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A degree in political science or international relations at Iowa is your start to a rewarding career that makes an impact in the world.

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At Iowa, you’ll sharpen your research expertise and develop the leadership skills to influence policy, institutions, and democratic practice.

students in political science class at MacBride

~ 9,000

Alumni
Poli Sci classroom

20 +

Graduate students

2025 data

400 +

Political science majors

2025 data

Political Science class discussion

70 +

International relations majors

2025 data

Group of University of Iowa students.

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News and announcements

Timothy Yen

Timothy Yen selected for 2025-2026 Graduate Teaching Fellowship

Thursday, September 24, 2026
Timothy Yen is a PhD candidate in Political Science. He received a BA in Political Science with a minor in Spanish from Trinity University in 2022.
A headshot of University of Iowa associate professor of instruction Ron McMullen.

Catch up with longtime CLAS associate professor Ron McMullen

Thursday, September 17, 2026
McMullen is still bringing the world into his classrooms. Having lived, worked, or traveled in 128 countries, he draws on that experience to connect political science to life beyond the classroom.
A headshot of University of Iowa professor Caroline Tolbert.

Distinguished professor receives the 2026 Frank J. Goodnow Award

Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Caroline Tolbert is recognized with the Frank J. Goodnow Award for her sustained service to the profession of political science. The award is presented annually by the American Political Science Association.

Events

Registration Deadline: Junior Faculty and Graduate Student Session with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence promotional image

Registration Deadline: Junior Faculty and Graduate Student Session with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (all day)
111 Church Street

University of Iowa junior faculty and graduate students at all stages are invited to join Walter Biggins—editor-in-chief at the University of Pennsylvania Press—for a light breakfast and a conversation about turning an article, thesis, or dissertation into a book on Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 9–10:30 a.m. at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies library. Please bring any questions you have about that process or about scholarly publishing in general.

Register by Wednesday, September 30.

Biggins is...

RSVP Deadline: AMA with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence promotional image

RSVP Deadline: AMA with Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence

Wednesday, September 30, 2026 (all day)
111 Church Street

UI faculty, students, and staff are invited to attend ask-me-anything group discussions with Walter Biggins—editor-in-chief at University of Pennsylvania Press—at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 1 at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies. Questions might address finding an editor, pitching a book, writing a book proposal, how the publishing process works, etc.

There will be two back-to-back discussions; you may attend one or both.

Please RSVP by Wednesday, September 30.

Free and open to all.

Bi...

AI Is Not Your Friend: Cautions and Vents about Its Uses and Abuses in the Creation of Scholarly Publications — public lecture by Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence promotional image

AI Is Not Your Friend: Cautions and Vents about Its Uses and Abuses in the Creation of Scholarly Publications — public lecture by Walter Biggins, Obermann Editor-in-Residence

Tuesday, October 6, 2026 3:00pm to 4:00pm
111 Church Street

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, from 3–4 p.m. at the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, Walter Biggins, editor-in-chief at University of Pennsylvania Press—will offer his perspective as both a longtime acquiring editor and as a writer on how the advent of AI affects the present and possible futures of scholarly publishing. In particular, he will discuss how the emerging technology creates concerns and unresolved tensions—ethical, legal, and otherwise—in publishing around intellectual property, peer...

Intro to Data Visualization in Stata with Olive Kuester promotional image

Intro to Data Visualization in Stata with Olive Kuester

Wednesday, October 21, 2026 1:30pm to 3:30pm
Virtual
This virtual workshop introduces participants to the basics of creating clear and effective data visualizations in Stata. Through demonstrations, example code, and hands-on exercises, participants will learn how to prepare data for visualization, create and customize common figures (including bar graphs, scatterplots, and other commonly used visualizations), and communicate findings through well-designed figures. The workshop will use Stata to demonstrate visualization techniques, but the principles for choosing, preparing, and effectively presenting visualizations are applicable across other statistical programs. This workshop is intended for students, researchers, and anyone who works with data and wants to improve their ability to present results visually. Basic familiarity with Stata is encouraged, but not required.
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