About
Nanovic Hall is the state-of-the-art home to the Department of Political Science and its affiliated centers and programs.
The Department of Political Science at Notre Dame offers students outstanding opportunities for intellectual growth, professional development, and success in their careers. We are home to more than 500 majors, 80 Ph.D. students, and 46 tenure-track or tenured professors.
We offer three degrees through our undergraduate and graduate programs: a bachelor of arts (B.A.), a master of arts (M.A.), and a doctorate (Ph.D.)
The Department's signature main subfields include:
- American Politics
- Comparative Politics
- Constitutional Studies
- International Relations
- Methodology
- Political Theory
Meet the Faculty
Faculty members in the Department of Political Science are committed to excellence in research and teaching. Our internationally renowned faculty publish in top journals and presses, conduct impactful research, secure major grants, and win national and international research awards.
Department Chair: Geoffrey Layman
Director of Undergraduate Studies: Angela McCarthy
Director of Graduate Studies: Sebastian Rosato
Nanovic Hall
For College of Arts & Letters Dean Sarah Mustillo, one of the key lessons of the social sciences is that we teach and learn best when we are connected.
Nowhere is that lesson better applied than in Nanovic Hall — the state-of-the-art home to the Department of Political Science and our affiliated centers and programs, as well as departments of Economics, Sociology, and the Nanovic Institute for European Studies.
Nanovic Hall includes laboratory and research spaces, classrooms, and offices, all designed to encourage interaction between faculty, undergraduates, and graduate students.
Affiliated Units
Notre Dame International Security Center
Established in 2008, NDISC provides a forum where leading scholars in national security studies from Notre Dame and elsewhere could come together to explore some of the most pressing issues in national security policy.
Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy
The mission of the Francis and Kathleen Rooney Center for the Study of American Democracy is to examine politics and policy making in the United States—leaving Notre Dame’s distinctive imprint on the study of American democracy.
Washington Program
The Washington Program offers students the ability to study off-campus, becoming immersed in the political and cultural life of Washington DC. In the semester-long program, students take classes focused on politics and policy as well as intern part-time.
Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government
Notre Dame’s Center for Citizenship & Constitutional Government seeks to cultivate thoughtful and educated citizens by supporting scholarship and education concerning the ideas and institutions of constitutional government.
Partner Centers and Institutes
Institute for Educational Initiatives
The Institute strives to improve the education of all youth, particularly the disadvantaged. Distinguished scholars and practitioners, including Institute Fellows across the University, pursue interdisciplinary collaborations to make a difference in crucial areas of education reform, with particular attention to Catholic schools.
Center for Ethics and Culture
The Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture is committed to sharing the richness of the Catholic moral and intellectual tradition through teaching, research, and dialogue, at the highest level and across a range of disciplines.
Kellogg Institute for International Studies
The Kellogg Institute for International Studies brings the best of interdisciplinary inquiry to bear on research themes relevant to contemporary societies around the world, especially democracy and human development.
Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies
The University of Notre Dame's Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies is one of the world's leading centers for the study of the causes of violent conflict and strategies for sustainable peace. Kroc Institute faculty and fellows conduct interdisciplinary research on a wide range of topics related to peace and justice.
Institute for Latino Studies
The Institute for Latino Studies advances understanding of the fastest-growing and youngest population in the United States and in the U.S. Catholic Church. ILS strengthens Notre Dame’s mission to prepare transformative leaders in education, the professions, the arts, economic and civic participation, faith, and family life among Latinos and all members of our society.
Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies
The Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies provides a forum for integrated and multi-disciplinary research and teaching on Asia. It supports innovative projects that actively combine teaching, research, and social engagement, creating a unique model of rounded education on Asia.
Nanovic Institute for European Studies
The mission of the Nanovic Institute for European Studies is to enrich the intellectual culture of Notre Dame by creating an integrated, interdisciplinary home for students and faculty to explore the evolving ideas, cultures, beliefs, and institutions that shape Europe today.
A Commitment to Inclusion
To affirm the human dignity of all, the members of this department support and actively work to ensure the inclusion of our faculty, staff and students regardless of gender, race, religion or sexual orientation.
Donate
The Department of Political Science welcomes your support in any number of ways. We value the time, talent, and treasure of our graduates and friends and welcome collaborative efforts to further our work. Make a gift here or connect with the department about other ways to get involved.