political science advances people's understanding of politics, power, governance, and public policy in the united states and across the globe. in the broadest sense, political science is the study of governments and governmental procedures. political science is as old as civilization, because people always have been interested in their government and in their leaders. but political science as it is thought today, as one of the social sciences, is a comparatively new discipline. it developed in the united states during the last century as political scientists developed an ability to make increasingly scientific observations of government. political scientists are concerned with origins and sources of governmental organizations, their growth, and their decline, as well as with the processes and structure of government.

political science students can gain a versatile set of skills that can be applied in a wide range of exciting careers in federal, state and local governments; law; business; international organizations; nonprofit associations and organizations; campaign management and polling; journalism; education; electoral politics; research and university teaching. political science majors gain analytical skills, administrative competence and communication abilities that are valued in a wide spectrum of potential career areas.