Political Science
The Department of Political Science is among the most popular programs at Providence College, with about 330 majors and minors. Yet our classes are small, rarely exceeding 25 students, with many seminars, special topics courses, and undergraduate research projects. We offer an Honors option for outstanding students, which includes writing an Honors thesis during the senior year. We maintain a computer lab, online and other electronic data resources, an extensive politics-oriented video collection, and a library of political texts, campaign materials, and memorabilia.
The Political Science Department believes strongly that learning is not limited to the classroom. The Department encourages community involvement: we are engaged with the International Institute of Rhode Island in a series of voluntary projects, we encourage foreign study, and we support internships, all as part of our academic program. On campus, the department presents a full range of public events every year, including lectures, films, and "teach-ins," for examples. Our students are actively involved in campus student government and many other organizations.
Our faculty are teachers and scholars
The department has a diverse full-time faculty of 15 members, who hold Ph.D. degrees from California at Berkeley, Brown, SUNY at Buffalo, Chicago, Columbia, Connecticut, Johns Hopkins, Kent State, Massachusetts, Michigan State, North Carolina, and Rutgers. In recent years political science faculty have directed the College's interdisciplinary programs in Black Studies, Latin American Studies, and Public Administration, and also teach in the Women's Studies, Liberal Arts Honors, Global Studies, Public and Community Service, Asian Studies, and Development of Western Civilization programs. Our teaching faculty also enjoy strong scholarly reputations. They write well-regarded academic books and articles, and are regularly invited to present research in many regions and fields: the American, Western, Midwest, Southwest, and Northeastern Political Science associations, the National Conference of Black Political Scientists, and the Latin American, African, and International Studies Associations. Our faculty all serve as academic advisors for majors and minors, and mentors for students who seek admission to some of the nation's most prestigious graduate, professional and law schools. We invite prospective students to find additional information about our program on this website, or to contact us directly.
The Faculty
Professors
Anthony D. Affigne,
Ph.D.
Richard M.
Battistoni, Ph.D.
Mary L. Bellhouse,
Ph.D.
Douglas W. Blum,
Ph.D.
James M. Carlson,
Ph.D., Emeritus
Rev. Edward L.
Cleary, O.P., Ph.D.
, Emeritus
Zygmunt J. Friedemann, Ph.D., Emeritus
William E. Hudson,
Ph.D.
Mark S. Hyde, Ph.D.
Susan H. Marsh,
Ph.D., Emeritus
Susan K. McCarthy
Ph.D. (Chairperson)
Robert H. Trudeau,
Ph.D., Emeritus
Associate
Professors
Joseph P. Cammarano,
Ph.D.
Julia S. Jordan-Zachery,
Ph.D.
Neil T. Romans,
Ph.D.
Assistant
Professors
Ruth Ben-Artzi, Ph.D.
Paola
Cesarini, Ph.D.
Jeffrey D. Pugh, Ph.D
Adjunct Professors
(2011-2012)
Marie Courtemanche, Ph.D.
Katrina Norvell, Ph.D.