Information For:
Department of Political Science
Welcome to our website! Political Science at KSU offers many opportunities for students to expand their horizons, from city councils to the UN Security Council. This is an exciting time to learn about all that politics is about: the fight for democratic freedoms, human rights, the global environment, racial equality, social welfare, and other vital causes. Our faculty brings politics to life, preparing students to be more informed citizens who are highly competitive for a wide variety of careers.
Graduates of our BA, MA, and PhD programs have three distinct “tracks” in which to focus their studies: American Politics, Transnational-Comparative Politics, and Public Policy and Administration. In addition, the department offers a Masters of Public Administration (MPA) and an undergraduate degree in Applied Conflict Management.
Our full-time faculty is committed to meeting the needs of students while expanding the frontiers of political knowledge through their research in all areas of political science. I hope you will take the opportunity to learn about their work on the “People” link to this page, and to learn about the many other programs they manage on a daily basis. Our staff in 302 Bowman Hall is always on hand to provide more information – or to steer you in the right direction of the professor down the hall!
I hope to see you soon in one of our classrooms. Feel free to contact me personally ( shook@kent.edu) if you’d like more information about Poli Sci at KSU.
Political Science Among Top-Earning Majors
The starting median salary for a Political Science undergraduate is $41,300. That is more than majors in Business Administration, Business Management, Information Technology, Biology, and Psychology. For list of median and mid-career salaries click here.
News & Highlights
- Askat Dukenbaev selected for Charles & Kathleen Manatt Fellowship Askat Dukenbaev (PhD candidate) has been selected as a fellow of the Charles & Kathleen Manatt Democracy Studies Fellowship at IFES in Washington D.C. for the summer of 2012. The fellowship will give Askat an opportunity to conduct a research on the topic of his dissertation at IFES’ F. Clifton White Applied Research Center for Democracy and Elections (ARC), and have the benefit of mentorship from IFES’ international election and democracy experts on staff. Congratulations to Askat! - Posted May. 16, 2012
- Dr. Mark Cassell takes his graduate course in Urban Politics to Cleveland Dr. Mark Cassell takes his graduate course in Urban Politics to Cleveland. The students in the course were briefed by David Beach, the executive director of Green City on a Blue Lake, Chris Ronayne, President of University Circle Incorporate, the directors of Cleveland's Planning Department and Community Development Department, and city planner Marka Fields. - Posted May. 7, 2012
- Prof. Richard Stanislaw receives the Outstanding Teaching Award for 2011-12! Prof. Stanislaw is but the latest in a steady stream of POL faculty members that have won this award, which is sponsored by the University Teaching Council and offered to the top non-tenure-track faculty members at KSU. He has also been recently named among the top five Kent State professors, based on a survey of students through KentWired. - Posted Feb. 7, 2012
- Dr. Joshua Stacher briefs President Jimmy Carter on the Crises in Egypt Dr. Joshua Stacher was flown in to brief President Jimmy Carter on the Egyptian elections at The Carter Center in Atlanta. Dr. Stacher, Assistant Professor and expert in authoritarian governments has been interviewed by various media outlets on the Egyptian crises. His book titled “Adaptable Autocrats: Regime Power in Egypt and Syria” compares institutions and co-optation to explain authoritarian durability in Egypt and Syria. - Posted Feb. 10, 2012
- Dr. Patrick G. Coy interviewed by Media on the Occupy Movement Dr. Patrick G. Coy, Director and Professor at the Center for Applied Conflict Management (CACM) has been recently interviewed by multiple media outlets on the significance of the Occupy Movement. Dr. Coy also recently completed a Fulbright Fellowship at the University of Botswana in Gabarone. - Posted Jan. 5, 2012
Julie Mazzei Dr. Julie Mazzei has been selected for the 2010-2011 Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award. Dr. Mazzei is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science and she teaches courses in comparative politics and international relations. Her work focuses on human rights and political violence, particularly in Latin America and her book, “Death Squads or Self-Defense Forces? How Paramilitary Groups Emerge and Challenge Democracy in Latin America” was released in 2009.
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Dr. Ryan L. Claassen has recently been promoted to Associate Professor in the Department of Political Science. Dr. Claassen’s research interests include American politics, elections and political behavior, public opinion, public law and methodology. His work has appeared recently in American Politics Research, The Journal of Politics, Political Behavior, and Political Research Quarterly. Also he was recently awarded a $40,000 grant from the Spencer Foundation (Chicago, IL).
