Loyola University Chicago

Department of Political Science

From the Chair

Welcome to the website of the Department of Political Science!

Our award-winning faculty teach courses on American institutions and constitutional law, the comparative politics of Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, foreign policy and international relations, and political theory, past and present.

We are very proud of our BA, BA/MA, MA/JD, MA, and PhD programs that prepare our students to "lead extraordinary lives" in the best traditions of Jesuit education. We are particularly excited about our recently launched MA in International Affairs. A degree in political science is excellent preparation for careers in politics, law, government, international affairs, journalism, business, education, and social services. Our graduates are the recipients of prestigious scholarships, such as the Fulbright award, and many have gone on to attend renowned professional schools and institutions of higher learning, both in the U.S. and abroad.

All of our faculty teach undergraduate and graduate courses and engage in scholarly research. Several have practical experience in the legal profession, the military, local politics, and the foreign service. They are internationally engaged in countries throughout Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East, and have received prestigious grants to fund their research, including recent major grants from the Guggenheim Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the State Department.

We offer numerous educational opportunities outside the classroom. Our internship program places students in a variety of host offices in the City of Chicago. Students take part in the department's award-winning Model United Nations and Mock Trial programs. The department also has endowed lecture series that make it possible to bring prominent scholars and political figures to Loyola every semester to share their ideas and to meet with students.

In short, if you wish to study politics with an award-winning faculty at one of the country's leading Jesuit universities in one of the greatest cities in the world, Loyola University Chicago is for you!

If you have any questions about our programs, please do not hesitate to contact our Undergraduate Program Director, Professor David Doherty (ddoherty@luc.edu); Graduate Program Director for Political Science, Professor Eric Hansen (ehansen4@luc.edu); Graduate Program Director for International Affairs, Professor Tofigh Maboudi (tmaboudi@luc.edu), or any of our other faculty, including me (mmelin@luc.edu).

Thank you again for visiting our website, and for considering making Loyola University Chicago your academic home.

Molly Melin (mmelin@luc.edu)
Professor & Chair
Department of Political Science
Loyola University Chicago