THE PROGRAM

Political Science at High Point is centered on developing the skills and knowledge that foster responsible citizenship, effective leadership, and active civic engagement. PSC majors and minors work with an accomplished faculty, whose diverse teaching interests are complemented by a shared passion for mentoring students in and out of the classroom. Our alumni have gone on to be successful in prestigious graduate and law schools as well as a remarkable range of professional careers.

A Dynamic and Challenging Curriculum  

From 100-level courses to the senior research seminar, the PSC curriculum is designed to develop the must-have tools for today's competitive professional job and graduate school markets. Our approach to teaching politics places an emphasis on critical thinking, logical reasoning, analytical writing, and public speaking. First year students begin to build these skills in the major's introductory course (PSC 121), which emphasizes how political science can be used to understand and address fundamental social, economic, and political problems. Other foundational coursework guides majors through an intriguing mix of classes on western political thought (PSC 122), the US political system (PSC 201), research methods (PSC 318) and foreign politics (PSC 305 or PSC 309). During their final year, PSC majors polish their writing, reasoning, and speaking abilities in our senior capstone course (PSC 499), where each major writes and publicly presents a substantial research paper. 

Majors present and discuss their thesis proposals 
for their senior project in PSC 318-Research & Writing

While rigorous, our curriculum also is intentionally flexible: electives make up half of the major's required hours, and the  manageable requirements readily permit students to complement their degrees with a second major, a semester of foreign study, and/or an internship with a campaign, interest group, or elected official. In recent semesters, our majors have studied abroad in Wales, England, Spain, Mexico, China, and at St. Andrews in Scotland. A sampling of recent internships undertaken by majors includes:

• Legislative intern, Washington DC office of US Senator Joseph Lieberman

• Paid campaign intern, Hickory office of US Congressman Patrick Henry

• Campaign intern, US Senate candidate, Kay Hagen

• Research Analyst, Center for Terrorism, Washington DC office

• Research analyst, John Locke Foundation, Raleigh NC office

• Legislative intern, Washington DC office of US Senator Richard Burr

• Legislative interns, Ashville, High Point, and Greensboro offices of US Congressman Howard Coble

• Copy editor, local magazine

• Conference coordinator, the Minority and Ethnic Women’s Network in Wales UK

• Political liaison, High Point Chamber of Commerce

Teaching That Goes Beyond the Classroom

Many of our majors and minors choose to become deeply involved in one or more of the many university clubs and activities that focus on political issues. Our students are active in Amnesty International, the College Democrats, the College Republicans, Model United Nations, the North Carolina Student Legislature, Political Science Club, the Pre-law club, as well as various other groups and honors fraternities; these student-run organizations do everything from taking students to national conventions to hosting political activists for campus-wide events and forums.

Bill Clinton and Rudy Giuliani at HPU

Numerous programs each year bring politically-influential individuals to campus and into our classrooms. In recent semesters, the university has hosted several-day stays for four former congressmen, several nationally-prominent political reporters, and two US ambassadors. The department's War on Terror Speakers Series has sponsored numerous experts to speak on a wide range of international and homeland security issues. Other recent visitors to campus include President Bill Clinton, North Carolina's Democratic candidate for the US Senate, a circuit court judge, one of nation's premier experts on Latino Politics, a senior researcher from the CATO Institute, the author of a leading book on the Civil Rights Movement, and one of the Civil Rights Movement's original Freedom Riders. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas delivered the university's commencement address in 2008, while New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani did so in 2006. Jordon's Queen Noor spoke to the campus in 2005.

One Degree: Many Career Options  

Our program launches professional careers in a wide array of fields. Within months of commencement, recent majors and minors have:

• Taken a position assisting victims of natural disasters with AmeriCorps.

• Gone to work as a college project coordinator for NYPERG, New York State's largest student-directed consumer, environmental and government reform organization.

• Become teachers in high schools across the country.

• Been accepted by numerous law schools, including some of the most competitive programs in the country: Fordham, Wake Forest, Valparaiso, and North Carolina.

• Won election to West Virginia's state legislature.

• Enrolled in first-rate MA and PhD programs in political science, international affairs, economics, public administration, education, and history at prestigious schools including: American University, Georgetown University, North Carolina State, University of South Carolina, and Georgia State.

• Matriculated into various divinity schools including Yale, Duke, and Moravian.

• Accepted paid positions with a campaign staffs.

Recent program alumni have gone on to work,
attend graduate school, and intern throughout the country

Many of our majors choose to continue their professional development in graduate programs that specialize in campaign management, law, economics, foreign affairs, public policy, international business, or political science. The PSC curriculum prepares students to succeed in graduate school by building the excellent writing, research, and analytical skills that these programs demand. In recent years, political science majors and minors have been accepted into graduate, policy and law schools all over the country, including Duke, Emory, Georgetown, Georgia State, George Washington, NC-Chapel Hill, NC State, Pepperdine, Temple, Texas A&M, University of Amsterdam, University of South Carolina, University of Kentucky, University of Southern California, Valparaiso, Villanova, and Wake Forest.

While many students initially major in political science with the intention of pursuing a career in law or electoral politics, PSC alums have gone on to distinguished careers in countless other fields, becoming environmental consultants, professors, naval officers, CEOs, communications directors, military intelligence officers, secondary teachers, Congressional staffers, principals, public servants, court clerks, urban planners, and leaders in countless other occupations. In short, the political science major at High Point provides a strong foundation for any career that requires first-rate critical thinking, speaking, and writing skills. 

If you have any questions, or would like additional information, please contact Dr. Mark Setzler, Chair of the Political Science Department (msetzler@highpoint)