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Majors & Minors
Pursue any of four majors or take courses in political science or international relations.
Graduate Studies
Receive the most rigorous training in political science, and learn formal and statistical methods at the highest level.
Alumni Showcase
Discover notable individuals with Rochester degrees in political science or international relations.
Upcoming Events
Department News
- Scott Tyson discusses the causes of political conspiracy theories and why people believe them.
- Gretchen Helmke is selected as a 2025 Guggenheim Fellow, one of just two political scientists.
- Gerald Gamm and coauthor Justin Phillips receive the State Politics and Policy Quarterly Best Paper Award for "Party Reform and the Origins of Abortion Politics."
- Jim Johnson's article, "Models as Fables," wins the 2024 award for Concept Analysis in Political Science.
- Gerald Gamm is voted 2025 Professor of the Year in the Social Sciences division by the Students' Association.
- Jamie Druckman publishes megastudy on Research-backed Ways to Bridge America's Political Divide.
- Rochester political scientists on Voter Turnout: What Every American Needs to Know before Election Day.
- Nobel Prize winners in economics recognized by the Department of Political Science.
- The Gladys M. Kammerer Award for best book published on US national policy is awarded to Jamie Druckman and coauthor Elizabeth Sharrow for their book, Equality Unfulfilled.
- Jamie Druckman (with coauthors) publishes new book, Partisan Hostility and American Democracy.
- Bienfait Mugenza ‘21 is the first recipient of the Projects for Peace Alumni Award.
Recent Publications
- Scott Abramson et al., “Historical Border Changes, State Building, and Contemporary Trust in Europe,” American Political Science Review, 2022.
- Anderson Frey, "Strategic Allocation of Irrevocable and Durable Benefits," American Journal of Political Science, 2022.
- Gretchen Helmke et al., "Democracy by Deterrence," American Journal of Political Science, forthcoming
- Tasos Kalandrakis, “Generalized Medians and a Political Center,” Social Choice and Welfare, 2022.
- Bonnie Meguid et al., “When Do Männerparteien Elect Women?” American Political Science Review, forthcoming
- Sergio Montero et al., "Do Major-Power Interventions Encourage the Onset of Civil Conflict?" Journal of Politics, 2022
- Randall Stone et al., "Chinese Power and the State-Owned Enterprise," International Organization, forthcoming
- Sidak Yntiso et al., "Incentive Effects of Recall Elections," Journal of Politics, forthcoming
Department Links
- Josh Shapiro ’95 is governor of Pennsylvania.
- Professor Scott Tyson is co-organizer of the IE–University of Rochester Workshop in Political Economy and International Relations.
- Rochester welcomes new professor Sidak Yntiso, who joins the faculty in July 2023.
- The University remembers Peter Regenstreif, a long-term professor and expert on mass media.
- Malik Evans ’02 is the mayor of Rochester.
- Richard Fenno joined the department in 1957 and led the profession from Rochester for over half a century.
- We offer resources on race and ethnic politics, including a reading list on policing and criminal justice.
- Rochester faculty regularly publish cutting edge research in the top journals of the discipline.
- Bright Line Watch, led in part by Gretchen Helmke, finds continuing challenges to health of US democracy.
Alumni Network
Rochester alumni can be found in a range of fields, from law to business to education to government to sports. Explore the alumni network to make a connection!
Careers
We partner with the Gwen M. Greene Career and Internships Center to connect students with jobs, internships, research opportunities, and more.
