BA in Political Science

Political science offers great flexibility and a variety of courses each semester focusing on all aspects of the discipline. You may select from a broad range of courses that satisfy your personal interests and lead you closer to domestic and international careers in business, education, government, law, media, nonprofits, and politics.

Requirements

A total of 36 political science credits are required to complete the major. Of these, 27 must be upper-division credits that include at least one course from three of the four focus areas. The four focus areas are political theory, American government, comparative government, and international relations.

Completing the major will require additional POL elective courses which can be selected from any of the focus areas. Some students choose to focus their electives in one specific area, while others take classes in all four focus areas to complete a more general major. Whatever your area of interest, you can find several courses that match your interests and work well with your class schedule.

Visit the Courses page for more information on political science courses and focus areas.

Political science majors must also complete the POL 4991 capstone. For more information about the capstone, visit the Capstone in Political Science page.

Students accepted to the University Honors Program are eligible to declare a political science BA at the honors level. Learn more about the political science BA honors program on our Honors Students page.

Full Requirements