UDC offers Political Science students an up-close view of politics, policy and public service

Located only miles away from the White House and Capitol Hill in the heartbeat of the nation, UDC’s political science program puts students up close and personal to the governmental engine that drives national legislation and the activism and social movements that sometimes are in direct response. 

According to Dr. Guy Shroyer, division chair and associate professor of political science, UDC’s Political Science Program predates the formation of the University of the District of Columbia, connecting it back to Federal City College and the merger of the predecessor schools.  

Federal City College was combined with the District of Columbia Teachers College and Washington Technical Institute to form a single University – the University of the District of Columbia, which opened in the fall of 1978.  

The Political Science Program continued at UDC. It offers a Bachelor of Arts degree and provides students with a broad range of majors and opportunities to gain first-hand knowledge and experience. Students must complete 120 credit hours, including 33 credits required by the major. Those enrolled in the program range in age from 18-70.  

The program serves as a training ground for job opportunities or to continue on to higher education. Many graduates attend law school or graduate school in public policy, public affairs and education.  

UDC political science graduates often pursue careers in government, global affairs, education, law, community activism, public communications and research in support of communities at the local, national and global levels.  

The program’s curriculum is rich in experiential opportunities, including the American Democracy Project, Washington Model Organization of American States, congressional internships, institutional and community service internships and the Citizen Diplomat Program.  

UDC added a concentration in global studies in 2020 as an interdisciplinary curriculum that integrates academic courses and experiential activities to help create global citizens. A hallmark of the program is the three-course curriculum core: Political Research Skills, Methods of Political Science and Senior Seminar, which trains students to become researchers. 

Dr. Amanda Huron, coordinator for the Political Science Program, manages the internship program and teaches a political research skills class. Students gain experience with political leaders through the congressional internship program or intern with local political or civil society organizations.  

“Our students are given amazing exposure and opportunities through our internships,” Huron said. “We are preparing them to be competitive when they graduate.”    

A new one-credit weekly colloquium was added to bring students together to hear from successful alumni and participate in career-prep workshops. 

“It’s always great for the students to connect with the alumni who share their experiences,” said Huron. “The sessions have included alumni panels, guest speakers, new faculty presenting their research, how to use LinkedIn effectively, fall interns sharing their experiences and discussion topics of interest to students.”   

“As a DC native, it is my greatest joy to teach at UDC and to help students take advantage of all that is here at UDC and what is available to them in the nation’s capital and globally,” Huron said. 

Students in the political science program gain marketable skills in effective writing and communication, analyzing social problems and providing solutions. Some international students have used real-life challenges from their countries in their projects and research.   

“Being in Washington, DC is the best place on the planet to study political science,” said Dr. Shroyer, who specializes in nationalism and social identity. “There are so many opportunities here. It is limitless.’’ 

Students also benefit from seasoned mentors through DACOR, an organization of foreign affairs professionals, many of whom are retired and are committed to diversifying the field. DACOR mentors work with select students participating in the Global Studies concentration. Mentors commit to a one-year support arrangement that ranges from providing advice and introductions to programs and special activities, as well as offering letters of recommendation.   

DACOR’s mission is to advance public understanding of international affairs, build support for diplomacy and preserve the nearly 200-year-old DACOR Bacon House, one of the Capital’s most long-standing havens for discussion about the challenges and opportunities our nation faces as well as governmental policies.  

Dr. Jasmine Yarish, assistant professor of political science, runs the DACOR Mentor program, which began in 2021. Her expertise is in intersectionality (race, gender, sexuality and space), populist nationalism, urban politics and democratic theory.

Students sit in the seat of decision-makers as participants in the Washington Model Organization of American States, where students represent UDC along with 400 participants from around the world in model simulations. Shroyer has worked with UDC student participants for 14 years.

The annual Washington Model Organization of American States is a collaborative effort between the Office of the Assistant Secretary-General (OAS) and the Institute for Diplomatic Dialogue in the Americas.

Students get unprecedented access to the OAS and its member-state missions. The simulation of the OAS General Assembly is a five-day event designed to help students learn about the structures and processes of the OAS, gain in-depth knowledge about topical issues facing the hemisphere as a member state of the OAS and master the art of diplomacy.

In addition, UDC political science program students gain experience, make presentations and network by attending events such as the Regional/National Model League of Arab States, the G20 Model Simulation, the National Conference of Black Political Scientists, the DC History Conference, Citizen Diplomat Certificate events and the Civil Society Programs with the World Bank and International Money Fund.

For those considering law school, students receive pre-law advising with UDC’s David A. Clarke Law School, and outstanding students are inducted annually into the Pi Sigma Alpha National Political Science Honor Society.

“The reward is really to make a difference,” Shroyer said. “Teaching in the Political Science Department in the nation’s capital provides the opportunity to make a mark in a positive way in people’s lives. That’s what really inspires me.”