About political science at St. Norbert College
Political science is the social science that deals with the ways human beings organize and govern themselves. We are social beings and our lives are inextricably connected. All of us as individuals, as members of various groups, and as parts of larger organizations, communities and nations, must acknowledge and interact with one another. We all share a common humanity.

The Political Science program offers students both the opportunity to gain a liberal arts education and prepare for a future career. As a liberal art, Political Science at St. Norbert College attempts to broaden and enlighten the minds of our students regarding political issues, processes and behavior, hence serving to free their intellect from ethnocentrism and provide them with the skills and analytical tools to understand the political world around them.Although emphasizing the study of Political Science as a liberal art,the Political Science program does not overlook its importance in the preparation for a variety of careers.A major in Political Science prepares students for graduate study and research;for professional careers in business, law, government or public administration; for active participation in local, state and national politics; and for living effective lives as members of a democratic society in a diverse and complex world.

In addition to providing comprehensive course offerings from the areas of American politics, political theory, comparative politics and policy analysis, the St. Norbert political science faculty also contributes to interdisciplinary majors such as international studies, economics and international business and language area studies.

Why study political science?
Political science is a valuable component of liberal or general education because it enhances our understanding of human relations and behavior, of how we make decisions, and of the factors that influence them. Power, justice, law, social order and the creation of effective and equitable human relationships are the essential concerns of politics. Politics affect virtually all aspects of our cultural, economic, religious and social lives, and almost all public decisions are made through collective political activity. Politics is an inescapable attribute of human relations and behavior and it is a moral imperative that we do our best to build social, economic and political systems that protect individual human rights and beliefs, that promote social justice, and that permit fuller realization of our human potential. By making us aware of these factors, problems and possibilities, the study of political science encourages our intellectual, personal and moral development.