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Welcome
Political Science and Public Administration at Mississippi State
The Department of Political Science and Public
Administration is for individuals interested in politics and public
service.
All of the Department's faculty members hold Ph.D. degrees and are fully committed to their students. Five of them have been recognized for their teaching excellence by the University (three as "Honors Professor of t
he Year") and one of them has won both University and national academic advising awards. They all teach not only advanced majors but freshmen as well.
In addition to being "student-friendly," Political Science and Public Administration faculty members are recognized across the state and nation; their assistance and counsel are sought by groups as vari
ed as the Neshoba County Board of Supervisors, the Mississippi Department of State, educational television, U.S. News and World Report , and The New York Times.
The faculty are convinced of the importance of academic advising. New Political Science majors are advised by the Department's award-winning Undergraduate Coordinator. During their sophomore year, by which time they have gott
en their academic program well underway, majors are placed with an advisor trained in the area of their career interest who will then advise them about their academic progress, scholarship opportunities, and career plans. On-going, one-on-one relations
hips between advisors and majors play a critical role in helping Political Science majors make the most out of their years at Mississippi State.
The Department Office is located on the first floor of Bowen Hall as are most faculty offices and Political Science and Public Administration classes. The close proximity of faculty offices and classrooms makes for free and eas
y interaction between faculty and students and facilitates the informal conversations that so greatly enrich a student's college experience. Bowen Hall is also the site of the Department's Lounge and Computer Lab. The Lab is open during the day on a walk-
in basis providing ready access to a wide range of useful software; it is also connected to the Internet and the World Wide Web. Our majors use the lab to contact one another (and faculty) via email and to complete course assignments. Majors also use the
Lounge to visit. Since the Spring semester of 1997, Bowen Hall has been
equipped with state-of-the-art electronic instructional technology thereby
extending the range of educational experiences offered by the Department.
Majors find that their education is enriched by participating in activities the Department sponsors. The Mississippi Model Security Council (MMSC), a simulation of the United Nations Security Council, brings to campus 200 to
250 high school students every year. Mississippi State students actually conduct the MMSC program and serve as official advisors to the high school delegations. Students who intend a career in law join the Pre-Law Society, a student group advised by a member of the Political Science faculty. The Mississippi Poll, a highly respected survey of public opinion, is directed by a member of the fa
culty but actually conducted by our majors. Additionally, students can interact with interesting speakers brought to campus by the Collins Speaker Series.
