Political Science

Interested in a career in government or law?

Take your first step by completing the Political Science Associate's Degree for Transfer. You can also earn a Pre-Law Studies Certificate and become designated as a California Law Scholar through our Pathway to Law Program. Interested in international travel? Our department offers a Summer Academic Travel Abroad Program. Interested in research? We have a department magazine titled Political Perspective that will enable you to publish your research. Interested in political discussions and doing community service? We have the Politics, Law, & Society Club. Come explore the possibilities.

About the Political Science & Law Program

Political Science courses at San Joaquin Delta College are designed to accomplish several aims. First, the courses provide general information on political processes in the United States, California, and in the arena of international relations. Second, the courses expose students to the discipline of political science as a separate body of academic scholarship, and to the dominant methods of inquiry in the discipline. Finally, the courses serve the purpose of enhancing critical thinking skills to foster informed political participation and engagement in social and political affairs. We believe that the study of political science helps produce citizens who are more keenly interested and aware of the political processes that shape their daily lives. Because political science is a discipline most interested in the authoritative allocation of values in societies, we bear an important responsibility of educating students about those value choices, and how governmental and extra-governmental institutions shape those choices. We believe our courses are central to the process of imparting generalized knowledge about how politics influences the lives of citizens, and are central to the process of creating political citizens able to understand the political world and participate in it.

The Political Science Associate in Arts for Transfer degree is designed for students planning to transfer to a California State University (CSU) with a major in political science. Majors in political science learn to think critically, express their opinions in a thoughtful manner, analyze political events, evaluate political ideologies and make informed decisions on how to participate in political processes. The goal for study as a political science major is to maximize students' capacity to analyze and interpret the dynamics of political events and governmental processes and their significance.

Learn more about our program!

This Zoom orientation covers the following topics:

Faculty/Staff Introductions
POLSC AA-T degree
Guided Pathways
Pathway to Law Program
Internships & Political Perspective

Academic Travel Study Abroad
The Politics, Law, & Society Club
Skills incoming students need

What you can do to prepare for our program?
Alumni: Where are they now?

Watch the Zoom Political Science Orientation

Certificate and Degree Options

Degrees

Political Science, AA-T

For certificate and degree requirements, please visit the College Catalog.

Job Titles and Career Information

Studying Political Science can lead to a variety of different jobs or careers. Click on a job title to find out career information such as average salaries, employment rates and more!

Political Science Opportunities at Delta College

Pathway to Law Program

In partnership with The State Bar of California, the Pathway to Law initiative enhances opportunities and advancement of Delta College students in the legal profession for diverse populations, particularly those who have been underrepresented in the practice of law.

Politics, Law, and Society Club

A non-partisan club devoted to issues related to politics and law. Activities include debates, mock trials, films, guest speakers, field trips and comradery. The club meets in Budd 333 every Tuesday from 12:30-1:20 p.m.

During Covid-19, the club will meet virtually on Zoom. Meetings are held every Tuesday from 12:30-1:30 pm. CODE: 956-511-6328. PASSWORD: 7UeWaA."

Political Science Happenings

Rajan Nathaniel was chosen as one of twenty Asian American and Pacific Islander students (and the only community college student!) by Asian American Advancing Justice to attend their annual National Youth Leadership Summit in Washington, DC.

Political science students and professors at the California Sociological Association conference. — Professor Eric Honda, Rajan Nathaniel, and Tarnvir Kaur present their conference papers at the California Sociological Association conference in Sacramento. .

Ashley Anderson will start graduate studies in Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies at the University of Haifa in Israel.

Katherine Squire was recently sworn as San Joaquin Delta College’s newest Student Trustee. She also serves on the Student Senate for California Community Colleges.

Political Science Professors at CA Inland Rising — Professors Blank and Villavicencio attended the California Inland Rising Event at the University of the Pacific that focused on brining investment to the Central Valley and the Inland Empire. They are joined by Stockton Mayor, Michael Tubbs, and UC Riverside Professor of Political Science, Dr. Karthick Ramakrishanan.

Professor Villavicencio and Tony Shi at the National Civic Leadership Forum — Professor Villavicencio and Tony Shi attended the National Civic Leadership Forum that brought Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) leaders to Washington, DC to advocate for AAPI issues.

The Political Perspective

Political Perspective is San Joaquin Delta College's political science department's official nonpartisan journal and magazine. Its mission is to provide faculty and students a forum to research political and policy-oriented issues affecting our community and the world today. It seeks to foster and enhance intellectual and academic discourse on a wide range of issues in the field of political science. Students (like Michelle Livingstone) who are involved in the production of Political Perspectives are well prepared to transfer to four-year universities.