| program Type | Department | School |
| Undergraduate Major, Undergraduate Minor | Political Science & International Relations | School of Liberal Arts |
Your future in law, politics, or international relations starts here. At Siena, our Political Science & International Relations program is designed to give you the skills and experiences that set you apart, whether you're aiming for law school, a career in government, or a position in international diplomacy.
The general political science track allows you to explore a wide range of fields, including American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, Public Policy, and Public Law. You’ll graduate ready to pursue a variety of career paths, from law and public service to journalism, teaching, and nonprofit work.
The American Politics & Justice (APJ) track focuses on American political institutions, political behavior, and public law. You’ll study Congress, the Presidency, and civil liberties, along with competing theories of justice and the history of political thought. This track is ideal for students interested in electoral politics, government service, criminal justice, or law enforcement.
If you’re passionate about global politics, the International Relations (IR) track is for you. You’ll explore both domestic and foreign policies, learning about Migration/Refugee Politics, Genocides, and Political Leadership. This track prepares you for careers in international diplomacy, national security, non-profit advocacy, or international business.
The Public Policy & Administration (PPA) track dives into the policy-making process, covering everything from State & Local Government to public administration. You’ll gain skills in policy analysis, government relations, and advocacy, setting you up for a career in policy development, nonprofit management, or government administration.
Across all tracks, you’ll take courses that provide practical skills:
These courses help you develop strong communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills—key attributes employers and grad school want.
This could be the most influential semester of your life. The Washington Semester Program is anything but a typical college experience. It's an active and engaging immersion into the subject area of your choice, leveraging the exceptional resources of American University and Washington, D.C.
Siena's Summer Legal Fellows Program offers Siena students the opportunity to work under the direct supervision of a law school professor while undertaking original legal research with second and third year law students. Students can apply to this program during their junior year.
Siena students actively participate in political campaigns, gaining hands-on experience through canvassing, phone banking, and attending rallies. These real-world opportunities allow students to apply classroom knowledge, interact with political candidates, and sometimes even make national headlines. This involvement prepares them for careers in politics, public policy, and beyond.
With a 97% job/graduate school placement rate, Siena Political Science graduates thrive in fields like law, government, public service, and business. Our alumni work as lawyers, lobbyists, policy analysts, nonprofit leaders, and corporate professionals. Graduates have gone on to careers at Kaplan, the Naval Nuclear Laboratory, the Judge Advocate General's Corps, the National Science Foundation, Google, National Grid, Clear, and Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. Siena’s mix of strong academics and hands-on experience prepares you for whatever comes next.
"Siena’s Political Science program helped me stand out when applying to law schools. The professors knew me personally, helped me shape my career goals, and provided me with research opportunities and internships that made my application stronger." – Ryan Kelleher, ’18
Yes. A political science degree develops skills in research, critical thinking, writing, communication, data analysis, and understanding how governments and political systems work. These skills can be applied to careers in government, law, public policy, nonprofit organizations, communications, business, and more. Political science can also provide strong preparation for graduate and professional school.
A political science degree can prepare students for careers in government, public policy, law, advocacy, nonprofit organizations, journalism, communications, business, and international affairs. Students can also pursue graduate or professional education in areas such as law, public administration, public policy, international relations, and political science.
Political science graduates can pursue careers such as policy analyst, government employee, legislative assistant, political campaign professional, public affairs specialist, nonprofit professional, journalist, communications professional, lobbyist, and researcher. Some graduates also use their degree as preparation for law school or graduate study.
Yes. Political science can be a strong major for students interested in law because it develops skills in reading, research, writing, critical thinking, argumentation, and understanding government and public institutions. There is no required undergraduate major for law school, so students can choose political science while developing skills that transfer well to legal study.
No. Becoming a politician is only one possible career path. Political science graduates can work in government, law, public policy, nonprofits, communications, journalism, business, advocacy, and international organizations. The major's research, analytical, writing, and communication skills can be applied across many industries.
Political science majors study government, political institutions, political behavior, public policy, international relations, political theory, and other topics related to how societies make collective decisions. Students develop skills in research, analysis, writing, communication, and evaluating evidence.
Yes. Political science students gain practical experience through internships, research, service learning, community engagement, campaign and government opportunities, and other experiential learning. These experiences allow students to apply what they learn in the classroom to real political and public-policy environments.
