Your study of government will provide a rich mixture of the real and the ideal, of values frequently in conflict with both each other and the practical obstacles that stand in their way. These interactions confront us every day as individuals, citizens of our nation, and members of the global community.
To develop breadth and depth of knowledge, you'll take a core curriculum designed especially for OWU Politics & Government majors. Working closely with your faculty advisor, you'll select courses in each core area to meet your unique interests and career goals:
The department offers a five-course Politics & Government minor as well.
Undergraduate research is a core part of The OWU Connection, and the Politics & Government Department promotes independent projects and research with OWU professors. Students often present their results at national and regional conferences.
Students take full advantage of OWU's diverse liberal arts curriculum and often connect two areas in research projects or choose to double major.
For the 2019 Eddy Lecture on World Politics, Nobel Prize-winning scientist Jonathan T. Overpeck discussed "Global Climate Change, Water Security, and Ecosystem Disruption: Higher Scientific Confidence than You Might Think."
OWU offers a variety of ways for you to take your learning off campus. From your first year, you can take Travel-Learning Courses. You can also study abroad for a semester or get a Connection Grant for a project anywhere in the world.
Recent Travel-Learning Courses related to politics and government have taken students to Korea, Argentina, the United Kingdom, and the Southwestern United States.
Dr. Ji Choi's East Asian Politics Travel-Learning class traveled to Korea.
Build experience, knowledge, and networks with the real professional world with internships where the political action is.
Through the Wesleyan in Washington program, you will live and work in Washington, D.C. An intensive, full-time internship experience, the program matches you with internship placements that precisely reflect your interests and professional goals.
During her Wesleyan in Washington semester, Kennedy Sattler '20 interned at Airlines for America, an advocacy organization for the U.S. airline industry.
OWU faculty are outstanding scholars and researchers—and passionate teachers. They will push you, challenge you, inspire you, and work with you on your own research and creative projects.
They can even pack a 3-minute lecture with ideas, insight, and imagination. Check out our unique I³ lectures.
An OWU tradition, the Mock Convention dates back to 1884 and is held during presidential election years. You'll learn about the fundamentals of one of the most intriguing U.S. political events--the presidential nominating convention. You'll also learn about candidates and key issues in the upcoming election.
OWU teams participate in annual regional and national moot court and mock trial competitions. In 2016, seniors Katherine Berger and Rhiannon Herbert led OWU to a top-5 finish in the American Collegiate Moot Court Association National Championships.
The Arneson Institute for Practical Politics and Public Affairs helps you learn more about political life through internships and independent study. In recent years, OWU students have worked with legislators, law firms and courts, public interest groups, and political campaigns.
The Model United Nations is a student-run organization that simulates how the United Nations handles current international issues. OWU Model UN members travel every year to Model UN conferences across the country.
After graduating, Ana was accepted at the Louisiana State University Law School. While at OWU, Ana participated in a Travel-Learning Course in the Galapagos Islands, conducted research with OWU's Dr. Chris Wolverton, and was a member of OWU's Moot Court competition team.
Ohio Wesleyan Named a 2024 'Most Engaged Campus for College Student Voting'
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Political Scientist to Discuss Gaza and America's Role in the Middle East on Nov. 13 at Ohio Wesleyan
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OWU's Moot Court Team, run by Dr. Michael Esler, frequently places in the National Championships for both teams and individual competitors.
Small class sizes means more time for creative lectures and classroom projects.
Nick Calio '75, president and CEO of Airlines for America, returned to campus to deliver the Marsh Lecture on Public Affairs in 2019. His topic: "Bipartisanship in Partisan Politics."
Students pose outside the Capitol Building while interning through the Wesleyan in Washington program. Participants in the program spend a semester living in Washington, D.C. completing an internship for classroom credit.
That means great discussion.
Every four years, OWU holds a Mock Convention for the party currently not in power.
Students get hands-on learning discussing modern life and its discontents at the Columbus Museum of Art.
During her Wesleyan in Washington semester, Kennedy Sattler '20 interned at Airlines for America. OWU 1975 graduate Nick Calio is President and CEO of this advocacy organization for the U.S. airline industry.
For the 2016 Mock Conventions, the OWU community chose former Ohio governor John Kasich as their nominee.
