Contact Information
Political Science and Public Administration
The Political Science and Public Administration Department has three major objectives. First, the department provides students with a traditional liberal arts education. The department’s offerings in the university-wide liberal studies program create an awareness and understanding of national and international political processes. Second, the department’s professional and pre-professional programs in political science, law, public administration and education facilitate the development of talented and ethical leaders and educators. Third, the department’s faculty and students study and assist in the resolution of political and administrative problems in the local community, the Upper Peninsula region and the state.
The department offers majors in political science, public administration and political science/pre-law. Students interested in secondary teaching must apply for admittance to and pursue the professional education emphasis along with a political science major or minor. A political science minor and a public administration minor are available and can be arranged to complement a variety of majors. An interdisciplinary major in secondary education social studies is offered by the department, along with support courses in the international studies major. See the “International Studies” section of this bulletin.
Internships in public administration and law are secured for qualified juniors and seniors. Internships are available at the local, state and national level. Competitive scholarships for student interns in the nation’s capital are provided through NMU’s Washington Center Internship Program.
Student Organizations
- College Republicans
- Young Democrats
- Model United Nations Club
- Political Science Film Forum
- Political Science Symposium
- Student Law Forum
- Student Michigan Education Association
Pre-law Advising
Pre-law students enroll in courses, work as legal interns and participate in mock trial competition and other law-related extracurricular activities. All students planning to attend law school should contact the Political Science and Public Administration Department for referral to one of our well-qualified pre-law advisers. A specific political science/pre-law major is available to students, but law schools will accept students with other majors, and our pre-law advisers will work with all students in selecting appropriate course work that prepares them for law school, in fulfilling other prerequisites for law school admission and on making application to law schools.
Department/Program Policies
Students majoring in political science/pre-law must maintain an NMU/cumulative grade point average of 2.70 or greater with no grade below a “C” in courses for the major. Students with majors or minors in political science or public administration must not have any grade below a “C” in courses for the major or minor.
Students majoring in secondary education political science or minoring in political science secondary education must maintain a grade point average of 2.70 or greater with no grade below a “C” in the professional education sequence, the major and/or minors and required cognates combined.
Courses Subjects to Waiver
When courses within a major or minor are listed as subject to waiver, and the adviser has approved the waiver, the political science elective credit hours required in that block are increased by four.
Programs
Bulletin Year: 2009 - 2010 Undergraduate Bulletin | View the current NMU Catalog.