Political science seeks to increase our understanding of politics, political institutions, and political processes. The Department of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis strives to be one of the best in the world and, subsequently, the department is nationally and internationally recognized as one of the leading departments in the discipline. The department has particular strengths in theory, methods, and the rigorous combination of the two. Undergraduates can major or minor in political science, and the department offers a variety of sub-fields to study including American politics, comparative politics, international politics, political and social theory, and formal and mathematical approaches. The doctoral program in political science is one of the top programs in the country. Students may pursue a major in Environmental Policy. This major includes courses in political science and public policy as well as courses in the natural sciences and anthropology. The total number of units required for this major are thus somewhat higher than for a political science major.