The Department of Politics features internationally known faculty, rigorous methods training and countless research and co-op opportunities.
Political science at its core looks at the distribution of power: in world capitals, between states and in our everyday lives. The Department of Politics at Drexel University trains students in research methods and offers countless opportunities for students to learn beyond the classroom through the Drexel Co-op program, undergraduate research opportunities and interdisciplinary work.
Curriculum
Drexel’s political science curriculum begins with a focus on methods training. Students take a course in the fundamentals of research and research design in their freshman year, and progress to upper-level classes in both quantitative and qualitative training. Our research methods sequence prepares students to design and execute their own projects, inspired by whatever political problems intrigue them. Students are taught how to gather, analyze and interpret statistics, how to conduct interviews and how to use archives and other research material to thoroughly analyze political problems — preparing students for a variety of careers.
Research
Our students are well equipped to ask and answer political science questions, regardless of which research methods they employ. Recent student research projects have included examining how the funding rules of the United Nations have changed over time, assessing the effects of climate change on urban politics, and exploring viable options for turning Philadelphia into an energy hub city.
To maximize the research and impact of our faculty, the Department of Politics is broken into two primary research clusters:
“In the end, when you’re turning the tassel on your cap, or accepting a job offer based on a connection you made while on co-op, or even getting admissions letters from graduate schools, you’ll realize, Drexel was all worth it.”Elgin Ford, Jr.BA political science, minor economics ’17