<p>What are the differences in emphasis between
the two schools? Which is better when it comes
to US elections, internships…</p>
<p>Many thanks,</p>
<p>Ottoline</p>
<p>I’m sure that Haverford has an excellent Poli Sci department. However, you would be hard pressed to find a better LAC poli sci department than Swarthmore’s. Social sciences, across the board, are a specialty at Swarthmore. They produce more future PhDs per graduate than any other college or university in Poli Sci, Econ, and all social sciences combined.</p>
<p>Swarthmore students are politically involved on many levels. A current student ran the internet operations for Joe Sestek’s winning House race in November. A Swarthmore grad is chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Another was the Democratic nominee for President a few years back.</p>
<p>Here’s the per capita PhD production in Poli Sci for your reading pleasure:</p>
<p>Number of PhDs per 1000 graduates </p>
<p>Academic field:Political Science and Government</p>
<p>PhDs and Doctoral Degrees: ten years (1994 to 2003) from NSF database
Number of Undergraduates: ten years (1989 to 1998) from IPEDS database </p>
<p>
10 Swarthmore College<br>
8 Haverford College<br>
8 Princeton University<br>
7 Pomona College<br>
7 Harvard University<br>
7 University of Chicago<br>
7 Oberlin College
7 Williams College<br>
7 Reed College<br>
6 Wesleyan University
6 Bryn Mawr College<br>
5 University of the South
5 Whitman College
5 Amherst College
5 Yale University
5 College of Wooster<br>
5 Stanford University
5 Georgetown University<br>
5 Claremont McKenna College<br>
5 Carleton College<br>
4 Smith College<br>
4 Middlebury College<br>
4 Franklin and Marshall College<br>
4 Tougaloo College<br>
4 Wellesley College<br>
4 Occidental College<br>
4 Brown University<br>
4 Lawrence University
4 Harvey Mudd College
4 United States Coast Guard Academy<br>
4 Earlham College
4 Kenyon College<br>
4 Knox College<br>
4 Brandeis University
</p>
<p>Dear Interesteddad,</p>
<p>I am most appreciative of your help!
Thanks so much.</p>
<p>Ottoline</p>
<p>Interesteddad or others in the know,</p>
<p>Is there similar data out there about the best environmental studies
depts … </p>
<p>Appreciate your time and wisdom,</p>
<p>Ottoline</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Just to be clear, statistics about PhD productivity should not be used to make conclusions about “best”. There are many factors that contribute to a school producing high rates of future PhDs, not the least of which is the campus culture itself. The data should be viewed as descriptive; it’s not a ranking.</p>
<p>Frankly, I don’t know of a top LAC with a bad Poli Sci department. That would be like a grocery store with a bad bread aisle.</p>
<p>Swarthmore Poli Sci department has people like James Kurth, Kenneth Sharpe who are known nationally. James Kurth was named as someone with the best political writing in 2004 alongside people like Thomas Friedman, NYTimes Op-ed columnist. And some up-and-coming people (people whose opinions I see in NYTimes op-ed pages) like Dominick Tierney. This latter guy also has a book that has been well-received nationally. My son has a class with Tierney and thinks he is good.</p>
<p>I would also add that the emphasis on public policy related topics extends well beyond the Poli Sci department at Swarthmore. The History department, Econ department, Sociology/Anthropology department, Education department, Engineering department, Religion department, and language departments ALL offer courses that specifically address difficult policy issues both in the US and internationally.</p>
<p>For example, this course in Ethics and Religion. This covers topics including abortion, euthanasia, stem cell research, war, international politics, the environment, gender and sexuality, capitalism. Readings include both liberal and conversative viewpoints as well as politicians as varied as Mario Cuomo and Pat Buchanon. Note that the written assingments are all in the form of weekly “letters to the editor” and major papers in the form of op-ed pieces:</p>
<p>
</p>