If you have had “Government” in high school or “Educación Cívica” in your preparatoria, you already have some familiarity with Political Science.  Your secondary education probably emphasized descriptions of institutions and citizenship training.  Building upon this very important foundation, Political Science is both “deeper” and “broader” at the college level.  Not to mention more interesting! 

With regard to “depth,” we strive to explain, analyze, and interpret political phenomena.  For example, do democracies go to war against other democracies?  What are the causes and effects of regional integration schemes, such as NAFTA?  How do Latinos, our largest and fastest growing minority, affect the U.S. political system?  In studying diverse political phenomena, most fields in our discipline emphasize the scientific method; hence, the name “Political Science.”  Drawing on their expertise, many political scientists also advocate changes when they believe that current institutions, processes, or policies can be improved.

Political Science is also broader at the college level.  Whereas you probably focused on the politics of the United States in your high school, or on the politics of México in your prepa, the Political Science Department at UTEP offers courses in six fields recognized by the American Political Science Association:

• American Political Behavior and Institutions

• Law and Politics

• International Relations (i.e. politics among nation-states and other international  actors)

• Comparative Politics (i.e. politics within other nation-states in the world)

• Political Thought and Theory (also called Political Philosophy)

• Public Administration  

Elsewhere on this page you can learn more about the flexibility of our program, our faculty’s commitment to mentoring students, and the careers that can be pursued with a degree in Political Science.