Department of Political Science

The Political Science Department is a community of learners and doers who strive for academic excellence and practical experience through experiential learning in internships, externships, and a range of summer opportunities offered across the country.  The Political Science Department is uniquely situated to offer a range of programs designed to meet the needs of our students and the contemporary needs of the workforce as well as graduate and professional study, (namely law school). Programs in the Department of Political Science include four areas: (1) Major in Political Science, (2) Minor in Pre- Law, (3) Minor in Public Policy Administration, and (4) The Certificate in Law and Legal Studies.  The Department understands that all students are unique in their interests, goals, and aspirations, so our students have the autonomy to select the course of study that best fits the student’s needs and goals.  The Political Science Department prides itself on timely completion to degree (4 years).

To major in Political Science, a student must complete 33 credit hours.  For a minor in Pre-Law or Public Policy Administration, a student must complete 21 credits hours. Students enrolled in any degree program may pursue a minor in Pre-Law and Public Policy Administration. The Certificate in Law and Legal Studies is designed for students who have received their Bachelor’s degree and are interested in attending law school who want to enhance the competitiveness of their law school application, admission to law school, and success in law school.

Political Science Major

The Political Science major emphasizes the role of politics as well as political actors and institutions in society that impact the life of the collective.  The major offers courses designed to prepare students for advanced study at the graduate level for the Master’s and Ph.D. in Political Science, Public Policy Administration, etc. and for advance study at the professional level in law school. It also prepares students for leadership opportunities and employment in the workforce.  The Political Science major focuses on the understanding of political systems, processes, and events as well as the application of basic concepts and theories in the field of political science to real world phenomena.  The Political Science major also includes research methods and technology in the conduct and presentation of research findings as well as leadership skills developed through course content, internships, and professional development and enhancement opportunities.

Pre-Law Minor

The Department of Political Science offers a challenging Minor in Pre-Law. It is designed to provide students with the foundational knowledge, critical thinking skills, and ethical framework essential to informed and socially responsible citizenship. The Pre-Law Minor is intended to assure an advantage to Tougaloo students who plan to apply to law school. However, no specific course of study is required for law school admission. Instead, all law schools emphasize the value of excellent reading comprehension, analytical reasoning skills, and a solid command of written English. While intellectual agility can be cultivated in many ways, an interdisciplinary liberal arts education grounded in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences -- coupled with our Pre-Law Minor -- is strongly recommended.
 

Public Policy Administration Minor

The Public Policy Administration (PPA) Minor is an interdisciplinary minor open to students in all majors. The minor in PPA focuses on the requisite skills needed to understand, analyze, and engage in the policy-making process. This minor also exposes students to professional policy-makers as well as additional career paths and graduate study. The minor in PPA consists of 21 credit hours.

Department Contact

Wanda F. McGowan, Ph.D.
Chair, Political Science Department
Assistant Professor, Political Science
 601-977-7860
 601-977-7881