In your first year, you take courses that set you up for success, like English Composition and basic Math courses. You'll need these in future semesters when you start writing political science papers and use analytic research methods.

You'll also get started with your foreign language classes as well as some coursework in the natural sciences.

But you'll also take some important introductory courses in political science so that you get to know your home department's professors and staff.

In your second year, you'll expand your training in political science by taking courses related to one of the discipline's sub-areas.

You'll also finish up your foreign language coursework as well as learn about important related fields like economics and philosophy.

Your third year is where you really start taking the exciting advanced courses our department is so proud of. 

You'll take Political Analysis where you'll learn the nuts and bolts of studying political phenomena.

But you'll also develop specific knowledge about how Congress works (Legislative Process), the factors that drive our relations with other countries (U.S. Foreign Policy), and what constitutes our legal and ethical responsibilities as political actors (Human Rights).

In between, you'll have the chance to explore other interesting topics from the College of Arts & Sciences.

You are a senior! And now you'll mostly just take upper-division political science courses across an array of areas.

From asking the "big questions" (What is fairness? What does a good society look like?) in Ancient and Medieval Political Theory to examining our nation's critical founding document (Constitutional Powers) to thinking about the security threats posed by instability (International Terrorism), you get the chance to really expand your knowledge!

And, after this year, you are now a proud MSU graduate!