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NEWLY
ADMITTED STUDENTS
The
Political Science Department prides itself on the high standard that it
sets for its students and faculty. This page is designed to be
kind of a brag board as well as a place where we can include information
about specific information regarding the department.
FOR
ADMITTED STUDENTS:
Congratulations
on your admission to Winthrop University! The Political Science
department developed this web site to provide important information to
you. You may have been admitted to several colleges. What makes the
Winthrop Political Science department unique?
1. Brag to Your
High School Friends that “Real Professors” Teach Your Classes.
Unlike some large universities, where courses are taught by graduate
students, Winthrop University’s courses are taught
by
highly-qualified professionals. All full time faculty hold Ph.D.s in
Political Science. Part time faculty members have at least a Master’s
degree in Political Science or a related field.
Here’s another
secret: all the faculty are really good teachers!
Meet
the faculty
2. Brag to
Your High School Friends that Your Professor Knows Your Name.
Most Political Science classes have no more than 40 students
enrolled. Many have fewer than 30 and some are as small as 15 or 20
students.
3. Academic
Advisors.
The Political Science department takes its academic advising
responsibility seriously. Consequently, we have several persons who
specializes in advising students with particular interests. Dr. Karen
Kedrowski advises majors who are earning their Secondary Education
certification. Dr. Michael
Lipscomb serves as a Pre-Graduate School advisor to all Political
Science majors and Dr. Timothy Boylan advises students in the Public Policy
Concentration. Dr. Boylan also serves as the Pre-Law Advisor for the University.
4. Really
Cool Classroom Learning Opportunities.
Many Political Science courses include an element of
“experiential” or “hands-on” learning. You might find yourself
designing and conducting a scientific public opinion poll, arguing fine
points of constitutional law in a “Moot Court,” or
articulating the
Brazilian vision for world peace in a competitive Model UN conference.
5.
Really Cool Student Organizations.
We have a very active chapter of Pi
Sigma Alpha, the National Honor Society of Political Science.
In fact, it has been named "Best Chapter" four times. In
addition Dr. Huffmon
was also awarded Best Chapter Advisor in 2005-2006. No other chapter in
the nation can boast the same accolades! Admission is by invitation only. Students must be Political Science majors or minors, have a minimum 2.75
cumulative GPA, minimum 3.0 GPA in PLSC classes, at least 15 hours of
PLSC and be of junior or senior status.
Political Science faculty also serve as advisors for a number of campus
organizations including Amnesty International, Student
College Democrats, and VMOSA.
6. Study Abroad Opportunities.
The department has identified a number of programs both abroad and at
home that would compliment the current curriculum we offer here at
Winthrop. Please refer to the page regarding
study
abroad options for more detailed information. Remember, you
can always access more information about even more opportunities through
the International
Center and
Study Abroad Office.
7. Really Cool
Internship Opportunities.
While an internship is not required for all Political Science majors, we
strongly encourage every student to participate in at least one prior to
graduation. We have a number of students who go to Washington, DC
for summer or semester internships through the Washington Honors
Program, but there are also a number of opportunities
locally, including with the city of Rock Hill and US Representative John
Spratt. Opportunities also exist with the York County
Solicitor's office and Clerk of Court. Please refer to our internship
information page for more details.
8. What to do after
graduation?
A number of our graduates chose to continue their education by
attending either graduate school or law school. University of
Georgia, Northeastern, Florida State, University of Arizona, George
Washington, American University and Campbell University are just a few
of the prestigious institutions where our graduates have been
accepted. For students more interested in a direct career path, we
have graduates employed by U.S. Congressmen, various law offices, The
Charlotte Area Transit Authority and the City of Rock
Hill government. In alternate years, we
invite alumni to return to campus to discuss their careers with current
students. Please refer to our Careers
in Political Science webpage for more information
about potential career paths.
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