- Political science is ordinarily divided into six sub-fields:Political philosophy deals with normative questions about how power justice and the ideal state.
- American politics is concerned with campaigns and elections, political parties, elected executives, legislative processes and public policy.
- Public administration deals with the role played by public employees in policy-making, planning, personnel management, taxation and finance, and to the needs and problems of communities and the nation.
- Public law is concerned with the judicial process, civil rights and liberties, and the significance of such terms as "equal opportunity" and "due process."
- Comparative government raises questions of politics, administration and law about other countries and moves toward conclusions based on comparisons between them.
- International relations is concerned with relations between states and other international actors, such as multinational corporations and the United Nations; and with the underlying realities of power based on resources, wealth, military preparedness and national security
- Political science majors develop a foundation in these sub-fields and then are able to explore the areas of most interest to them through their major electives.