Introduction

The Saint-Louis - Bruxelles campus offers a bachelor's degree programme in political science during the day, as well as in the evening, which is unique among French-speaking universities in Belgium. For over thirty years, Saint-Louis has offered an evening programme for those who wish to further their education or redirect it, while working or looking for a job during the day.

Classes are held Monday to Friday, from 5.15pm to 8.15pm or 9.15pm. They take place in the centre of Brussels, at the Saint-Louis - Bruxelles campus (between the Rogier and Botanique metro stations, near the Gare du Nord). This programme entitles private-sector employees to paid educational leave.

The bachelor's degree in political science mainly involves learning how to understand the mechanisms of power which govern today's world:

• How are decisions made, and at which levels of power?
• Who actually influences decisions and in whose interest?
• What are the main systems of political power both historically and throughout the world?
• How can we explain their emergence, evolution, successes and difficulties?
• What are the main contemporary issues at national, European and global level? Who do they oppose? What are the power relationships involved? What are the possible outcomes?

These are just some of the questions which political science provides answers to through various specialised areas: political parties and interest groups, electoral studies, international relations, political regimes, etc. A bachelor's degree in political science addresses these different issues.

The programme also includes course units in the humanities – sociology, philosophy, law, economics, etc. – which shed light on human relations, how they function and how they evolve. Students will also acquire in-depth knowledge of data collection and statistics, in order to gain an academic understanding of human phenomena.

Your profile

You would like to combine your professional life with university studies, you enjoy topical debates, you want to know more about world developments, you would like to become capable of interacting in English on political subjects, and you have a strong interest in rigorous analysis based on cross-checked data.

Your future job

The political science programme is divided into two cycles: the three-year bachelor's degree and the one- or two-year master's degree. After completing a master's degree in political science (general or international relations), there are many and varied career opportunities:

• Administrative agent for the state, an international organisation, the European Commission or a public body
• Elected official, ministerial advisor, parliamentary attaché, partner in a consulting firm
• Lobbyist in a pressure group, campaign manager in an NGO, attaché for a party, a trade union, an industry association, etc.
• Journalist, consultant, pollster, researcher, analyst in a research department
• Educator in a continuing education organisation
• Teacher (secondary, higher education, social advancement)

Your programme

The programme begins with a range of general courses in the humanities, mainly in year 1. The number of courses in political science, social science methods and English increases each year. It also includes several law courses.