The Political Science Program advances Muhlenberg College’s mission as a liberal arts institution to cultivate thoughtful, articulate, active and responsible citizens. We recognize the value of diversity to building inclusive communities. By developing students’ knowledge of political science—its theories, concepts, and research methods—our courses enable students to explore how power relationships, institutional arrangements, social-economic inequalities, identities, and ideological commitments shape and are shaped by public policy, political action, and public argument in a diverse and globally interdependent society.
Our curriculum imparts to our students the values and commitments, knowledge, and skills that are required for engaged, informed, democratic engagement and leadership in an increasingly globalized world.
Values & Commitments
- Students are committed to engaged democratic citizenship and value diversity and difference as crucial to democratic life.
- Students value social scientific modes of inquiry.
Knowledge
- Students think conceptually about politics.
- Students understand the common questions and methods that animate the study of political science as a discipline.
- Students understand the global context of politics, government and citizenship.
- Students understand normative and empirical approaches to the study of power, authority, identity and justice.
- Students understand how ideas and values shape and are shaped by institutions, political movements and policy debates.
Skills
- Students write and speak clearly, thoughtfully, critically and persuasively about politics.
- Students read diverse texts and understand, interpret, analyze and synthesize information.
- Students engage with and construct social scientific research questions, using qualitative and quantitative data and methods.
