Resources
Quick links
Explore helpful resources for political science students at Skidmore.
Department information
Access key information and review student learning goals.Our main goal is to help students think analytically and critically about political issues. We do this by developing students' knowledge of the four subdisciplines of political science, by cultivating in them the analytical skills they need to understand political issues, and by enhancing their abilities to assess critically political situations and problems from both empirical and normative perspectives.
In terms of knowledge, we aim to provide students with the historical and contemporary information they need to understand national and international political structures, behaviors, and ideas. In terms of analytical skills, we seek to offer students the methodological and technical training they require to read texts carefully; collect, analyze, and interpret data; and communicate their conclusions effectively and elegantly. In terms of critical abilities, we teach students to examine political issues and problems from both empirical and ethical viewpoints as a first step toward developing policy recommendations that can improve political participation, processes, and outcomes.
Below are the departmental learning goals mapped to College-wide goals for student learning
Having completed the political science major, students will be able to:
- Think analytically and critically about political issues. (Ia; IIa, b)
- Develop competence in the four subfields of political science. (Ia, b; IIIb)
- Read sophisticated texts carefully and understand them deeply. (Ia, b; IIIa, c, IVb, d)
- Assess political situations and problems clearly and correctly from both empirical and normative perspectives. (Ic, IIa, IIIc, IVd)
- Develop sufficient familiarity with the theories, concepts, and methodologies of political science to be able to read and understand mainstream scholarship in the field. (IIIc, IVa, d)
- Conduct research in both primary and secondary sources. (IIb)
- Craft cogent, persuasive arguments in lucid, grammatical prose as per the writing requirements in the Department of Political Science. (II b, c, IVc)
Goals for "In the Major" Literacy
Information Literacy
- Students will learn to identify the extent and type of information appropriate for a specific assignment or task. (Ia, b, c)
- They will be able to distinguish various types of sources, including primary and secondary sources, historical and contemporary sources, and journalistic and opinion pieces. (Ic)
- They will appreciate the importance and relevance of information gathered from qualitative and quantitative methods employed by social scientists. (Ic)
- Students will be able to judge the veracity and the reliability of various forms of information. (IIe)
Oral Communication
- Students will gain the ability to respectfully participate in political conversations and to engage difference of opinion in a civil manner. (IIc, d; IVb)
- Students will learn to pose interesting, relevant, and probing questions that results in productive classroom discussions. (IIe)
- Students will learn to present their arguments or research in a clear and coherent manner that will foster greater understanding of the course material. They will learn to engage questions or comments in a confident, articulate manner. (IIc)
Technological Literacy
- Students will be able to locate and to access information through electronic sources. (IIa, b)
- Students will learn to use software that best conveys their research. For example, students may find it necessary to generate tables and graphs to support their research. Or, they may find that desktop publishing programs will be an effective means of presenting their work. (IIb, c)
- In addition, students will learn how technology may support oral communication and will learn to present information using programs, such as PowerPoint. (IIc)
Visual Literacy
- Students will learn about the range of visual materials relevant to the study of politics. Such material include, but are not limited to, maps, graphs, table, media images, and art. (Ia, c; IVa)
- Students will be able to determine the veracity and reliability of visual material. (IIb)
- Students will learn to interpret the meaning of these images and their effectiveness in reflecting political phenomenon. (IVa)
Founded in 1920 as the national political science honor society, Pi Sigma Alpha receives into membership students of political science and related disciplines who attain high standards of scholarship and academic distinction. Eligibility requirements include (1) six government courses which have been weighted in your GPA (2) a 3.5 grade-point average in these courses; and (3) a 3.25 cumulative grade-point average.
In early September 1999, the honor society members came together to attempt to rejuvenate Pi Sigma Alpha and to strengthen political awareness at Skidmore by successfully chartering the organization as a Student Government Association club. From that moment forward, the club has continuously endeavored to generate interest in local and national political issues and to encourage discussion of politics. Pi Sigma Alpha helps to register new voters, sponsors debates, and brings speakers to Â鶹ŮÀÉ.
Student awards
Each year, the Political Science Department recognizes students for outstanding work across the field, including comparative politics, American government, political theory, and international relations. Explore recent award recipients and the prizes that honor their achievements.Established to honor Henry C. Galant, professor of government, 1954–1986, and awarded to a major who has excelled in the study of comparative politics.
2026 recipient:
- Simone Leclercq '26
Established to honor Erwin L. Levine, professor of government, 1961–1988, and awarded to a major in government who has done outstanding work in political theory, preferably in American political thought.
2026 recipient:
- Lila Glanville '26
Established by Mr. and Mrs. Neil Riley, and awarded to a major in government for outstanding work in the field of American government.
2026 recipient:
- Josh Maxwell '26
Established in honor of Henry T. Moore, President of Â鶹ŮÀÉ, 1925–1957, and awarded to a government major who has excelled in the study of international relations.
2026 recipient:
- Lila Smith '26