Political Science Major Sheet (PDF)
Political Science Minor Sheet (PDF)
Aristotle famously quipped that man is by nature a political animal, and throughout history humans have indeed lived and worked primarily in social communities, ranging from small tribes and towns to vast nations. The field of political science provides opportunities for students of every age to study systematically how human societies organize and govern themselves. Students in Asbury University’s political science program join a centuries old conversation that begins with simple questions about governing arrangements, but that leads to profound questions about the nature of man, the nature of justice, and how humans should structure their political lives and institutions.
The primary goal of the program is to develop students with a deep understanding of, and critical orientation toward, the realm of politics. Students who complete the program will have extensive knowledge about:
As with other programs at Asbury, the study of politics is undertaken here against the backdrop of a Wesleyan understanding of the Christian faith, and amidst the time honored traditions of a liberal arts education. A Wesleyan perspective suggests that Christ can redeem individual humans and strengthen their social relationships and their institutions. But the perspective also implies that human institutions cannot themselves provide salvation for individuals or states, nor can governments meet all human needs. The liberal arts tradition suggests that politics is best studied within the broader context of literature and art, theology, philosophy, and the other social sciences. Asbury political science students therefore develop well-rounded baccalaureate programs that range across the disciplines.