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

Sarah NieblerAssociate Professor of Political Science

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

“Dickinson has helped prepare me for my future by introducing me to people from all over the world and all different walks of life. Being able to connect and build meaningful relationships with people from all different backgrounds has given me greater empathy and communication skills, and I know this facet of my education has prepared me to effectively work with anyone in the future.”

—Gabrielle Fleming ’18


Political Science News

Student Snapshot: Louis-David Kakou

Student Snapshot: Louis-David Kakou '23

“Dickinson's education allowed me to enter rooms where real decisions are made,” says Louis-David Kakou ’23, a political-science major who interned at UNESCO in Paris.

Graduate Story: Karen Dougherty Buchholz ’88, Comcast Corporation

Graduate Story: Karen Dougherty Buchholz ’88, Comcast Corporation

From her office in Comcast's Philadelphia headquarters, the former political science major works tirelessly for Comcast, and the community.

Graduate Story: Michael Pappas

Graduate Story: Michael Pappas '83, San Francisco Interfaith Council

The former political science major works with the city’s wide-ranging religious community for the common good.

Student Snapshot: Anne Fisher-Henson ’24 

Student Snapshot: Anne Fisher-Henson ’24 

Political science major Anne Fisher-Henson ’24 studies community and economic development in rural areas.

Dickinsonians Cast Their Ballots on Election Day 2022

Dickinsonians Cast Their Ballots on Election Day 2022

Volunteers welcome students to an on-campus polling site, and political science students conduct exit polling during Election Day 2022.

Interpreting History

Interpreting History

Former political science and German major Robert Emerson ’77 pursues his passion for history as the executive director of Old Fort Niagara in Youngstown, N.Y.