Government & International Affairs at AU

Government & International Affairs (Political Science)

Why study government & international affairs?

Government & international affairs students will gain a deeper understanding of political life in the United States and internationally, tools of inquiry and critical judgment, as well as rights and obligations of responsible citizenship.

  • At Augustana, political science is also known as government & international affairs to convey the belief that the proper analysis of politics includes — but goes well beyond — the “scientific” approach.
  • The knowledgeable professors in the government & international affairs department hold students to a high standard as future leaders.
  • This major promotes opportunities for internship experiences and emphasizes advising regarding post-graduate and professional opportunities.
Government & International Affairs at AU

Government & International Affairs at AU

Beyond AU

Nora Winckler '25: Intern at Sen. Mike Rounds’ Washington, D.C. office as part of the Lutheran College Washington Semester (LCWS) Program and intern as a junior fellow at the McCain Institute in Washington, D.C.

Roles/duties: Assist constituents, assist in policy writing for various U.S. Senate committees, conduct research on citizen engagement in democracy

“One of the biggest lessons I learned at the McCain Institute was about the involvement of the American people as well as state and local governments. Strengthening democracy is not an individual effort — it’s not even a federally-focused effort. Democracy needs the participation of all people to thrive and my time at the McCain Institute demonstrated how impactful change can be if geared towards local communities and personalized interactions. My work with Sen. Rounds gave me the opportunity to develop my policy writing, connect with South Dakota constituents and even hone my graphic design skills by creating visual aids to be used in Veterans’ Affairs and Health, Education, Labor and Pensions committees.”

Winckler's advice to rising majors: “Don’t feel as though you need to know everything about government to be an intern — your job is to learn and gain experience. As long as you have a strong work ethic and a desire to learn, you’ll do just fine!”

Beyond AU

Prince Adhikari '26: Government affairs internship at First Day Public Relations in Sioux Falls

Roles/duties: Advancing public affairs and legislative advocacy on current bills, providing rapid response updates for 50+ coalition members and contributing to strategic framing for legislative sessions and regulatory trends

“Academically, this internship felt like a direct extension of the state and local politics course I took with Dr. Emily Wanless in Spring 2025. I was able to apply course concepts at First Day PR. Whether it was tracking bills through chambers, analyzing vote margins or assessing how institutional rules shaped outcomes, I was putting class knowledge directly into practice. Personally, that bridge between classroom theory and live policy debates gave me both hands-on knowledge and the confidence to know I can contribute in high-pressure, professional settings.”

Adhikari's advice for rising majors: “Don’t come into an internship thinking you’re just there to complete tasks. The insights you capture will be invaluable later in classes, future internships and career decisions.”

Contact Us

Government & International Affairs Department


Latest News

Hosted by the Norway-America Association (NORAM), Augustana University joined five other colleges and universities in Oslo, Norway, on Thursday, May 15, to celebrate 100 years of Norwegian-American Educational Cooperation. All founded by Norwegian immigrants, these institutions have welcomed Norwegian students and maintained strong ties to Norway. With academics, diplomats, business leaders and guests from both countries, the celebration was a tribute to shared history, knowledge and future cooperation.

Annie Johnston ‘25, of Sioux Falls, has been named Augustana University's 2025 Undergraduate Commencement speaker — set to address her class at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 24, at Kirkeby-Over Stadium. Johnston, who is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in history and government & international affairs, is pursuing work in political advocacy and plans to apply to law school in the fall.

Augustana University and Sioux Falls have connected the 2024-25 Augustana Student Association (ASA) president and vice president in ways they never could have imagined. Persuaded to run for top ASA leadership positions by their peers, Annie Johnston '25 and Prince Adhikari '26 both needed a running mate and found each other. They had all the makings of a great team. And now, with a semester under their belt as president and vice president, listening, connecting and having fun is what has guided them through the academic year thus far.

Highlights

2025 State Capitol

Careers

Graduates secure careers as foreign service officers, legislators, journalists, lawyers, policy analysts and nonprofit administrators.

Hands-On Learning

The department has built strong relationships with local and state political leaders, businesses and national organizations to establish high-impact learning experiences. Students work on issues important to them and cultivate contacts that often turn into full-time jobs.

Internship opportunities include:

  • Foreign embassies and the White House
  • Congressional and law offices
  • Nonprofit associations, including the Childrens’ Defense Fund, ONE Campaign and Jubilee USA Network
  • U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. State Department
  • South Dakota Bureau of Personnel

Government & international affairs students study away in:

Courses & Organizations

Students study these areas:

  • Law
  • American systems
  • International relations
  • Political theory
  • World comparisons

Government & international affairs students often participate in:

  • Augustana Student Association (ASA)
  • Government Club
  • Augustana Democrats
  • Augustana Republicans
  • Augie Green