Faculty of Political Science, Thammasat University

History

The teaching in political science in Thailand, basically before 1932 was focused on training the people to enter the government system of Thailand. According to the course of political science is against the political system in Thailand, the field of the study in that era was limited. After the Siamese Revolution of 1932 and the continuous incidents cause the establishment of University of Moral and Political Science (former name of Thammasat University) in 1934 is the beginning of the study in field of political science in Thailand. The study of political science in the past of bachelor's degree was in the curriculum of Thammasat Bundit or 'The Science of Moral' (Thai: ธรรมศาสตร์บัณฑิต) and the master's degree was separated in 3 departments; Laws, Political Science and Economics. For doctoral degree was separated in 4 departments; Laws, Political Science, Economics and Diplomatic.
In 1948-1949, the affection of the conflict of politic from the coup on 8 November 1947 and the atmosphere of international politics that changed during that time, United States and Soviet Union had become the major powers and suspicious on each other, caused Cold War and these 2 factors cause the effects.

1. The government system of Thailand in that era is rapidly increase, and most important is the group of governors of Ministry of Interior had opinions on the Thammasat Bundit course that can't make graduates that suit with responsibilities in each ministries effectively. 2. University of Moral and Political Sciences offered the studying in type of Academic Market (ตลาดวิชา : open university) or the system which everyone no matters which classes you are in or how old or your age can obtain the knowledge from the university, that make the graduates that obtains the degree from university had age gaps, and most of them focus to be part of social and politic roles rather than going to be the governors. 3. The teaching and studying in University of Moral and Political Sciences was not trained and taught efficiently to work in some profession, such as lawyer.

Establishment

By that effect, the committees of University of Moral and Political Science during that era such as Professor Direk Jayanama, Professor Duen Bunnag by the leading of General Mangkorn Phromyothi as director and Professor Vijitr Lutitanon as the secretariat had agreed to establish the "Additional Regulation of the separation of studying into 4 faculties and the specification of the academic session and exam 1949" and that affected to the establishment of Faculty of Law, Accounting and Commerce (former name of Thammasat Business School), Political Science and Economics on 14 June 1949. In the first period of the establishment of Faculty of Political Science, the first dean of faculty is Professor Direk Jayanama and another curriculum drafting committees; Professor Serm Vinijchaijul, Professor Thawee Reangkam, H.H. Princess Prem Burachat, H.S.H Luksanalert Chayangkul, Professor Dr. Puey Ungpakorn and Dr. Yuad Lertrit had comparative study over the various foreign universities curriculum such as London School of Economics or Harvard University, etc. By the academic supporting of the expert of Fulbright Foundation that coming to Thailand in that period. After that the studying of political science have been change time by time.

Revolutions

1953, established the boarding department. Student will live in the university and will be trained about the academic and disciplines. 1955, Thammasat University had the academic supporting from United States directly and establish the department of Public Administration in master's degree, as bilingual program (Thai and English). 1959, faculty agree to establish the department of Diplomatic in the bachelor program after opened in master's degree for a while. 1967 (B.E. 2510); founded the department of Public Administration and Political Science study in bachelor's degree. In the beginning of 1977 era (B.E. 2520), faculty had opened the courses in bachelor's and master's degrees for 4 departments; governance, public administration, international relations (former 'diplomatic') and political philosophy (former 'political science study') and terminated political philosophy departments, so it have 3 departments until nowadays. Since the beginning of 1987 era (B.E. 2530), after the end of Cold War and the beginning of globalization affect the political atmosphere as well as socio-economics in domestic and international cause the rapidly development of faculty. Led to the establishment of special program offered in master's degree.

Master Degree in Politics and Governance for Executives (MPE) in Rangsit Campus Master Degree in Executive in Public Affairs (EPA) in Tha Prachan Campus Master Degree in International Relations (MIR) in Tha Prachan Campus

In 1999 on the occasion of celebrating the 50 years anniversary of faculty of political science, faculty had recreated the curriculum in doctoral degree and open at Tha Prachan Campus in 2002. In 2009 on the occasion of celebrating the 60 years anniversary of faculty of political science, faculty had established the new program in international program as the first combined bachelor's and master's degrees in Thailand. 'The Combined Bachelor and master's degree in Politics and International Relations (English Program)' or briefly called BMIR at Tha Prachan Campus.

Tha Prachan Campus

Faculty of Political Science of Thammasat University offers two departments in Thai and English program study at Tha Prachan Campus, center of Bangkok. This campus have been focus to be the international campus that offer to Thai student who wish to study in international standard as English program and the international student who wish to study at Thammasat University. Faculty offer 3 programs in this campus.

BMIR program

The Combined Bachelor and master's degree in Politics and International Relations or BMIR was founded in 2009 same year as the sixtieth anniversary of the Faculty of Political Science. This program focusing to increase the standard of Thammasat University to be the international university atmosphere. This program offered five years of course studying, three and a half years for bachelor's degree and one and a half for master's degree. For undergraduate students who prospect to study further continuously in master's degree of this program after three and half year of bachelor's degree, have to obtain the grade of 3.0 and above to fulfill requirement to study in master's degree but who can't obtain have to take an exam of admission for BMIR Graduate Program. This program was considered to be the first and only political science program nowadays in Thailand which offered the combined degree in English language as the international program.

Bachelor of Political Science (Politics and International Relations)

MIR Program

Master of Political Science (International Relations)

EPA Program

Master of Arts (Public Affairs)

Rangsit Campus

Faculty of Political Science of Thammasat University offers three departments in Thai program study at Rangsit Campus, Pathum Thani suburban of Bangkok metropolitan area.

Department of Governance

Consists of four programs in three degrees.

Bachelor's degree

Bachelor of Political Science (Politics and Government)

Master's degree

Master of Arts (Political Science)

Master of Arts (Politics and Government) in master's degree in Politics and Governance for Executives Program (MPE)

Doctoral degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science)

Department of International Affairs

Bachelor's degree

Bachelor of Political Science (International Affairs)

Master's degree

Master of Arts (Political Science)

Doctoral degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science)

Department of Public Administration

Bachelor's degree

Bachelor of Political Science (Public Administration)

Master's degree

Master of Arts (Political Science)

Doctoral degree

Doctor of Philosophy (Political Science)

Facilities

Faculty of Political Science offer in 2 campuses which each campus have different facilities and atmosphere but the activities student in both campuses are participate together in both campus depend to venue.

Direk Jayanama Library

Direk Jayanama Library located in the fifth floor of the faculty building at Tha Prachan campus, provide the service to the BMIR Program student in bachelor's degree and also for master and doctoral degree. This library is the official library of the faculty which responsible by the Thammasat University Library (TULIB). This library have various kind of political science books, newspaper and magazine mostly in English and some is Thai for master's degree students.

Activities

Singhadang Samphan

Singhadang Samphan is the orientation activity which made for the freshmen of the faculty, this activity is the tradition of the faculty which held in different venue each year.

International cooperation

Faculty of Political Science have various partners universities around the world in faculty level and also the students in the faculty can apply for the international exchange program in university level.

Faculty level

 Indonesia Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta

 United Kingdom Nottingham Trent University

 United States Northern Illinois University

 Germany Ludwig-Maximilians-Universitat

 Sweden Halmstad University

 Japan Waseda University

 South Korea Yonsei University

University level

Thammasat University offer various exchange program to students for outgoing and for incoming students. For outgoing, Thammasat have various partner universities in different parts of the world. Responsible by Office of International Affairs (OIA)