Political Science

Chair: Tony Robinson
Program Assistant: Cory Gruebele
Undergraduate Advisor: Lucy McGuffey
Pre-law Advisor: Glenn Morris
Graduate Advisor: Thorsten Spehn
Director, New Directions Program: Minsun Ji
Office: Student Commons, Room 3212
Telephone: 303-315-1770
Fax: 303-315-1780
Website: www.cudenverpoliticalscience.org

Faculty

Professors:

Mike Cummings, PhD, Stanford University
Jana Everett, PhD, University of Michigan

Associate Professors:

Michael J. Berry, PhD, University of Colorado
Lucy McGuffey, PhD, University of Denver
Glenn T. Morris, JD, Harvard University School of Law
Tony Robinson, PhD, University of California, Berkeley
Thorsten Spehn, PhD, University of Denver
Christoph Stefes, PhD, University of Denver
Stephen C. Thomas, PhD, Stanford University

Assistant Professors:

Sasha Breger-Bush, PhD, University of Denver
Bassem Hassan, PhD, University of Denver
Betcy Jose, PhD, University of Pittsburgh
James Walsh, PhD, Regis University

Senior Instructors:

Harvey Bishop, MA, University of Colorado

Adjunct Faculty:

Loring Abeyta, PhD, University of Denver
Karen Breslin, JD, University of Denver
Charles Norton, JD, University of Chicago

Emeritus Faculty:

Joel Edelstein, PhD, University of California, Riverside

Political science is the study of people, power and the public good. Looking at a variety of societies, institutions and interpersonal situations, the discipline asks who has power, where this power comes from, how it is used, how it promotes or impairs the public good and how the public good is defined. Political science draws from other fields, such as psychology, philosophy, economics, sociology and world literature. Finally, it explores the relationship between idealism and realism, between theory and practice, between political thought and personal action.

Opportunities for students with a degree in political science include careers in business, teaching, journalism, community organizing and government service. A political science degree also serves as good preparation for professional training in law and public administration. The students’ internship experiences increase their job opportunities. Students with an MA in political science may find careers in such areas as business, government research and administration and teaching at the community-college level. The CU Denver Political Science Masters Program provides many opportunities for professional development through political internships, for community-based learning through a focused community organizing and development curriculum (including many teaching, research and service partnerships with local community organizations), and for international engagement through a robust international politics curriculum, study abroad opportunities, and partnerships with international organizations.

Please visit the political science department website for detailed information on programs, faculty, students, courses and syllabi, community involvement and service learning, internships and photographs.

Graduate Program

Click here to learn about the requirements for the Masters in Political Science degree.

Click here to learn about the requirements for the Masters in Political Science, New Directions option.

Click here to learn about the requirements for the Democracy and Social Movements Graduate Certificate.

Click here to learn about the requirements for the Public, Non-Profit and Community Leadership Graduate Certificate.

Fourth World Center for the Study of Indigenous Law and Politics

Executive Director: Glenn T. Morris
Telephone: 303-315-1762

This center provides a research clearinghouse to students and faculty at CU Denver on legal and political issues that affect indigenous peoples (the Fourth World). In addition to supporting a modest library of rare books and periodicals on indigenous issues, the center also stocks video and audio resources on subjects of indigenous politics and a substantial news file archive on current developments in the Fourth World. The center has produced curricular materials, including the Fourth World Bulletin, for use in international relations and area-studies courses.

Center for NEW DIRECTIONS in Politics and Public Policy

Director: Minsun Ji
Web site: http://www.cfndirections.org/

This center provides academic programs, courses and research focused in the areas of politics and public policy with the purpose of developing the leadership capacities necessary to address changing public priorities for the 21st century within neighborhoods, communities, governmental jurisdictions and nonprofit entities. Students in the Center’s academic programs include working professionals in public and non-profit sectors, but also elected officials; community activists; interest-group stakeholders; educators from a wide range of demographic, occupational, and personal backgrounds; and simply concerned citizens. The New Directions program offers professional internships with a wide variety of political jurisdictions across Colorado, including several funded internships.

The center offers both undergraduate and graduate degrees in political science with emphases in public policy and administration.

Click here to learn about the requirements for the Masters in Political Science, New Directions option.