Teaching That Goes Beyond the Classroom
Most political science majors and minors complement their formal coursework and in-class simulations with hands-on experience gained from internships, working for the university’s Survey Research Center, or becoming deeply involved in one or more of the many university clubs and activities that focus on political issues. Our students are active in the College Democrats, the College Republicans, Model United Nations, 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 political conventions to hosting political activists for campus-wide events and forums.
While rigorous, our curriculum also is intentionally flexible: electives make up half of the political science major’s required hours, and manageable requirements readily permit students to complement their degrees with a second major, foreign study, and/or internships with political campaigns, interest groups, or elected officials. In recent terms, our students in our department have studied abroad in Austria, Australia, Peru, Ecuador, Italy, Wales, England, Spain, Mexico, China, and Scotland.
Many political science majors complete some of their major’s requirements with credit-bearing internships. The department’s faculty can assist students in finding suitable placements, or majors can apply to go to Washington, DC through High Point University’s affiliate program with the Washington Center. In recent years, students have worked with: