Departmental Brochure

The politics major, one of the most popular at Fairfield, offers a diverse and up-to-date curriculum designed to acquaint you with the discipline of political science and its various subfields (political theory, American politics, comparative politics, international relations). It provides students with the skills needed to succeed in the job market or to go on to law, business, or graduate school. Members of the department stress the development of strong critical thinking and analytical skills; oral and written communication skills; and the experience of politics through active participation in classroom discussion and debate, internships, and independent research projects.

Faculty members in the department have intellectual interests in all the subfields of political science and are involved in a great number of the University's area studies and specialized minors including applied ethics, Asian studies, Black studies, the Honors Program, international studies, Irish studies, Latin American and Caribbean studies, peace and justice studies, Russian and East European studies, and women's studies.

Real World Education

The curriculum for a politics major ensures that students are familiar with political thinkers from Plato to Marx to Foucault. Students are taught to recognize the differences between the United States system of politics and those of other nations and cultures; students are made aware of the impact of U.S. domestic policies on other nations. Politics majors are prepared to be alert and aware as citizens and to be engaged in public life from whatever position they hold in society.

The department is committed to developing in its students strong research, writing, and analytical skills that give them great flexibility for entry into graduate schools or the job market. Faculty members are eager to assist students in clarifying their career objectives and in designing a concentration of courses and experiences that will provide them with intellectual enrichment and lead to a meaningful vocation.

Course of Study

The politics major at Fairfield University is made up of 30 credits (10 courses). These include the introductory courses in American politics, comparative politics, and political theory, as well as one upper-division course in each of the four department subfields (the three already mentioned plus international relations). Students may elect their remaining three courses from any of the electives within the department.

The politics courses offered at Fairfield are:

Introductory
PO 11  Introduction to American Politics
PO 12  Introduction to Comparative Politics
PO 14  Introduction to Political Theory

Political Theory
PO 116 Utopian Politics
PO 118 American Political Thought
PO 119 Introduction to Feminist Thought
PO 123 Modern Political Ideologies
PO 124 Marxist Political Thought
PO 220 Seminar on Feminist Theory

International Relations
PO 130 International Relations
PO 133 U.S. Foreign Policy
PO 134 Globalization: Who Rules the World?
PO 135 Peace and War in the Nuclear Age
PO 146 Vietnam and the American Experience

Comparative Politics
PO 140 European Politics
PO 141 African Politics
PO 142 Latin American Politics
PO 143 Caribbean Politics
PO 144 Middle Eastern Politics
PO 145 The Major Powers of Asia
PO 147 Northern Ireland:

The Politics of War and Peace
PO 149 Third World: Common Fate? Common Bond?
PO 241 Seminar on Britain
PO 246 Seminar on China
PO 249 Seminar on Russia
PO 344 Seminar on Middle East Politics
PO 346 Seminar on Vietnam

American Politics
PO 115 Introduction to the Study of Peace and Justice
PO 150 Urban Politics
PO 151 The Politics of the Immigrant:

The Irish Catholic and East European Jewish Communities
PO 155 Public administration
PO 161 The American Presidency
PO 162 United States Congress
PO 163 Supreme Court I
PO 164 Supreme Court II
PO 165 Political Parties, Interest Groups, and

Public Opinion
PO 166 American Public Policy
PO 167 Media and Politics
PO 168 Politics of Mass Popular Culture

Internships and Senior Research
PO 296 State Legislature Internship
PO 297 Washington Semester Internship
PO 298 Politics Internship
PO 398 Independent Study/Research

The Faculty

The seven members of the politics department have interests which span the broad field of political science. All are active in research and are published, and more than half of the members of the department have won teaching awards at Fairfield. Their areas of teaching specialization are as follows:

Internships and Research

Internships for credit are available with the Connecticut state legislature, with local governments, and with public interest agencies, as well as with the federal government through a semester-long program of study in Washington, D.C. Those students who have gone to Washington have been placed in internships in the White House, cabinet departments, in congressional offices, and in special interest groups. Locally, students have worked for Connecticut state legislators in the city offices of Bridgeport, and in the First Selectman's office of the Town of Fairfield.

Students with interests in international affairs (business and politics) have interned with the International Executive Service Corps and such non-profit organizations as Save the Children. In addition, a number of our majors have been awarded Fulbright scholarships for research and study abroad. In recent years recipients of Fulbrights have studied in Argentina, Canada, Morocco, El Salvador, and Sri Lanka.

The department also encourages juniors and seniors to undertake independent research projects under faculty guidance for course credit.

Life after Fairfield

Students who major in politics go on to a wide variety of careers. Many politics majors decide to attend law school and have been admitted to such schools as Harvard, the University of Virginia, Notre Dame, Emory, Georgetown, and Duke. Some have chosen to pursue graduate study in political science and are attending, with full financial support, the universities of Chicago, Wisconsin, Washington, and North Carolina. Some have entered MBA programs at Fairfield and at other schools such as New York University, the University of Virginia, and Pace University. Others prefer to begin their careers right after graduating from Fairfield and have gone to work in private corporations, public and private non-profit organizations, government agencies, and media/publishing firms.

Profile

Michael Tellirico
Politics major

"Politics was always something that interested me and Fairfield has a great reputation. The professors in the Politics Department are just incredibly brilliant. I think it's the coolest thing on the planet when something happens in politics and Dr. Marcie Patton or Dr. John Orman will get called by the media for a comment. It's great to see that people across the country seek out their expert opinion on a topic.

The professors here are very engaging. They lead lively discussions and encourage students to contribute to the conversation. They freely dole out their own opinions, sometimes with the hope of sparking some light and humorous banter in the classroom. The professors always make sure every opinion is equally respected. I encourage students to talk to the professors. Their doors are always open for students."

For further information, please contact:
Dr. John Orman, department chair
Donnarumma Hall 302
Fairfield University
Fairfield, CT 06824-5195
Telephone: (203) 254-4000, ext. 2864
E-mail: jorman@mail.fairfield.edu