Bachelor of Arts [B.A] [Political Science (BA)] From South Dakota State University

The Department offers a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science majors in History, History-Education, and Political Science, with minors in History, Political Science, Philosophy and Religion. While secondary (high school) teaching and government are the most obvious career paths, what else do our students do? Many career paths now require advanced degrees -- History, Political Science, Philosophy and Religion provide an excellent foundation for graduate school.

South Dakota State University's students frequently go for advanced degrees in law, public administration, museum studies, or to teach at the community or four-year college level. However, many of our graduates go into fields that have nothing to do with history, political science, philosophy or religion. Employers desire the critical, analytical, quantitative and writing skills of our majors and are willing to train you themselves in the specifics of the job.

For example, the statistical software you learn in our Political Science Research Methods course has wide application beyond politics. The grant writing our history work studies do for National History Day is useful wherever an employer needs fundraising. However, we firmly believe in internships, preferably paid, to make sure you are ready with the skills you need at the time of graduation.

Political science courses are designed to achieve the following objectives:

• convey the values and traditions of our democratic governmental institutions and processes and encourage students to assert their talents in preserving and nurturing those values and traditions through participation in the body politic;

• promote global awareness and understanding;

• engender critical thinking and a high proficiency in communication skills;

• serve the other social sciences as a cognate field;

• provide the student majoring in political science with foundation and advanced courses in the many sub-disciplines of political science which, in turn, will contribute to the student’s intellectual growth and occupational pursuits.