• Revised Resources for Conducting an External Departmental Review, 2023: These guidelines were updated to provide an introduction to the external review process. Supplemental materials provide a road map to faculty interested in serving as an external reviewer of a political science department as well as possible questions a department conducting a self-study might consider. Updates were prepared by the members of the 2021-2023 Departmental Services Committee.
  1. Guidelines for the External Review of Political Science Departments
  2. Orientation Guidelines for External Reviewers of Political Science Departments
  3. Supplemental 1: Possible Questions to Answer in a Departmental Self-Study

• Resource Guide for Department Chairs: A resource guide with 30+ pages of links to articles and information for chairs of political science departments.
• Department Head Handoff Book: (Craig Parsons, University of Oregon) 
• Discount on the Department Chair journal: Department members qualify to receive 20% off this Wiley journal.
     
• APSA Guide to Professional Ethics in Political Science, Third Edition, 2022: On February 14, 2022, the APSA Council unanimously approved an update and revision to the APSA Guide to Professional Ethics in Political Science. The APSA Ethics Guide is intended to provide a clear statement of ethical principles that are particularly valuable for political scientists—including faculty, students, administrators and practitioners. The guide can be used to assist political scientists with ethics-related matters and as teaching and professional development resource in the political science classroom. The APSA Committee on Professional Ethics Rights and Freedoms led the revision project and welcomes any feedback or questions.

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 dsp@apsanet.org. If you would like to volunteer as a reviewer, please submit your information here.

• How to Successfully Lead a Department Pedagogical Reform in Political Science (2023)

APSA’s professional development webinar series brings together a wide variety of experts to support the advancement of political science faculty, researcher, and practitioner skills. This webinar brings together political scientists with decades in combined department leadership experience to explore the best practices and common pitfalls encountered during curriculum and pedagogical reform. 

Topics include: implementing  inclusive teaching initiatives, designing alternative retention and tenure assessments, reshaping faculty and student interactions, and creating resources to teach media literacy.

• APSA Webinar on Challenges of a Evaluation (2023)

Department Chairs’ Roundtable: Aligning Graduate Training with Hiring Institution Needs (2021)

Speakers on this panel will examine the changing landscape of graduate education from two perspectives. On the one hand, they will discuss their experiences using pipeline programs through which undergraduate and graduate institutions work together to recruit a broader range of students into graduate studies. On the other hand, they will discuss how graduate programs might evolve or partner with undergraduate institutions to better serve the programs which hire the largest number of graduate students: two- and four-year (non R1) institutions.

• Department Leadership During a Crisis (2021)

The events of 2020 and 2021 presented challenges for academic leaders at all levels. Department chairs face particular pressures as the key point of contact for faculty, staff, and students. How can and should department leaders respond during times of political, social, and/or public health crisis? In this APSA webinar, Loleen Berdahl (Professor and Executive Director, University of Saskatchewan) will lead a roundtable discussion of this topic with four political science leaders from a range of institutions.

Department Chairs’ Roundtable: Political Science in a Polarized Era (2020)

The Department Chairs’ Roundtable focuses on the challenges and opportunities involved in navigating the current polarized political era. The roundtable panelists discusses how political scientists (faculty and chairs) navigate issues of protecting free speech in the classroom, or on campus generally; maintain a productive environment for learning and research; offer expert advice to policymakers at the local, state, and federal level; and advocate for public and private support for higher education.

• Legal Issues for Department Chairs (2017)

“Legal Issues for Department Chairs” with Bethany Bridgham, Senior Associate General Counsel at American University

View additional webinars in APSA’s Teaching & Learning Webinar Archive

APSA is pleased to introduce the new Department Chair Quarterly, featuring in-depth articles and discussions on critical issues for department chairs and other leaders. Check it out today! 

• March 2021 – View Full Issue
  • Featured Resource: 
    • After the Pandemic: Asking the Right Questions by Holly Tankersley
• July 2021 – View Full Issue
  • Featured Resources: 
    • How Department Chairs Can Promote Gender Equality by Melissa Michelson, Menlo College and Patricia Stapleton, RAND Corporation
    • Annual Faculty Evaluations: A Flawed Process by Phillip Ardoin, Appalachian State University 
    • The Chairs Summer by Robin Kolodny, Temple University
    • Post-Pandemic (R)evolution Normal by Cammy Shay, Houston Community College 
• January 2022 – View Full Issue
  • Featured Resources:
    • Developing a Succession & Transition Plan for Department Chairs by Holly Tankersley, Coastal Carolina University and Frederick Wood, Coastal Carolina University
      • New Chair Checklist
      • New Chair Calendar
    • New Guide for Political Science Internship Coordinators
• August 2022 – View Full Issue
  • Featured Resources:
    • Welcoming New Colleagues by Mirya Holman
    • Stuck in the Middle: Chairs, Deans, and Faculty by Holly Tankersley, Coastal Carolina University

Diversity Student Recruitment Program (DSRP, formerly MSRP)

APSA maintains a database of African-American,Latino/Latina, Native American, and Asian Pacific American undergraduatesand recent graduates who have been identified as possible candidates for,or who have expressed interest in, graduate study in political science.The database is updated periodically and made available to the graduatepolitical science programs who are enrolled in the DSRP program for theirannual recruitment of doctoral students.

APSA Resources for Addressing Systemic Racism & Social Justice

A diverse array of political science resources that can be brought to bear to assist students and faculty in the classroom and the public better understand and dialogue about issues related to systemic racism and social justice in a constructive way.

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