Internships offer students opportunities to obtain vital hands-on experience in preparation for jobs. They introduce students to a range of jobs that political science majors might be interested in and allow students to apply academic knowledge to the "real world."
The political science department offers three kinds of internships:
local internships tailored to the specific interests of students; internships in the State Capitol working in the New York State Legislature as legislative aides; and tailor-made internships in Washington, D.C.
The department's internship coordinator directs local internships and serves as the College's liaison to existing programs in Albany and in Washington.
Political Science is both a classical discipline as well as one of the youngest social sciences. At the same time, it is one of the more interdisciplinary disciplines. Thus, it provides students with an excellent understanding of the human condition.
Political Science emphasizes the kinds of skills all employers value, including the ability to present ideas clearly both verbally as well as in writing, the ability to argue, debate, and develop cogent positions, the ability to critically analyze and carefully collect and interpret data, organizational skills, and the ability to “think outside of the box.”
Political science majors at Le Moyne have gone on to work in a wide variety of occupations. Following is only a partial list of some of the occupations of Le Moyne Political Science grads:
- Attorney
- College Professor
- Corporate CEO
- Family Services Advocate
- Communications Director for NY Assembly
- High School Teacher
- Legislative Aide
- NY State Trooper
- Stock Broker
- Systems Analyst
- Marketing Representative
- Director of Residence Life
- Insurance Agent
- Budget Policy Analyst
- Academic Support Director
- Professional Baseball Player
- Director of Annual Giving
Special Projects
The Political Science Department offers a number of special programs to make it easier for students to double major as well as to encourage them to build leadership skills.
Our department works particularly closely with the History Department and, as a result we have worked together to develop a special joint degree program of Political Science/History. Further, Political Science is an excellent major to combine with an Education Minor, either in elementary education or secondary education.
Finally, consistent with our commitment to developing leaders who will change the world, we have developed a special Leadership Education for Activism Program (L.E.A.P).
Leadership Experience for Activism Program (L.E.A.P.)
The Leadership Experience for Activism Program provides the student with a unique combination of experiences to prepare him or her for a life of leadership in a democracy. It is a model of engaged learning – linking the academic with the experiential with the goal of developing civic leaders for the future.
Admission
Students must apply to the chair of the department of political science for admission. They must be political science majors or minors and maintain a G.P.A. of at least 3.25. (G.P.A. requirements may be waived at the discretion of the chair.)
The Le Moyne College transcript distinguishes L.E.A.P. scholars, thus enhancing job and graduate school opportunities and identifying the democratic leadership potential of participating students.
There are five dimensions to the program:
- Service Learning: L.E.A.P. students take three political science courses that contain one credit service learning components.
- Internship: Students must complete an internship in a not-for-profit organization.
- Off-campus experience: The student must spend at least one month in an academic program off-campus (e.g. a semester abroad, a semester in Washington, D.C.)
- Student leadership experience: During at least one semester the student must hold a position of leadership in a Le Moyne student organization (e.g. student senate, political science academy, College Democrats, POWER)
- Research: In the senior year the student must write a major research paper about democratic leadership. The paper will be directed by a political science faculty member
Scholarships for Political Science Students
Social Sciences
- Casper and Margaret Schiesser Scholarship: Endowed by bequest of Mrs. Margaret Schiesser and awarded to students studying economics, political science, psychology or sociology. A 3.0 G.P.A. must be maintained.