Political Science

Why choose political science at North Central College?

You’ll apply what you learn to your day-to-day life while you further your academic and career goals. Political science majors agree that our energetic faculty run one of the most rigorous, communication-intensive majors at North Central. These dedicated professors will challenge you to think critically about governments, public policies and political processes–whether you’re analyzing source materials, reading online news sources or preparing to cast a vote. You’ll start contributing to local and global communities right away.

You can also:

Work one-on-one with faculty members on their research projects, whether authoring a textbook or monitoring political candidates.
Complete your own research projects, then present them at the Rall Symposium for Undergraduate Research and other forums.
Apply for a Richter Independent Study Fellowship grant to fund your research anywhere in the world.
Attend at least one professional conference, such as the Midwest Political Science Conference in Chicago, and write a paper about your experiences.
Gain valuable practical experience in law and international relations through the faculty-led Mock Trial and Model United Nations organizations.

New Ruge Fellows “humbled” by honor

North Central College has named three Ruge Fellows, rewarding outstanding teaching of senior faculty.

Student earns prestigious scholarship

Etienne Mashuli '13 is awarded a Soros Fellowship for his humanitarian work in Africa.

North Central students at ceramics shop in Totonicapn, Guatemala

April 16 screening of “Con los Brazos Abiertos” documentary

North Central College faculty and students present free screening of collaborative documentary project about sustainable tourism in Guatemala.

more news

Internships

Intern, White House
Campaign intern, U.S. Representative Judy Biggert, Naperville
Consulting firm, Coleman Group, Chicago
Senate press intern, Office of U.S. Senator Richard Durbin, Chicago
Volunteer relations intern, World Relief, Aurora, IL
Legislative assistant, Illinois Physical Therapy Association, Naperville
Youth intern, Global Vision International, Esteli, Nicaragua
Law clerk, Keough and Moody P.C., Naperville
Office of Member of British Parliament Vincent Cable, London, England

Graduate Schools

Recent graduates in political science have been accepted at:

The John Marshall Law School
University of Illinois-Chicago
Bush School of Government and Service, Texas A&M University
The George Washington University
St. Louis University School of Law
Chicago-Kent College of Law
Fordham University
DePaul University
University of San Diego
Appalachian State University
University of Chicago
Northwestern University

Careers

Recent graduates in political science include:

Manager of federal government relations, Darden Restaurants, Orlando, FL
Associate Attorney, Wolfe & Stec, Ltd., Woodridge, IL
Associate director of global operations, Peace Corps
Assistant State’s Attorney, DuPage County
Community resource coordinator, Lupus Foundation of America, Heartland Chapter
Vice president of advocacy, economic growth and quality of life, Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce, Naperville, IL

Megan Smith

Political Science major

“When I took my first class in political science I fell in love with the field,” recalls Megan, who was named the College’s Outstanding Major in Political Science during her junior year. “I changed my original plans to include political science.”

Megan appreciates the way professors teach at North Central. “You learn both on a research level and a practical application level,” she says. For instance, in one course she and her classmates played the roles of House members and majority and minority leaders trying to pass legislation. And one summer, Megan helped a professor create a database of fundraising statistics for every congressional campaign since the 1960s. “That really broadened my horizons,” she...

Etienne Mashuli

Political Science major

“The type of political science faculty at North Central is very important to me … they have diverse backgrounds and styles, rigorous intellectual environment, and a willingness to include students in their research. They want us to excel and take advantage of as many opportunities as possible.”

An international student from Rwanda, Etienne has seized many opportunities. He presented research at North Central’s undergraduate symposium, participated in Model United Nations and raised funds for a school he cofounded in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he lived after escaping the violence of Rwanda. “I had the idea we could help build peace by providing educational opportunities.”

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Christopher Bilbro

Political Science major

“I’ve always had an interest in forming policy and international relations but didn’t know what I wanted to do as a career. There is no better place than North Central to find those answers,” says Christopher. “The quality of the political science program is so high and the professors so compelling that it drew me out of my shell.”

For Christopher, the best part of his discovery was working with professors on their research. “They really know their way around the field, and I connected to the field in a way that most undergraduates don’t have opportunities to do.”

Getting to know professors on a personal level, Christopher says, is helpful if you’re pursuing graduate work. “When writing references...

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