Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Department of Political Science and International Affairs

Welcome to JCU's Department of Political Science and International Affairs! Our vibrant community of students and professors from across the globe provides an unparalleled international academic experience. It is heightened by our prime location in the heart of the Italian capital Rome, the eternal city that is the birthplace of the European Union and of the International Criminal Court and the host of a vast range of international organizations and institutions, including three United Nations agencies, embassies to both Italy and the Holy See, international non-governmental organizations, transnational corporations and think tanks.

The Department offers an ideal environment to study political science and international affairs in an increasingly complex and challenging world. We are committed to providing an outstanding interdisciplinary curriculum as well as multiple opportunities for students to connect with experts and professionals to promote hands-on learning about global politics and international affairs both inside and outside the classroom. We also believe that excellence in scholarship and excellence in teaching complement and mutually reinforce each other, so that students have a chance to benefit and get involved in our research and professional activities. Through coursework in our degree programs, we provide future leaders with critical analytical tools and the knowledge and skills they need to excel in academia, the professional world, and the political arena. We prepare students for advanced studies in prestigious graduate programs and exciting international professional careers.

FACULTY

Our faculty members, renowned the world over in their area of expertise, hold Ph.D.s and doctorates from the leading universities and programs in the United States and Europe. They bring both cutting-edge academic research and practical experience to the classroom, offering students a special entry point to world affairs, global politics and policies, the institutions of global governance and the system of international law. 

Learn more about the Political Science and International Affairs faculty.

STUDENTS

JCU’s student body is authentically international with students from all around the world in each class. Courses in the department are designed to take advantage of this diversity so that students can learn from the global experiences already present in the classroom. Partly as a result of this global formation, our students have pursued successful careers in international organizations like the European Union, the UN World Food Programme, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, transnational corporations and governmental and foreign service agencies, such as the Whitehouse, the US Embassy in Rome and the US Peace Corps. Moreover, recent graduates have been admitted to post-graduate degrees at Oxford, NYU, Sciences-Po, Columbia, Johns Hopkins-SAIS, and the European University Institute. 

Students also participate in a wide range of student activities, including STAND, Model United Nations, the International Relations Society, the Interfaith Initiative, and the Debate Club. 

OPPORTUNITIES

Our students regularly undertake internships with Rome-based international organizations, including the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization. Students also benefit from many academic conferences here at JCU, and from the Guarini Institute for Public Affairs, which organizes events, discussions, and lectures, providing multiple opportunities to interact with prominent visitors from other universities, journalists, statesmen, and policymakers. Its truly international character, research, and teaching make JCU's Department of Political Science and International Affairs one of the most distinguished departments and programs among its peers in Europe.