Undergraduate Research Opportunities
The department of politics, policy and international relations strongly encourages its students to undertake research projects, either in concert with the department's faculty or in an independent capacity. These opportunities include department's honors seminar (POL110H), capstone seminar (POL 400), and directed study (POL 500, POL600H). 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 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 University 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 Vanessa Ruget at vruget@salemstate.edu for information about the Undergraduate Research Symposium.
The Salem State University Honors Program
The politics, policy and international relations department actively supports the mission and energetically participates in the activities of the Salem State University Honors Program, including through the offering of an honors course (POL 110H). Please contact Professor Daniel Mulcare for more information on the honors program.
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 University. In particular, political science students of politics, policy and international relations 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 University 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 is the Salem State University 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 Dan Mulcare currently serves as the faculty advisor to the Political Science Academy.
Pre-Law Society
Many political students aspire to careers in the law. The Pre-Law Society provides an opportunity to learn about law schools and the law school application process, legal careers, different fields of law, and important issues before the state and federal courts. Professor Jennifer Jackman currently serves as the faculty advisor to the Pre-Law Society.
The Department Undergraduate Committee
The Department Undergraduate Committee of the politics, policy and international relations department serves to keep the essential undergraduate education mission of the department current and relevant by regularly reviewing and amending the department's curriculum. Its mandate 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 students from the department are elected to serve as voting members of the undergraduate curriculum committee at the beginning of the Fall semester each year. Students can speak with their representatives or with any politics, policy and international relations faculty member if they have questions, concerns, or ideas pertaining to the politics, policy and international relations curriculum.
Furthermore, please keep in mind that any student may attend a meeting of the undergraduate curriculum committee, though in a nonvoting capacity. Professor Daniel Mulcare currently serves as the chairperson of our undergraduate curriculum committee.