Overview

The Department of Political Studies (PSS) was established in 1993 and started its academic activities, as a full-fledged discipline, in the session of 1995-1996. At the outset of its journey, it was named as Political Studies and Public Affairs. In October 2002, the name of the department was changed to Political Studies and Public Administration. To meet the demand of the cutting edge education and research and focus on further specialization, the department was bifurcated into two separate disciplines such as “Political Studies” and “Public Administration” in 2005. Since then, the department continues to exist as Political Studies. The department, since its inception in 1993, has been making remarkable contributions to education and research in the field of political science. The discipline offers four-year-undergraduate program constituting eight semesters, one-year-graduate program comprising two semesters (Master/Monograph)/ one and a half year graduate program consisting three semesters (Master/Thesis). It also offers a two-year M. Phil. and a three-year PhD programs at present. The department updates and amends the syllabi of all these programs in every academic year. The faculties along with two senior professors (having expertise in the field) from other universities take part in the formulation, amendment, and update of the syllabuses. As per academic degree requirement, the students at Master level mandatorily accomplish monograph/thesis. The undergraduate students at their terminal semester have to undertake an internship to complete the degree. The students of the rest of the semesters are required to write seminar papers and present them before the audience comprising both students and faculties. In each semester, following the semester final exam, the students have to appear at viva voce conducted by the respective exam committee. Currently, the department consists of 17 faculties, and three non-academic staffs. They offer all-out support to the Head of the department in the overall management and governance of the discipline. The Head is appointed for three years. The faculties are highly qualified individuals having outstanding educational backgrounds and research experiences. The students get enrolled in the department through a highly competitive admission procedure. The political studies graduates turned alumni are recruited and engaged in various capacities of the public and private organizations and institutions including Bangladesh Civil Service. The existing students regularly take part in different extra-curricular and co-curricular activities within and outside the department. They regularly take on study tour as part of their co-curricular activities. The department has a voluntary organization named “PSS Society” which is mainly led by the students with supports from the faculties. The students directly elect their representatives working as office bearers of the organization. The co-curricular and extra-curricular activities within the department are organized by this organization. Apart from this, the students of Political Studies take part various charity works, such as blood donation, program, and fund collection for supporting the underprivileged and natural disaster-affected people. All in all, these activities have earned for this department name and fame in both academic arena and job markets.