About the Department

Why have some countries prospered while others seem unable to overcome
    persistent poverty?

Why are some people politically apathetic even as others vote, join
    interest groups, and participate in protests?

What conditions and problems make international conflicts more likely to
    escalate into war?

What do we mean by freedom, democracy, and justice, and how has the
    meaning of those concepts changed over time?


These are among the important questions studied by political scientists at University of Washington. Students of political science learn to think critically about individual, group, and mass behavior in political settings. Using their knowledge of political institutions and processes, students who earn degrees in  political science enter such careers as government service, law, business,  journalism, electoral politics, education, and non-profit management. Its highly competitive graduate program attracts students from leading universities in the United States and abroad.

The department is organized into four major fields of study: political theory, American politics, international relations, and comparative politics.  Several subfields - especially public law, political communication, and political economy - cut across these main areas and provide focused specialization for both undergraduate and graduate students.

The department has long been renowned in the areas of comparative and international politics, political theory, public law, political communication, and American government and politics. In recent years, the department has recruited leading scholars who study race and ethnic politics. More information about the department is available on the Department of Political Science factsheet.