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Political Science



Political Science

Dickinson's political science department is unusually large for a liberal-arts college. Many of its members teach in Dickinson's interdisciplinary programs: Africana studies, East Asian studies, international studies, Latin American studies, Middle East studies, policy studies and women's, gender & sexuality studies. Our faculty are productive scholars of American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory and public law, as well as dedicated and innovative teachers. Faculty members conduct research on Russia, Latin America, Asia, Europe, policy issues, electoral politics, political communication, political theory, the presidency, U.S. and comparative law, among other areas of interest.

The Princeton Review has named Dickinson a “great school for political science majors” (2020)

Our majors are actively involved on campus and in the department. Many are officers in Dickinson's Student Senate, are members of the college's Mock Trial Team, are active in intercollegiate and intramural sports, volunteer at many local charities and participate in service trips. Most of our majors also study off-campus at programs in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Washington, D.C.

Upon graduation, many of our students go on to study at graduate and law schools in the U.S. and abroad. Recent graduates have gone on to study human rights, public health, public policy, international affairs, political management and law at the best programs in the country and around the world. Many other graduates choose to serve in the Peace Corps and Teach for America or to pursue careers in journalism, law, business, broadcasting and in local, state and federal government.

Contact Info

Chair

David O'ConnellAssociate Professor of Political Science (2013)

Department Coordinator

Maria RitchieAcademic Department Coordinator

Phone

717-245-1280

Fax

717-245-1479

Location

219A, Denny Hall Mailing Address

Department Features



Student Outcomes

Where Our Students Go From Here

Jobs

  • American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative
  • Center for Arms Control & Non-Proliferation
  • U.S. Department of Defense
  • U.S. Department of Commerce
  • Center for International Media Assistance, National Endowment for Democracy
  • Viacom
  • Morgan Stanley
  • U.S. Senate
  • Bain & Co.
  • Office of the Secretary of Defense
  • National Defense University
  • U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security & Governmental Affairs
  • Institute for Public Policy Research
  • Centers for Disease Control & Prevention
  • U.S. House of Representatives
  • Office of the District Attorney of Los Angeles County
  • Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
  • Google
  • U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs

Graduate Schools

  • Harvard Divinity School
  • Georgetown University
  • Yale Law School
  • Harvard Law School
  • Duke Law School
  • University of Virginia Law School
  • Villanova University Law School
  • University of Iowa Law School
  • New England Law
  • King’s College, London
  • Oxford University
  • University of Pittsburgh
  • Columbia University School of Social Work
  • College of William & Mary Law
  • London School of Economics
  • SAIS Johns Hopkins
  • Temple Law
Where Our Students Have Interned
  • The Office of Governor Jerry Brown (CA)
  • John Hopkin’s Center for Talented Youth
  • Metropolitan Police Department
  • National Defense University/Eisenhower School/National Security and Economics Policy
  • New York State Office of the Attorney General
  • Office of Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (NY)
  • Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection

Student Perspective

“My first internship at Dickinson was as a judicial intern at the Cumberland County Courthouse in Carlisle, with Judge [and Dickinson Trustee] Albert Masland ’79. The second was a summer internship with the Clark County District Attorney’s Office in Las Vegas. Both internships gave me practical experience in the legal field and allowed me to explore various aspects of the law. Additionally, these opportunities augmented many of the theoretical legal concepts I studied throughout my coursework as a law & policy and political science major. They solidified my aspirations of attending law school after graduating and allowed me to be an active community member, which I always look to do.”

— Tony Trandafir ’24


Political Science News

The Power of Dedication

The Power of Dedication

"Hard work and dedication can overcome any obstacle." Meet Sofia-Teresa Di Bacco ’26, who plans a career in law.

Focused on Creating Change

Focused on Creating Change

Ethan Barnes ’26’s Dickinson experience has included helping to pass statewide probation reform and becoming the youngest civil-service commissioner in Carlisle’s history.

Work on the Death Star and Find Out

Work on the Death Star and Find Out

Associate Professor of Political Science Toby Reiner talks the intricacies of political science and the perils of working for the Galactic Empire.

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Dickinson College to Host Lecture on the Political Influence of Entertainment Media

Columbia University professor Eunji Kim will discuss her research on the influence of entertainment media on political opinion during a special lecture at Dickinson.

Power of Perseverance

Power of Perseverance

When injuries shortened his collegiate football career, Henry Booth ’25 found a different way to contribute to the team. His story also includes a powerfully meaningful internship.

Dickinson Researchers Find Partisanship Had No Effect on Mail-In Ballot Rejection Rates in Pennsylvania

Dickinson Researchers Find Partisanship Had No Effect on Mail-In Ballot Rejection Rates in Pennsylvania

Research from Dickinson's Department of Political Science indicates local election workers are conducting their work responsibly and without bias.