Breadcrumb
Department of Politics
Power. Progress. Peace. Politics.
Students in the Department of Politics critically engage with issues in global and domestic politics and learn from hands-on experiences through internships, Model United Nations, or Moot Court. The program offers concentrations in Law & Policy, Global Politics, and Environment & Sustainability.
Our students build community in small classes and form enduring relationships. Graduates have the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in a range of careers, especially in government, policy, law, political organizing, and advocacy.
Join us and learn how to create change… one step at a time.
Undergraduate Degree
Political Science, B.A.
Learn the knowledge and skills to be an effective global citizen and achieve your career goals in diverse worlds, ranging from law to business to nonprofit to public policy. In addition to our small discussion-based classes, we emphasize the “hands-on” learning, such as internships, our Model UN and Moot Court programs, engaging in scholarly research projects, and study abroad.
Choose from three program concentrations:
- Global Politics
- Law & Policy
- Politics of Environment & Sustainability
Applied Learning Experiences
You will have a chance to participate in our Model UN and Moot Court programs, internships, research opportunities with faculty, and studying abroad. Extra credit opportunities include work placements in Sacramento or Washington, D.C.
Diverse Program Concentrations
Choose a concentration in Global Politics, Law & Policy, or Politics of Environment & Sustainability—or complete a major without a concentration.
Engaged and Passionate Faculty and Staff
You’ll develop lasting relationships with our faculty, who have interdisciplinary expertise in the environment, global politics, law, and policy, and our staff, who have deep knowledge of the department, college, and university.
Place-Based Learning Community: Dreamscapes
As a Politics freshman, you’ll participate in hands-on activities with your peers before classes even start and in some cases, have the opportunity to live in the same residence halls with your peers. Politics students will join four other departments for Dreamscapes, which examines the problems of today from the perspective that radical change is possible.
Career Options
With a Political Science degree (and the career-focused, hands-on skills that come with it) there’s so much you can do! Career fields include political organizing, public policy, government, and law.
- Attorney
- Elected Official
- Intelligence Analyst
- Journalist
- Legislative Assistant
- Marketing Research Analyst
- Nonprofit Leader
- Policy Analyst
- Political Consultant
- Public Relations Specialist
- Union Leader
Featured Alumni
Alison Holmes, Loren Collins
Politics
Dr. Alison Holmes (Politics) and Loren Collins (Director, Advising) presented "Career Curriculum: From Destinations to Pathways" based on their years of working together on campus career curriculum and with the Karuk Education Department, as well as research Holmes has done on "Transformation 8" curriculum to support study abroad and a review of career programming for her graduate certificate in Native American Studies. This annual conference (hosted by a different city/tribe each year) brings career and employment/training professionals from across the country, so their presentation focused on practical ways to create a more "storytelling", holistic, and culturally aware career pedagogy.
Alison Ruth Holmes
Politics
At the end of May, Professor Alison Holmes (Politics & International Studies) was invited to speak to the Redwood Empire Division Meeting of the California League of Cities in Fort Bragg on the topic of: "When Global Issues Reach City Hall: Emerging Trends and the Growing Need for a Small City Strategy." Based on her research on the international affairs of California and subnational diplomacy more broadly, Holmes outlined the increase in activity by cities at the global level and presented a practical guide for any city interested in creating a strategy that could both help protect them from global risks and take advantage of potential opportunities. As well as members from across the division, Cal Cities President Gabe Quinto (mayor of El Cerrito) and CA League of Cities CEO Carolyn Coleman were also present. After discussion, members agreed that future work in this area may be necessary given the growing impact of chaotic international affairs on local politics.
Kiera Sladen and Ruth Worthington (Fellows), Tani Sebro and Emily Worm (Program Directors)
Politics
Kiera Sladen and Ruth Worthington (Politics) were selected for the Fall 2025 Youth Voice Youth Vote Student Fellowship through LEAD California for their project entitled, "Empowering Young Voters: A Civic Engagement Series for Underrepresented Communities in Humboldt County." The fellowship will be directed and supervised by Tani Sebro (Chair, Politics) and Emily Worm (Director of the Center for Community Based Learning). This project will empower young voters in Humboldt County through a series of Fall 2025 events at Cal Poly Humboldt, led by the Politics Club. Their campaign will focus on reducing barriers to voting in rural and tribal communities, educating student voters through a nonpartisan voter education workshop, and promoting awareness of voting rights for students who are formerly or currently incarcerated. Through strategic partnerships and community outreach, this project aims to build a stronger culture of civic engagement in historically underserved communities across the North Coast of California.