Political Science
Overview
Political Science is one of the most relevant and popular areas of study for college students. In the past decade, we have witnessed life altering events that shape the lives of students: the 9/11 attacks, wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, the election of the first African American president, and an economic recession. As the world changes and America adjusts to deal with these issues, political science offers insight into how and why these events occurred. Our society is interdependent with the majority of the world due to economic systems, trade agreements, and information exchange. This reality makes the world a smaller place, meaning world events have a direct influence on American communities. It is important for you to be able to understand how these events directly affect your community and your life.
The Associate of Arts in Political Science at Rose State College is designed to provide you with a good preparation for entry into a four-year college or university. The Political Science program at Rose State provides you with knowledge of: the role of American government institutions, the mediums for citizen access and participation in the American political process: International Relations; domestic public policy issues; and the theories behind the political ideals of America. The program also fulfills a major support role for the college’s general education function, providing you with the basic knowledge to engage in the political process and become responsible citizens of your community.
Great Debates
The Great Debates: Power, Politics, and People series brings experts from academia, government and politics, industry, and the media to the Rose State College campus to offer their perspectives on topics of concern to students and citizens. Rose State Political Science professor Dr. Emily Stacey coordinates the series and works with experts across Oklahoma to engage with our students, faculty, and community on issues confronting our state and nation.
These events are free and open to the public and surrounding campus community. They are held in the Student Union, First National Bank Ballroom unless otherwise specified, and students, faculty and staff.
The series is sponsored by McGraw-Hill and the Rose State College POLS department, and aims to enlighten the audience on issues impacting contemporary politics. Recent panels facilitated by Dr. Stacey include: Is That a Robot Doing Your Job, over the impacts of automation, artificial intelligence, and robotics (Spring 2019); Criminal Justice Reform, featuring former OK Speaker of the House and Criminal Justice reform advocate, Kris Steele (Fall 2019); Political Ideology and the 2020 Campaign, which highlighted the turbulent election and electoral politics of 2020 (Spring 2020); and most recently, an engaging and important discussion on the McGirt vs. Oklahoma Supreme Court Decision (Fall 2021).