Politics courses are designed to promote the following learning objectives:

• To?present, engage and understand the fundamental ideas that have shaped political life, particularly the political life of Western civilization. These ideas often conflict with one another, and are best approached at their source, namely through the Great Books.?
• To promote?patriotic yet analytical citizenship through a close study of the American regime. Courses concentrate on the principles, institutions and policies under which Americans have lived. A distinctive feature of the Department is its emphasis on American political thought, which requires close study of the principles of the American founding, as well as competing principles.?
• To provide students an?education in the liberal arts; that is to say, those arts particularly conducive to the cultivation of free citizens, and essential to political life in a republic. This includes the abilities and dispositions necessary to engage in public discussions on a variety of topics, both orally and in writing.?Such abilities and dispositions include civility and respect for one?s interlocutors, analytical tools for assessing arguments and rhetorical skills to present persuasively one?s own views. Responsible use of any education or ability is essential; the Department therefore does not divorce politics from ethics.?
• To?prepare students for a variety of careers and professions?after graduation, including in law, business, nonprofit organizations, public administration, public office, international affairs, and academia. The Department thus takes an active role in helping students prepare for graduate and professional schools. The Department also actively assists students in finding internships and related experience.?