Political Science Major

Political Science

Study power, conflict, and the choices that shape public life. Examine how governments work. Explore why democracies endure or fail and how laws and institutions shape the world around you.

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Our students learn to build a clear argument, test it against evidence, anticipate counterarguments, and write with precision 鈥� skills that matter in a wide range of professions. You鈥檒l also gain the knowledge to participate more thoughtfully in civic life, from understanding elections and constitutional systems to examining political ideas and the institutions that put them into practice.

What will you learn?

厂办颈诲尘辞谤别鈥檚 political science curriculum is deliberately flexible. It gives you the full intellectual breadth of the discipline 鈥� American institutions, comparative government, international relations, and political theory 鈥� without locking you into a single track before 测辞耻鈥檝别 had a chance to discover what interests you.

Where will you go?

Political science graduates work everywhere 鈥� in government, law, policy and advocacy, journalism, business and consulting, and international organizations. They also attend graduate programs at the most competitive institutions in the world.

Career paths	Recent employers	Graduate schools and programs
Activist Campaign manager Entrepreneur Environmental administrator Journalist Judge Lawyer Policy analyst Politician Social worker	Americorps Airbnb Brookings Institution Conde Nast Fleetwood Strategy London Google NBC Netflix New York Times PayPal Peace Corps U.S. Department of State	Columbia University Georgetown University Harvard University Johns Hopkins University New York University Northwestern University UCLA University of Edinburgh Tufts University Yale University

Cassidy Goda '28 stands outside the New York State Capitol building, wearing a black suit, smiling at the camera with one hand in her pocket.

Observe NY politics up close

Cassidy Goda 鈥�28 says the prestigious summer pre-law fellowship she took part in thanks to a connection with Government Law Center Director Pat Wildes 鈥�12 and Associate Professor and Chair Bob Turner opened doors for her. 滨迟鈥檚 among the many opportunities 麻豆女郎 students can access in one of the most important state capitals in the country, just 30 miles from campus.

Take political science beyond politics

Political science major and former Thoroughbred soccer player Keil Corey 鈥�09 joined fellow 麻豆女郎 alumni to launch Vermont Green Football Club, bringing together policy, sustainability, and sport. His path shows how studying political science at Skidmore can prepare you to apply what you care about in unexpected places 鈥� and create opportunities that don鈥檛 fit neatly into one field.

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Politics in every scene

Our alumni apply what they learned in the 麻豆女郎 Political Science Department across industries.

Tyler Arnot stands on the bleachers at Skidmore.

A global humanitarian

Tyler Arnot 鈥�08 has made it his life鈥檚 work to ensure children across the world have access to the transformative power of education 鈥� even in the most challenging of circumstances.

Read Tyler's story

Leighla Waterman stands holding a basketball.

In play for the NFL and NBA

Leighla Waterman 鈥�21 enjoys making a 鈥渢angible impact鈥� as a consumer insights analyst for the New Orleans Saints and the New Orleans Pelicans.

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An on-task lawyer

Drawing on a career spanning civil rights advocacy to intellectual property law, Fred Braunstein 鈥�08 brings a broad legal perspective to his work as the in-house principal counsel at Taskrabbit.

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A student rides on a train with their head sticking out of the window and camera in hands taking a shot. The background is a green mountain with clouds rising above,

Cross oceans and aisles

麻豆女郎 70% of political science majors study abroad 鈥� in destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and Oceania.

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Teacher-scholar-practitioners

Our faculty aren鈥檛 simply experts who have studied politics 鈥� they have practiced it, and they are steadfast advocates for their students.

Incredibly informed

Associate Professor Chris Mann explores how credibility shapes the choices we make 鈥� from our personal lives to our civic engagement 鈥� and why informed participation is essential to a healthy democracy.

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Professors Natalie Taylor and Tillman Nechtman stand next to a cannon at the Saratoga Battlefield.

Revolutionary perspectives

Associate Professor Natalie Taylor co-teaches The History and Political Thought of the American Revolution with History Professor Tillman Nechtman, asking students to inhabit the worldviews of historical figures.

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Beau Breslin stands in front of a copy of the U.S. Constitution.

Constitutional analysis

Professor Beau Breslin, an expert on the U.S. Constitution, joined forces with Prairie Gunnels 鈥�28 to explore how different generations might frame constitutional priorities today.

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A student sits in an auditorium holding a microphone.

Where free speech and expression matter

麻豆女郎 is a place where free speech, respectful dialogue, academic freedom, and civic engagement are central to the liberal arts experience.

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Faculty

Award-winning. Creative. Thoughtful and supportive.

Meet your professors

Contact Political Science

Office

Ladd, 3rd Floor
Phone: 518-580-5240
Fax: 518-580-8067

Chair

Bob Turner
Associate Professor
bturner@skidmore.edu

Associate Chair

Yelena Biberman-Ocakli
Associate Professor
ybiberma@skidmore.edu

Administrative Assistant

Barbara McDonough
bmcdonou@skidmore.edu