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"High Point University's Political Science program has given me the direction that I needed in my life. The small class sizes, intriguing topics covered, different teaching styles of the faculty, and the interest that my advisors showed in my success are some the main reasons my college experience was so extraordinary. Above all, this program and those involved in it, have bestowed a set of skills upon me that has allowed me to communicate my ideas in a coherent an elegant fashion. I always will look back and know that my success in life is at least in part due to my time spent as a Political Science major."
      -J. Babin, '07

Mr. Babin graduated with distinction, going on to pursue an MA in public administration in a combined program at the College of Charleston and the Univ. of South Carolina.

"Studying in High Point University's Political Science department has allowed me the freedom to challenge my critical thinking skills in a safe and comfortable environment. The faculty encourages academic development and works diligently to help their majors succeed, which is evident by how well-prepared and confident I felt working in the 'real world'."
     -M. Garafola, '08

Ms. Garafola interned the Governor's office in Maryland, where she authored speeches and worked with  the governor's child adoption initiative.  She also interned as a spokesperson for a Washington, DC interest group. She chose to attend graduate school at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Communications.

"Going abroad through High Point's exchange program with St. Andrews University in Scotland was an amazing opportunity. While studying International Relations at one of Europe's most prestigious universities, I was able to make lasting friendships with people all over the world. I would encourage my fellow students at High Point to take advantage of the many opportunities this university offers as they will have a lasting impact on your life."
     -A. Howley, '08

Mr. Howley studied abroad for a semester in Scotland where he took specialized courses on foreign policy and Chinese politics.  After graduation, Mr. Howley went to work in Washington as an intern for former vice-presidential nominee and US Senator Joseph Lieberman.

 

POLITICAL SCIENCE STUDENT RESOURCES

The best place to seek guidance on political science resources at HPU is to see one the department's instructors. We also have staff experts on campus to help you with internships, post-college employment and graduate school preparation, and improving your research and writing. This materials below provide you some basic information that you may also find useful:


Professional Organizations 

The American Political Science Association.  APSA is the flagship professional organization in political science. The association publishes numerous journals, including PS, which is the main journal addressing the occupational concerns and activities of professional political scientists (this journal available through Smith Library's Journal Finder) 

The American Bar Association. The ABA is the nation's largest and best know association of attorneys. Their website will link you to many resources for applying to law school.


Internship Resources

A good overview of international internships is available at the University of Michican's Center for International Education.

If you are looking for information on US Congressional internships, most federal legislators provide internship information on their websites. The department has a good track-record in placing HPU students in local offices for many different federal legislators in the area.

Are you looking for an international internship during your "gap year" between HPU and graduate school? See: The Center for Interim Programs.

 

 


Resources for Applying to Graduate School 

Preparing to apply to graduate school. Published by the University of Tennessee at Martin, this site provides a comprehensive overview of the graduate schools application process. 

The American Political Science Association. Various resources are available on MA and PhD programs.

The Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs. This organization includes most of the top IA programs in the country. Students considering graduate school in international relations may find it useful to review Foreign Policy's 2005 reputational ranking of these institutions.

Graduate school rankings in Political Science. This interactive website allows students to generate lists of PhD political science programs by prestige, cost, support for PhD students, time to PhD, etc. The data are somewhat dated, but it is a nice place to start thinking about potential programs.

The Graduate Record Examination. Students applying to graduate school generally must prepare for and take the GRE, a standardized examination that assesses a students mathematics, verbal, writing, and analytical skills. The GRE's website provides an overview of the test as well as a sample examination. If you have already taken the GRE, the website provides charts that convert your raw test scores into percentiles.

If you are applying to law school, you will need to take the Law School Admissions Test (the LSAT) and to provide various materials to the Law School Admission Council (LSAC), which acts as an applications clearinghouse for law schools. In depth information on the LSAT examination and the law school applications process is located on the LSAC homepage. To get a general sense about the the GPA and LSAT scores students typically need to enter law school, you may want to review US News and World Report's annual law school ranking of institutions. Students thinking about law school should see HPU's pre-law services early on in the time at HPU.

The political science department has a very strong track-record in placing its graduates into excellent law programs, especially when students prepare adequately for the LSAT by taking a test preparation course with either Kaplan or Princeton Review


Research and Writing Resources 

"Citing Sources," a chapter from a leading student writing manual. Covers how and when to cite as well as the formatting of bibliographies.

Paul Hensel's International Relations Data Site (From Florida State). This will link you to a tremendous number of data sites on countries, US states, etc.

Political Science Resources on the Web (from the University of Michigan library)

 


Last updated on Tuesday, May 13, 2008
by Mark Setzler [msetzler@highpoint.edu]

 

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