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.
May 16, 2026 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
The man who mentored countless students and was largely responsible for establishing Grand Valley's Office of Multicultural Affairs died in late March, leaving behind a legacy worthy of a "Giant." Donald...
May 19, 2026 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
Join us for the 6th Annual GVSU Cornhole Tournament! Registration is free — just pick a teammate and a team name. All GVSU faculty, staff, and students are eligible to participate. The first...
May 19, 2026 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
A conversation for people interested in care based and community centered ventures. This includes home based childcare providers, early learning centers, youth programs, family support organizations,...
May 19, 2026 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Join fellow alumni for a tour of the Seidman College of Business' Experiential Learning and Sales Lab. This innovative space gives students the opportunity to take their learning beyond the classroom...
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
Research Analyst at the W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
Aids Refugee Relocation Efforts
Digital Director at Americans For Tax Fairness and Creative Director for Unfiltered Media
Executive Assistant to the Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Worldwide Digital Content, Advertising, and Corporate Development
Business Development Manager at Custer, Inc.
1L at MSU College of Law
Senior Staff Attorney for the Benefits Review Board at the U.S. Department of Labor.
