Welcome to Political Science at

Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

How we are different? Why get a degree in Political Science from us?

One reason is that we--the Political Science faculty--are very active in the life of the university, the country and the world:.

Two of us have run for (and been elected!) to public office.

We have two Fulbright Scholars, a practicing attorney, and the author of several books.

We have taught in or conducted research in Poland, Bolivia, Scotland, Ecuador, Vietnam, Belgium, Peru, Singapore, Kenya, China, Honduras, France, Morocco, and Australia.

We work with our students to place them into internship and study abroad programs.

We've placed our students into many law schools (including Harvard Law School).

One of us is the Chair of the Department of History, Political Science, Economics, and Geography.

What are the precise requirements for the degree in Political Science? Click here (then come back!):

What are the career opportunities that flow from a degree in Political Science? Click here (then come back!):

Thinking of Pre-Law? Click here (then come back!):

Political Science Faculty:

Program faculty share a strong commitment to maintaining rigorous academic standards and to providing the feedback and guidance that is instrumental to your success. Faculty tailor classroom activities, exams, field trips, research and writing assignments, and individual and group projects to foster the development of your abilities and understanding.

The full-time faculty members contributing to the program number seven. Five of the seven are tenured. There are six Ph.D.s and one J.D.

Dr. Stanley Berard, Associate Professor and Department Chair

Dr. Jeffrey Burnham, Professor

Dr. Lawrence Farley, Professor

Dr. Brooke Harlowe, Associate Professor

Dr. Kathleen McQuaid, Professor

Dr. Andrew Musila, Assistant Professor

Robert Storch, J.D. Assistant Professor

What do we seek to achieve with our students?

1. The competencies of democratic citizenship necessary for a life-long commitment to political efficacy as citizens of communities, the nation and the world, including competencies leading to life-long learning.

2. Sophisticated abilities for reading, listening, speaking, writing, critical analysis, thinking, cognitive and analytical skills, and values analysis.

3. Awareness of the increasing interdependencies of national societies in a global and multicultural world.

4. A broad grounding in the values of liberal arts education.

5. An understanding of the role of politics in one's own life and society generally.

6. Skill in the use of emerging information technologies.

7. A grounding in the methods of political science inquiry.

8. The integration of knowledge and methods from across the liberal arts and science disciplines.

9. An understanding of conflicting values and theories as they inform politics and its study.

By the time you graduate we want you to have:

(1) A facility with the systematic comparative analysis of institutions, processes and behaviors of American and other political societies.

(2) An understanding of the main findings, research problems, theoretical perspectives, and research methodologies in political science.

(3) A critical understanding of the role of political institutions and processes in the management and resolution of conflict in society and of major governmental institutions and processes.

(4) The capacity to formulate a problem in political terms and to translate it into researchable questions.

(5) The skills to conduct quantitative and qualitative research with the ability to determine the logical and empirical validity of truth claims made.

(6) Sophisticated linguistic skills.

(7) The ability to formulate, reformulate, and reflect on political values and seek the knowledge, skills, and commitment required to act on those values.