I'm looking into good political science graduate programs. I know Claremont used to have Harry Jaffa there, but I've heard that his influence has waned since his retirement. What's the word on the street about them in the last five years?

Good question. I too am interested to know. Please, people, respond.

After speaking to some alumni of Claremont Graduate University, I have some information that may be helpful.

According to reports, CGU is very quantitative and students should expect a year or so of stats/methodology type courses as well as a general bias toward that end of the political science spectrum. Another drawback may include the fact that many recognizable professors, such as Jaffa and Neumann, are teaching less these days and are close to retirement.

The advantage of CGU is the access it grants students to all the other Claremont colleges—-Scripps, Pomona, Claremont McKenna, Pitzer, and Harvey-Mudd. For those interested in political theory or political philosophy, Claremont McKenna will be the most relevant. Members of the Claremont McKenna faculty teach at CGU, and it also appears that graduate students are able to take Claremont McKenna undergraduate courses for graduate credit. There is also the proximity to the Claremont Institute, which publishes the well-known Claremont Review of Books, and the attraction that the Claremont Colleges have for well-known speakers and lecturers.

Generally, I understand that the faculty at CGU is strong. And while they are not conservative per se, they are tolerant liberals generally.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Samantha Clark,

Samantha, many thanks for relaying this important info. Cheers, J.

Harry Jaffa is still around, elderly but willing to talk to anyone who wishes to speak with him. The other prof's you will likely be interested in studying with are these guys:

http://www.claremontmckenna.edu/salvatori/faculty/

See also:

http://www.claremont.org/scholars/id.349/scholar.asp

They also have individual pages at CMC's site and most of them have written for the Claremont Review of Books, so you can read what they have written there as well.

What is said above is true, I think. You will be mostly studying with CMC profs, not CGU profs. Unfortunately, CGU is not very highly ranked, but getting a PhD in American Government and Political Philosophy from there is well worth it, education-wise and there is a network of people out there who recognize the program you are interested in. And the prof's above will help assist you with a job after you leave. Email me if you want more info.