Saint-Joseph University - Political Science Institute

About USJ

Saint-Joseph University (USJ) is a private Lebanese university that was established in 1875. The university and its degrees are officially recognized by the Lebanese state, in accordance with the provisions of the private higher education that governs higher education in Lebanon.

• The university was accredited by AERES (Agence d'évaluation de la Recherche et de l'enseignement supérieur – a French academic research evaluation agency) in 2009.
• It is a member of the Association of Arab Universities, the International Union of Universities, the Association of Wholly or Partly French-Language Universities, the International Federation of Catholic Universities, the Federation of European Catholic Universities, the Association of Jesuit Higher Education Institutions in Europe and Lebanon, the Euro-Mediterranean Association, and the EuroMed Permanent University Forum.
• It has more than 200 cooperation agreements different universities, be they Arab, European, American, Canadian, Chinese, or Japanese.
• It houses the permanent headquarters of the Society of Arab Dental Faculties, which is hosted by its affiliate, the Faculty of Dental Medicine.
• It houses the permanent headquarters of the Arab Confederation of Faculties & Institutes of Physiotherapy, which is hosted by its affiliate, the Institute of Physical Therapy.
• It houses the headquarters of the Confucius Institute for the teaching of Chinese language and civilization.
• It houses the headquarters of the Japan Academic Center.

About the Political Science Institute

The teaching of Political Science is a long tradition at Saint Joseph University (USJ). The first courses date back to 1920 on the initiative of the Governor of Greater Lebanon. They were intended to train public servants for the new administration. In 1944, the Faculty of Law reorganized this teaching by establishing the Institute of Political Sciences. The vocation of the Institute is to train an enterprising and active elite in the public and private sectors as well as in civil society.

The Political Science Institute (Science Po) seeks the excellence and rigor that have always made the reputation of USJ and in particular that of the Faculty of Law and Political Science. Its teachings and programs are continually updated according to current events and according to the expectations of professional circles. The Institute delivers BA, MA, and Ph.D. in Political Science. It has leading professors and researchers and is a center of excellence that produces decision makers as well as researchers in the fields of International Relations, Public Policy, Comparative Politics, Human Rights and Governance, and Political Communication.

Science Po has an extensive experience in developing action-oriented research related to refugees, public policies, democracy, and governance. Science Po’s faculty comprises experts and renown references in middle east politics, geopolitics and international relations. It has just launched an Arab Master in Democracy and Human Rights in collaboration with Tunisian, Moroccan, Palestinian, Egyptian, and Jordanian universities. The program is integrated into a network of more than 100 universities worldwide.

Science Po is characterized by:

• Strong values: excellence, innovation, and social responsibility,
• A team of renowned researchers and experts,
• Diverse training in direct contact with the field,
• Internship, community service and research opportunities for students,
• A vast network of international partners with student mobility and the possibility of scholarships.

Our graduates take jobs in various areas including:

• Public sector (diplomacy and public administration),
• The political world (parliament, parties, etc),
• Specialized consultancy (security, elections, public policies, etc.),
• Pressure groups and civil society (NGOs, unions, and other organizations),
• Political communication and marketing (media, social media, market research and opinion polling, campaigning, etc.),
• Journalism,
• International organizations (UN, UNDP, ESCWA, IMF, World Bank, Regional Organizations, etc.),
• Embassies,
• Private sector,
• Teaching and research.