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.
October 15, 2024 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
GVSU Votes! tabling to help get students registered to vote, know their plan to vote, and check where they are registered to vote. We want to get the downtown campus engaged and excited! RSVP...
October 15, 2024 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
In their book The Myth of Left and Right, brothers Hyrum and Verlan Lewis argue that the way we talk politics is not only wrong but fueling our divisive politics. Is it time to leave the ideologies...
October 15, 2024 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Interested in intensive language study abroad? Join CLS Program Officers and an alumni ambassador to learn about CLS Indonesian offerings. The CLS Program provides opportunities for American...
October 16, 2024 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
The GVSU Mental Health Summit is an opportunity for students, faculty and staff to gain awareness about mental health and wellness, to hear from student panelists about their experiences and ideas...
October 16, 2024 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Interested in intensive language study abroad? Join CLS Program Officers and an alumni ambassador to learn about CLS Japanese offerings. The CLS Program provides opportunities for American...
October 16, 2024 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Panel discussion featuring industry representatives / alumni on the different career paths within Management Information System / SAP. All who are interested are invited to come and hear about this...
October 17, 2024 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM
The JET Program USA – The Experience of a Lifetime is a competitive, honorific fellowship (much like the Fulbright U.S. Student ETA program), administered by the Government of Japan. Might you...
Victor Cardenas' life has been characterized by service to the public and Grand Valley. Cardenas graduated from GVSU in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in political science. He earned a master's degree in public affairs from Indiana University and executive
Sep 30, 2024
Professor Zinman's new book, America's First Wartime Election, is set to release this November. This will be his second book published with the University Press of Kansas.
Sep 25, 2024
PLS Alum Charlotte Doran is one of the GVSU Political Science and International Relations alumni starting law school this fall. Charlotte is attending the University of Michigan Law School.
Sep 18, 2024
Program Evaluator for Government-funded Programs
Director of Government Affairs for Big I Michigan
Lindsay Ryan, Chief of Staff, Congressman John Moolenaar
Andrea Haverdink, Digital Director at Americans For Tax Fairness and Creative Director for Unfiltered Media
Jay Fleming, Attorney
Teaching at United States Military Academy
