Chair's Welcome

One of the most demanding aspects of entering the world of politics, either as a participant or as an informed observer making commentary, is being able to speak intelligently about the issues.  This means understanding both the complexity of our world and the many levels that our political decision-makers must act.  The Department of Political Science at CSU Bakersfield is committed to helping every student achieve a distinct level of competence and confidence about our political world so that their observations - no matter what their political affiliation-are informed, persuasive and capable of generating insightful discussion that others will respect, and even seek out.  As Chair of the Department of Political Science it is my goal to ensure that every student who arrives here will leave with a better understanding of our world, and the capacity to express their knowledge of our political world in a way that elevates both the discussion and our democracy. 

I look forward to meeting every one of you interested in learning about our political world, especially if you're interested in learning about it with us.

Mark A. Martinez, Ph.D.

Professor and Chair

Department of Political Science

CSU, Bakersfield

O:661-654-2352

F: 661-654-6075