The department was founded in 1913, and has granted more than 500 doctorates to date. Alumni hold academic appointments at major research universities and liberal arts colleges, as well as prominent positions in the public and private sectors. The department has approximately 100 graduate students and 750 undergraduate majors.

The department receives more than 200 applications for graduate study each year, and aims to enroll the 15 or so most talented and promising young scholars. It is committed to the fullest possible development of the scholarly and professional potential of each graduate student. To this end, the graduate program offers comprehensive coverage of the major fields of political science, training in a wide variety of theoretical and methodological approaches, and opportunities for independent and original research. Professional teaching preparation is also central to the graduate program.

Also housed at Indiana University, and affiliated with the department, is The Workshop in Political Theory and Policy Analysis, where faculty, visiting scholars, and students participate in productive scholarship related to institutional analysis and design. Co-founded by Elinor and Vincent Ostrom, the Workshop is home to an extensive interdisciplinary research agenda and affiliated faculty in Economics, Political Science, Psychology, the Kelley School of Business, and the School of Public and Environmental Affairs. [more...]