Our lives are affected by politics every day, and political events are happening all around us. Political Science is the study of politics and power in its many forms, including protest movements and revolutions, law-making and criminal justice, war and international conflicts, human rights violations and efforts to stop them, campaigns and elections in the U.S. and around the world, and competing political ideas and ideologies.
Our courses provide the tools to analyze and understand all of these things and more, and they also help students develop skills in research, analysis, writing, and speaking that are necessary for success in a variety of professions. Our graduates work in nonprofit organizations, international affairs, law, business, education, advocacy groups, and in local, state, and national government.
The GVSU Political Science Department offers Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in Political Science. We also host an interdisciplinary Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations.
March 17, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Resume questions are one of the number one reasons Lakers reach out for career support. In the age of AI and ATS, how can you make your resume stand out? In this interactive workshop, we'll...
March 17, 2026 7:00 PM
Join the D.C. Alumni Network to watch the Washington Wizards take on the Detroit Pistons! Enjoy a fun evening out and catch up with fellow Grand Valley alumni in the D.C. area. Tickets are $24 per...
March 19, 2026 2:00 PM - 5:00 PM
Running Start, the non-profit organization that runs the Elect Her program, brings campaign training and real-world experiences from currently-elected officials to college campuses across the U.S....
March 19, 2026 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM
Women elected to public office not only shape policy but also influence young people’s ideas about leadership and democracy. Join us for an engaging conversation with political scientist Christina...
Olivia Robach (PLS and IR double major) earned a scholarship to join student scholars from around the US to attend the annual conference of the World Affairs Council in Washington, DC in November 2025.
Dec 3, 2025
This spring, Dr. Whitt Kilburn, Associate Professor of Political Science at Grand Valley State University, published Introduction to Political Analysis in R through Chapman and Hall/CRC.
Sep 12, 2025
Program Manager for the American College of Cardiology.
Former Accounting Supervisor for the Holland Public Schools and current Ph.D. student in PhD student
Senior Director of Episode Development Analytics at Signify Health
Clerk's Assistant with Oakland Township
Senior Staff Attorney for the Benefits Review Board at the U.S. Department of Labor.
Senior Legal Counsel at Equinix
Director of Economic Development, DTE Energy
