The APSA Departmental Services Program assists political science teaching, scholarship, and service by providing resources for department chairs; data and reports on the profession; forums for departments to address common issues; and services for chairs, faculty, and students.
To become a departmental member, join now! Have questions? Contact APSA Membership Services at [email protected].
Department Chairs' Workshop & Luncheon
The Departmental Services Program holds several events at APSA annual meetings to support political science departments in their work. Department chairs are invited each year by the Departmental Services Program to a luncheon at the Annual Meeting where participants discuss current issues facing departments.
The subject of the 2019 Chairs' Workshop & Luncheon in Washington, DC was "Best Practices in Faculty Hiring & Recruitment." Check back soon for details of the 2020 Department Chairs' Workshop and Luncheon, taking place in San Francisco, CA.
Student Recruitment Materials
For students interested in learning more about a political science major, APSA offers free downloadable brochures:
Political Science Club Guide
Political science clubs are a great way to get students involved in department activities and campus life. Such clubs offer benefits to students and departments by facilitating greater and more meaningful faculty-student engagement, and by providing opportunities for networking, professional development, and leadership experience. Find out more about how and why to start an undergraduate political science club in the APSA Political Science Club Guide.
Department Member Benefits!
The APSA Departmental Services Program is pleased to include the following benefits for department members:
- Resource Guide for Department Chairs: A resource guide with 30+ pages of links to articles and information for chairs of political science departments. Now available to member department chairs here.
- Virtual Campus Visits: On-demand webinars for departmental members and their faculty and students on a select range of topics, including: diversity and inclusion, research and data on the discipline, non-academic career paths for PhDs, media communications training for faculty, and more! Email us for more information.
- Department Profiles: Increase your department’s visibility! Have your department profiled on Political Science Now. Please submit your information here.
- Discount on the Department Chair journal: Department members qualify to receive 20% off this Wiley journal. Email [email protected] for the discount code.
- Meeting space at APSA Headquarters: Looking for meeting space in Washington, DC? Conference space at APSA headquarters is free for member departments (subject to availability). Email us with inquiries.
- Webinars for Department Chairs: Members are invited to participate in periodic webinars on a range of topics relevant to department chairs.
External Review Program for Department Assessment
An external review is a means by which a department assesses its current state and effectiveness, and develops goals and strategies to guide its future. This provides a unique opportunity for a department to consider the experience, expertise, and perspective of the academy at large through the engagement of outside participants who comprise the external review team.
As a resource for APSA departmental members seeking external review, the Departmental Services Program maintains a list of faculty who have volunteered to serve as reviewers. To request names of potential reviewers, please contact [email protected]. If you would like to volunteer as a reviewer, please submit your information here.
Additional Resources