Graduates of the Political Science program at Universidad de Las Américas are competent and entrepreneurial professionals with a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and critical academic formation in the theoretical and practical dimensions of political science and international relations. Grounded in a robust understanding of national and international realities, graduates contribute to developing solutions to public challenges faced by Ecuadorian society. Likewise, graduates contribute to the country’s strategic integration into the Latin American region and the global arena, while also supporting the strengthening of democratic institutions.
Furthermore, graduates develop their own informed perspectives on political and international phenomena through critical engagement with diverse theoretical approaches. Graduates conduct basic and applied research projects on national and international issues of academic and social relevance. Additionally, graduates formulate solutions in both public and private contexts, addressing complex challenges at the national and international levels.
In addition, graduates are prepared to analyze the importance of democratic values, pluralism, institutional frameworks, and human rights in contemporary societies. Graduates apply multidisciplinary strategies and tools, maintaining a critical perspective of context, to design and evaluate public policies, government plans, and political campaigns. Likewise, graduates assess political processes through the analysis of power relations among the state, individuals, political parties, and social organizations. Graduates also are expected to act responsibly and critically, both as professionals and as citizens, guided by ethical principles and a commitment to community service. Graduates apply their capacity for innovation to monitoring political situations and pursuing practical solutions, grounded in a democratic culture that fosters pluralism and tolerance.
Finally, graduates foster respect for diverse perspectives and capacities, promote intercultural understanding, and advocate for environmental sustainability, freedom, justice, and human rights. Through this commitment, graduates contribute to the common good and foster cooperation within Ecuadorian society and among 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.