The Department of Political Science is committed to providing students with the most meaningful education possible. Hence, we make student opportunities and development the first priority. Our commitment begins with small classes where faculty and students can work together to learn, to think, and to communicate. In these classes, we work to establish the most participatory environment possible, where students can take an active role in their learning. We are partners in this endeavor, which we believe produces better education, broader substantive learning, and more developed critical, analytical, and communication skills.
Beyond the classroom, the Department of Political Science offers other opportunities that enhance student learning and development.
Student Organizations
THE LOCKE AND KEY SOCIETY is a non-partisan organization for students who are interested in politics. The Locke and Key Society organizes service activities, forums on political issues, screenings of political films, and social activities like semi-annual cook-outs.
THE MODEL UNITED NATIONS: UNK’s Model UN is a student organization that trains its members to attend a special conference in which students from a variety of colleges and universities simulate the proceedings of the actual United Nations, each representing a particular country. UNK Model United Nations has attended conferences in Chicago, St. Louis, and most recently, Montreal.
CAMPUS KITCHEN PROJECT:The Department is the organizational home of the Campus Kitchen Project. In partnership with Chartwells, the Univiversity food service vendor, Campus Kitchen Project volunteers prepare nutritious meals and deliver them to area residents who lack adequate means to obtain or prepare enough food for themselves.
WORKSHOPS AND FORUMS: The Department also offers events geared to academic and career development. These events, often co-sponsored with the Locke and Key Society, include law and graduate school workshops, career workshops, the Warner Evening of Nebraska Politics (fall term), the Norris Scholarship Luncheon, and various issue forums for the discussion of current political topics.
RESEARCH: The faculty of the Political Science Department support independent and collaborative student research in order to provide special opportunities for inquiry, writing, and learning. Such opportunities include paid research assistant opportunities, in which students assist in a faculty member’s research, as well as independent student research projects supervised by a faculty mentor. In addition, the University of Nebraska at Kearney’s Research Services Council has a student research grant program that offers financial support for independent student projects. UNK Political Science students regularly present their independent research at the National Conference for Undergraduate Research as well as the Great Plains Political Science Association’s annual conference or other regional professional meetings.
TRAVEL: In addition to the research and conference travel noted above, the Department supports other student travel opportunities, including "study abroad semesters" that enable students to spend time overseas. The Department also has a summer field study course that takes a small group of students to Washington, DC to study policymaking. The week spent in Washington DC involves visits to agencies and institutions of the U.S. government, where special tours and discussions with policy officials are held.
INTERNSHIPS: To help connect students to career opportunities, the Department has an aggressive internship program that helps to place students in a variety of professional positions. Our internships have included semester or summer-long internships in Washington, DC (e.g., in the offices of Nebraska senators and representatives and in parts of the bureaucracy), positions in international organizations (governmental and non-governmental), internships in Nebraska state and local government, assignments to law and judicial offices, and still others in a variety of community and public organizations, among others. These opportunities provide valuable experiential learning connecting substantive course-work to "real world" situations, as well as expanding career opportunities.