Political Science
Program Description
An Associate of Arts degree in Political Science will provide an opportunity for students to gain a deeper understanding of government, politics, and social ideologies. In addition to preparing students for a career as a political scientist, it can also be excellent preparation for pre-law.
Students planning to enter into political science fields can complete their first two years of education at Arizona Western College. The degree program will prepare students for transfer and success in their upper division courses at the university level.
Graduates of this program will successfully complete the following learning outcomes:
- Identify and explain key political concepts and theories
- Discuss the significance of important political arguments and ideologies and evaluate them in an unbiased way
- Identify and explain the causes and consequences of historical events of political importance
- Engage in research on controversial topics and synthesize information from multiple sources with original arguments into a persuasive research paper
Courses are also offered in the subjects of: Anthropology (ANT), Geography (GPH), Nutrition (NTR), Orientation (ORI), and Religious Studies (REL).
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Schedule NowDegree(s) / Certificates(s)
| Title | Local Bachelor's |
|---|---|
| Political Science - A.A. Transfer Degree | - |
Career Outlook
Successful completion of this program can open doors to various employment opportunities, many of which require further higher education at the university level. Below are examples of related occupations and their annual mean wages in Arizona, based on career and wage data from Pipeline AZ, which utilizes government sources for its reports and forecasts.
Description
Teach courses in political science, international affairs, and international relations. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Duties/Tasks
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as classical political thought, international relations, and democracy and citizenship.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Initiate, facilitate, and moderate classroom discussions.
- Plan, evaluate, and revise curricula, course content, course materials, and methods of instruction.
- Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Supervise undergraduate or graduate teaching, internship, and research work.
- Maintain student attendance records, grades, and other required records.
Salary Information (AZ)
$89,030
$48,110
$78,910
$127,760
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Typical Education Level
Doctoral Degree
Description
Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. May study topics, such as public opinion, political decisionmaking, and ideology. May analyze the structure and operation of governments, as well as various political entities. May conduct public opinion surveys, analyze election results, or analyze public documents.
Duties/Tasks
- Teach political science.
- Maintain current knowledge of government policy decisions.
- Develop and test theories, using information from interviews, newspapers, periodicals, case law, historical papers, polls, or statistical sources.
- Disseminate research results through academic publications, written reports, or public presentations.
- Advise political science students.
- Collect, analyze, and interpret data, such as election results and public opinion surveys, reporting on findings, recommendations, and conclusions.
- Interpret and analyze policies, public issues, legislation, or the operations of governments, businesses, and organizations.
- Identify issues for research and analysis.
- Serve on committees.
- Forecast political, economic, and social trends.
Salary Information (AZ)
$96,820
$51,450
$95,660
$131,810
$46.55
$24.74
$45.00
$63.37
Typical Education Level
Doctoral Degree
Contact Information
Department Contact(s)
Faculty/Staff Contact(s)
| Name | Title | Phone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stuart Gibson | Dean of Business, Education, Social and Behavioral Sciences | (928) 317-6417 | Stuart.Gibson@azwestern.edu |
| Adam Ekins | Professor of Political Science | (928) 344-7736 | adam.ekins@azwestern.edu |