Student Resources
Undergraduate Research Opportunities
The Department of Political Science strongly encourages its students to undertake research projects, either in concert with the department's faculty or in an independent capacity. The Political Science Honors Seminar (POL 110H), Capstone Seminar (POL 400), and Directed Study (POL 500) courses as well as other Political Science courses offer valuable opportunities for undertaking research projects. The directed study course, in particular, allows students to work in greater depth with a specific professor on a one-on-one basis on a topic of particular interest to the student. Students must contact the professor with whom they wish to undertake a directed study well in advance of the beginning of the semester during which they plan on undertaking that directed study. This is critically important because students must present to the department's faculty a formal proposal for their directed study at the very beginning of the semester.
Students may present their research projects at the annual Salem State College Undergraduate Research Symposium, usually held at the end of the academic year. Students may also apply for regional and national undergraduate research grants to support more ambitious research projects. Please contact Professor Jennifer Jackman for information about the Undergraduate Research Symposium.
The Salem State College Honors Program
The Department of Political Science actively supports the mission and energetically participates in the activities of the Salem State College Honors Program, including through the offering of an honors course (POL 110H). Please contact Professors Daniel Mulcare or Elizabeth Coughlan for more information.
Study Abroad Programs
Visiting a foreign country and immersing yourself in a foreign culture may be an invaluable part of your educational experience at Salem State College. In particular, students of Political Science may find that there is no better way to acquire a meaningful appreciation for foreign political, economic, and social systems than through participating in a Study Abroad program. Courses taken while abroad on a Study Abroad program may be transferred back to Salem State College for credit. For more information, students should contact the department chairperson or the Center for International Education (CIE).
The Political Science Academy
The Political Science Academy (PSA) is the Salem State College student organization for Political Science majors and minors. Its purposes are to promote political awareness on campus and to aid the career plans of its members. Every major and minor is automatically a member unless s/he chooses not to be. Professor Elizabeth Coughlan currently serves as the faculty advisor to the PSA. The PSA meets almost every Monday in MH346.
The Political Science Undergraduate Curriculum Committee
The Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) of the Department of Political Science serves to keep the essential undergraduate education mission of the department current and relevant by regularly reviewing and amending the department's curriculum. The mandate of the UCC includes the task of creating new courses and concentrations and improving existing courses and concentrations as appropriate. In addition to the entire faculty of the department, two Political Science students are elected to serve as voting members of the UCC at the beginning of the Fall semester each year. The department's curriculum is your curriculum. Please feel free to speak with your representatives or with any Political Science faculty member if you have questions, concerns, or ideas pertaining to the Political Science curriculum. Furthermore, please keep in mind that any student may attend a meeting of the UCC, though in a nonvoting capacity. Professor Daniel Mulcare currently serves as the chairperson of our UCC.
Useful Political Science Related Links
The Political Science Academy has put together a comprehensive page of links related to Political Science. You may want to start there, especially if you are interested in US domestic politics.
General Resources
- Congressional Directory
- Congressional Record
- Senate, House, and Executive Reports
- THOMAS: Legislative Information on the Internet
- National Partnership for Reinventing Government
- The President's Cabinet
- Public Papers of the President
- White House
- Capweb
- Congress.org
- AllPolitics (from Time and CNN)
- Atlantic Unbound: Politics and Society (from the Atlantic Monthly)
- Federal Election Commission
- Project Vote Smart
Resources Covering Many Countries
- Background Notes (U.S. Dept. of State)
- Country Studies/Area Handbooks
- International Constitutional Law
- Stockholm International Peace Research Institute
- Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets (U.S. Dept. of State)
- U.S. Department of State
- World Fact Book (CIA)
- Anti-Imperialist Links
Africa
- Africa Recovery Newsletter from the United Nations
- AfricaNews Online
- Contemporary Conflicts in Africa
Asia
- Asia Source
- Asiaweek
- BBC World Service: East Asia Today
- Far Eastern Economic Review
- The U.S. State Department, Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
- CIM China Page
- China Labour Bulletin
- Transnational China Project at Rice
Eastern Europe
- Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
- Friends and Partners
- REESweb: Russian and East European Studies
- U.N. International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia
- Kosovo (University of Michigan Docments Center)
A very extensive and well-organized compilation - Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Federal Secretariat of Information
- Serbia Info - From the Serbian point of view
Latin America
- Internet Resources for Latin America (Guide by Molly Molloy)
- Latin American Network Information Center (University of Texas)
- Political Database of the Americas (Georgetown University)
Model United Nations
- Harvard Model United Nations
- Harvard World Model United Nations
Check out their resource list for comprehensive links - Slippery Rock Model United Nations
- Sinclair Community College Model United Nations
- Mike's Model United Nations Home Page