A political science graduate from Universidad de Las Américas is a competent and enterprising professional, having received thorough, interdisciplinary, and critical training in both theoretical and practical aspects of the field. He works to find answers to societal issues that Ecuadorian society is facing in order to strengthen democratic institutions and find a strategic position for Ecuador in the Latin American and global contexts. He makes informed decisions based on his understanding of both domestic and foreign realities.
Graduates develop their own understanding of global and political phenomena based on a critical assessment of various existing theoretical perspectives. They create fundamentally sound applied research projects on regional and global issues of academic and social importance. Putting forward solutions to issues and challenges at a global and national level in both public and private settings. Graduating students are equipped to evaluate the significance of democratic values, pluralism, institutionalism, and human rights in society. When designing and evaluating public administration, political campaigns, and government projects and plans, they apply multidisciplinary strategies and resources with a critical vision of the context. They evaluate political processes using an analysis of power relations between the state, individuals, political parties, and social organizations.
The Political Science graduate is expected to act responsibly and critically as a professional and citizen, following ethical behavior and service to the community and applying his capacity for innovation in monitoring political situations and seeking solutions, based on the foundation of a democratic culture that strengthens a pluralistic and tolerant environment. The graduate is also expected to promote intercultural understanding, environmental sustainability, freedom, justice, and human rights, as well as the common good and international cooperation, both within Ecuadorian society and between nations.
Demographic Data: Program headcount totals the number of students enrolled yearly and a breakdown by men and women. Enrollment by ethnicity presents data on the most representative ethnic groups of the program.
Student Completion:
Retention and graduation rates are calculated through the 2020-2021 academic year, based on new, first-time students entering in the fall semester, regardless of whether they enroll in the daytime or evening version of their program (if available). These rates do not consider incoming transfer students. Retention rates are calculated in 1 and 2 years.
Graduation rates are calculated according to each program’s duration length (100%) and within 150% of the normal time for a bachelor’s degree. The percentage of graduates in each cohort by gender considers only actual graduates, not the original makeup of the cohort.
Scholarship information: Information is divided by the type of scholarship granted.
Geographic Data: Presents the composition of the students of the program.
Add'l. Demogr. Data: Includes information on marital status, disability, and first-generation students.
In every semester, the program provides assessment results according to its Multiannual Assessment Plan (MAP), which typically considers one or more of its program learning outcomes (PLOs). Most programs utilize the platform Brightspace to collect and assess student work and to present the data and evidence of student achievement. These results and their analysis, with the objective of identifying areas for improvement, are presented in the program’s annual assessment report. In the graphic below, the most recent period in which a PLO has been assessed is indicated, with the percentage indicating achievement of the expected performance standard for that PLO, according to the rubric used to evaluate the student work. This standard can be designated at an introductory, intermediate, or final level, depending upon how the course learning outcomes (CLOs) align to each PLO in the program’s curriculum map.