Why choose a major in Political Science & Public Policy?
Our majors and minors will prepare you for a variety of careers in public service, legal professions, non-profit organizations, and business.
- Flexible course offerings: Students in our majors focus on the aspects of politics, policy, and law that most interest them, while obtaining breadth of knowledge across the field.
- In-demand skills: Our programs build skills that are in demand across the job market, focusing on written and spoken communication, data analysis, policy evaluation, and legal reasoning. Typical earnings for holders of bachelor's degrees in political science or public policy are the second-highest across all majors in the arts, biology and life sciences, education, humanities, social sciences, law and public policy, and are comparable to earnings of bachelor's degree holders in the physical sciences. The median annual salary for someone holding a bachelor's degree in political science is $64,000.
- Hands-on learning: Our internship program, undergraduate research opportunities, and study abroad programs provide students with multiple ways to acquire skills and knowledge outside the classroom.
- Community: Student organizations like the Pre-Law Club and Pi Sigma Alpha help students to connect with peers, build professional networks, and prepare for post-college life.
Major
Political Science
Political science is the study of politics, public policy, and government. This includes the investigation of political behavior, institutions, international relations, law, and political values. The coursework in political science provides students with knowledge and understanding of how government and politics affect their everyday lives and ultimately prepares students for careers in a variety of politics- or government-related professions, as well as a wide swath of careers in business and non-profit organizations that require strong communication, critical thinking, and data analysis skills.
Minors
Political Science | Pre-Law | Public Policy
Our minors prepare students to work in a variety of multi-disciplinary fields that require an understanding of government, public policy, and law. We designed our pre-law minor to help students pursue their interests while also preparing for law school. Our public policy minor features classes which address skills such as assessments of public needs, the design and implementation of programs and policies to meet those needs, and the evaluation of those programs and policies.