Building on its historical strength, Yale is a leader in research and teaching in contemporary Political Science. The Department is home to around 45 faculty, whose scholarship and teaching span across the subfields of Political Science and the countries of the world. The undergraduate major is among the largest on campus, and the graduate program produces Ph.D. students who have taken leadership positions in the discipline. 

Many Political Science faculty also play active roles in related programs at Yale, such as the Program in Ethics, Politics, and Economics; Directed Studies; the Institution for Social And Policy Studies; and the MacMillian Center. The Department also sponsors numerous seminars, lectures, and conferences that are open to all members of the Yale community.