[ online catalog | schools/programs | american and international studies | political science ]
Photo: Student Catalog 2007-2008 
School of American and International Studies 
Political Science (B.A.) 
Faculty Profiles Career Paths Four Year Career Plan
Text Size:mediumlargelarger
Political Science (B.A.)

Requirements of the Major

Requirements of the Minor

Political Science Web site
(disclaimer below)

Convener: Michael Fluhr
Faculty: Ting Gong
Ronald Hayashida


Jennefer Mazza
Clifford Peterson
Jeremy M. Teigen
Michael Unger

About the Major

In a certain sense, Political Science is the study of power and authority and the forms they take in life. It deals with a whole range of human behavior, relationships, and values that affect the daily lives of everyone. Politics is the process by which individuals make collective decisions, set goals and priorities, and formulate policies to pursue them; to state it more directly, it is the study of "who gets what, when, and how."

The scope of politics is sweeping: from a superpower summit meeting to a local election, from Congressional action on tax policy to the efforts of environmental groups to influence a decision on a highway construction project. Politics is as old as the works of Plato and Aristotle, as current as the latest poll on public opinion, and as future-oriented as research into the effects of computers and information technology on the politics of the twenty-first century.

Students who major in Political Science are attracted to the vitality and relevance of its subject matter, are intellectually curious about its interrelationships with other fields such as business and economics, and see it as a useful tool in pursuing a variety of careers and professions. Traditionally, Political Science majors have successfully pursued careers in law, government, business management and administration, policy-oriented social action, teaching, or some combination of these fields.

The Political Science program at Ramapo attempts to respond to the needs of students with specific career aspirations as well as those who are activists or are just generally interested. The major at Ramapo is special because it combines traditional, basic, and advanced level courses in two tracts: the American politics track and the International politics track.. Specialized courses and seminars reflect faculty expertise and a flexible and interdisciplinary curricular setting. This curricular flexibility allows each student in the major to study political science courses in related fields, and having the opportunity to take a second major – history or economics, for example.

The Political Science faculty encourages both traditional and innovative approaches to the major emphasizing American legislative, executive, judicial, and bureaucratic decision making, international and comparative politics, and the theoretical and practical connections between politics and social issues and institutions.

Special features of the Political Science major include: the recent establishment of a Ramapo Political Forum to sponsor speakers and special events for students; a program of student internships in government, legislative offices, and campaigns, and a pre-law advisor who works with students interested in law school admission. Study Abroad opportunities possible through Ramapo’s own programs or through the New Jersey State Consortium on International Studies.

Ramapo chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society, provides special recognition and programming for outstanding Political Science students.

Ramapo College of New Jersey recognizes the value of publishing on the Internet and encourages the campus community to produce personal World Wide Web pages to enhance communications. The College does not preview, review, censor, or control the content of these pages in any way as a matter of course. Personal Web pages are those of the authors, and do not in any way constitute official Ramapo College of New Jersey content.

[ return to top ]

Image: Ramapo Arch