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.
April 16, 2025 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
GVSU’s VMA and Film & Video Alumni Network invite our local media production community, alumni, students, and friends of our program to celebrate and welcome a new batch of media professionals. This...
April 16, 2025 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Winter & Summer 2025 graduates, you're invited to join the GVSU Alumni Relations office and President Mantella to celebrate your graduation and what it means to be a Laker for a Lifetime....
April 16, 2025 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Winter & Summer 2025 graduates, you're invited to join the GVSU Alumni Relations office and President Mantella to celebrate your graduation and what it means to be a Laker for a Lifetime....
April 22, 2025 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Meet with district representatives to discuss opportunities for teachers, psychologists/school counselors, speech pathologists, therapists, social workers, coaches, and more! Bring resumes and dress...
April 24, 2025 5:00 PM - 7:30 PM
This spring, we are thrilled to celebrate the newest class of Peter C. Cook Leadership Academy Fellows. As our 2025 graduates prepare to enter the next season of life, we will gather to celebrate the...
May 7, 2025 6:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Join your fellow Lakers in Denver for an evening of baseball, community, and Laker pride as we cheer on the Detroit Tigers against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field! We’ll be sharing...
May 7, 2025 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
The College of Education and Community Innovation and the Education Alumni Network are celebrating 60 years of education programs at Grand Valley State University. This May we will be inviting alumni,...
The GVSU Political Science Department and the International Relations program congratulate Carly Stengel (IR) and Isabella Grunwaldt (PLS), winners of the Excellence-in-a-Discipline awards for their respective majors.
Apr 15, 2025
Eligibility is open to all students who major in political science or international relations.
Feb 26, 2025
Victor Cardenas' life has been characterized by service to the public and Grand Valley. Cardenas graduated from GVSU in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in political science. He earned a master's degree in public affairs from Indiana University and executive
Sep 30, 2024
Associate Attorney at Jenner & Block
Student Summer Scholar 2014
Greg Robinson, Associate Professor and Chair of Political Science at Binghamton University (SUNY) in New York
Toby Hutchins, Vice President of Fennville Board of Education
Marc Plooster, Accounting Supervisor for the Holland Public Schools
Rebekah Bakker, Business Development Manager at Custer, Inc.
