About Us
The Department of Political Science at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette is exceptionally thriving. We are diverse group of faculty who are passionately committed to sharing our knowledge of political science with you. We'd love for you to come be a part of our ever-increasing success! We have over 230 majors and are continually growing, graduating over 40 majors per year.
As a student in our program, you'll choose one of three curriculum options, all of which result in a bachelor's degree in political science. The majority of our majors typically specialize in our pre-law concentration. The other half of our political science majors are studying either general political science, or specializing in our international relations concentration. Through our diverse and interesting course offerings, our valuable internships opportunities, and our many available extra-curricular activities, you'll receive the best political science degree around!
Our faculty are all published scholars known as experts in their respective fields. We're also dedicated to teaching and in helping you succeed academically and professionally through expert information and advising. Unlike other similar programs at other schools, all our faculty get to know you as a person, care about you, and want you to succeed. We all have open-door policies whereby you can stop by and talk with us any time we're available. If you want an exceptionally nurturing and supportive learning environment where you're treated like an individual person and not just a number, our department is for you! You can read more about our political science faculty here.
As a state-run school, we offer significantly more affordable tuition that private schools, or even compared to public schools in other states. When you combine our political science faculty, courses, internships, scholarships, extra-curricular activities, and alumni success of our political science graduates, we believe we offer you (and your family) the best value of any political science program anywhere in the nation!
Pre-Law
With our pre-law program, you will receive outstanding preparation for law school. We have two pre-law faculty, both of whom act as pre-law advisors, and one of whom has a law degree. This means you'll get first-hand knowledge of law school and legal career options. Together our two pre-law advisors, along with the rest of the faculty, offer a wide variety of courses and extra-curricular activities involving or related to law.
Our pre-law courses focus on providing hands-on experience practicing the actual skills needed by lawyers, such as writing case briefs, applying law to factual hypothetical cases, and analyzing and evaluating legal arguments. Students also receive training in legal presentations through Mock Trial and Moot Court, including an additional competitive option on a Moot Court team. Our Law Club also helps prepare you for a career in law by helping you decide if a legal career is for you, and then by helping you maximize your chances of getting into law school. By the time you finish our program, you'll have learned to think and speak like a lawyer, and you'll be ready to hit the ground running when you enter law school!
Graduating pre-law or political science majors going to law school also have a strong chance of winning one of several $2,000 Tom and Lena Ritchie Endowed Memorial Scholarships that are award each year through the generous gift of the donors.
Our pre-law majors have gone on study law in all the law schools in Louisiana, as well as law top-ranked law schools around the country. These former students are now practicing attorneys, judges, and elected officials all throughout Louisiana and the nation.
Learn more about our pre-law concentration >>
Political Science
With our general political science program, you'll receive outstanding preparation for careers in government and politics. We have several expert faculty who offer courses in all the branches and levels of government in the United States. As students in these general political science curses, you'll receive intensive written and analytical training, and have many experiential opportunities through local, state, and federal internships.
Many of our political science students have interned at the Louisiana State Legislature in Baton Rouge, as well as for federal representatives at the U.S. capitol in Washington, D.C. Many other of our political science students regularly work for and volunteer for local and regional campaigns and government staff at the local and state level, and receive political science internship course credit for doing so.
After graduation, our political science students go on to work as public administrators, legislative or executive staff, or even run for elected office themselves. Other of our graduates go on to advanced study in Master’s or Ph.D. programs in specialized areas of political science. If you want a career in government, politics, or academics, then our program is for you!
Learn more about our general political science program >>
International Relations
Students in our International Relations Concentration focus on studying politics within nations other than the United States, as well as the political relationships between nations, including the relationship between the United States and other nations. You'll learn about U.S. foreign policy, parliamentary systems, multi-party democracies, international conflict, security and anti-terrorism, and international trade and economic cooperation. This study will help you become part of the global community.
A greater knowledge of global citizenship will hep you prepare for work overseas, or work within the United States that involves political, business, or non-governmental-organizations (NGO) connections outside the United States. Our graduates have gone on to work all around the United States and in foreign countries.
Learn more about our international relations concentration >>