competing political ideas and ideologies.
Our courses provide the tools to analyze and understand all of these things and more, and they also help students develop skills in research, analysis, writing, and speaking that are necessary for success in a variety of professions. Our graduates work in nonprofit organizations, international affairs, law, business, education, advocacy groups, and in local, state, and national government.
The GVSU Political Science Department offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in Political Science. We also host an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations.
August 4, 2026 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Bring a blanket or lawn chair and settle in for a live outdoor concert in the heart of Grand Valley's beautiful Allendale campus! Enjoy inspiring performances from nationally touring...
August 5, 2026 2:30 PM - 5:00 PM
For our 30-year anniversary of the Occupational Science & Therapy department, we are hosting a Summer Speaker Series. Our third guest speaker will be GV Alum Megan Doornbos, OTRL, CLT, from...
August 7, 2026 7:00 PM
Enjoy an evening of baseball and Laker connection as the Traverse City Pit Spitters take on the Battle Creek Battle Jacks. Your registration includes seats on the Oberon Deck, full buffet meal including...
August 26, 2026 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Help welcome our newest Lakers home on August 26! Move-In is one of the most exciting moments for incoming students, and you can be part of it! Help us create a warm Laker welcome by volunteering...
Olivia Robach (PLS and IR double major) earned a scholarship to join student scholars from around the US to attend the annual conference of the World Affairs Council in Washington, DC in November 2025.
Dec 3, 2025
This spring, Dr. Whitt Kilburn, Associate Professor of Political Science at Grand Valley State University, published Introduction to Political Analysis in R through Chapman and Hall/CRC.
Sep 12, 2025
Program Manager for the American College of Cardiology.
Teaching at United States Military Academy
Member Engagement Coordinator, Illinois Senate Republican Caucus
Chief of Staff, Congressman John Moolenaar
Director of the Center for Educator Preparation and Director of the Urban Institute for Racial, Economic, and Environmental Justice.
Aids Refugee Relocation Efforts
Associate Attorney at Jenner & Block
