Getting Started

College: SBS

  (Revised Spring 2019)  

Information below is meant to guide first-year students in getting started with this major and choosing appropriate courses.  More advanced students interested in this major would also likely start with the proposed foundation/pre-requisite courses.  Please refer to the Major page in the left menu bar to learn about the full major requirements.

How to Explore the Major

Suggested General Education Courses

All Undergraduates are required to satisfy the General Education Requirements. Guidelines for students are available at https://www.umass.edu/gened.  Students should choose a wide variety of Gen Ed courses, providing breadth of experience.

A broad liberal arts curriculum is recommended.

Suggested Major and Prerequisite Courses

Required introductory courses:
Three introductory Political Science courses as follows (one in each category). Students must achieve a cumulative average of 2.0 or greater across the three introductory courses below:

  • Category 1: POLISCI 101 American Politics or POLISCI 162 Introduction to Constitutional Law or POLISCI 181 Controversies in Public Policy
  • Category 2: POLISCI 111 Comparative Politics or POLISCI 121 World Politics
  • Category 3: POLISCI 171 Introduction to Political Theory or POLISCI 203 American Political Thought or POLISCI 270 Ancient Political Thought or POLISCI 271 Modern Political Thought or POLISCI 273 Power

How to Declare/Change into the Major

For current & admitted students: This major is unrestricted, which means any student may declare the major. Unrestricted majors may still have an entry process such as meeting with an advisor or attending an informational meeting.

Students can declare when they enter the university or at any time in their UMass career by scheduling an advising appointment via the department website.

Transfer Students

Transfer students should schedule an advising appointment through the department website as soon as they arrive on campus.

Summary of Requirements for the Major

Refer to the Major page located in the left menu bar to learn more.

Minimum total # of credits required: 44

Is there a minor?  If so what are the requirements?
Yes – A minor is available! Refer to the Minor page located in the left menu bar to learn more.

For further information, contact: 
Lisa Merritt, Thompson 310, ldmerritt@umass.edu
Amy Grieger, Thompson 308, agrieger@umass.edu
Adrian Grace, Thompson 334, amgrace@umass.edu
Or visit the Department’s website at http://polsci.umass.edu/ 
our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/pages/UMass-Amherst-Department-of-Political-Science/185778744792124
Twitter at https://twitter.com/umasspolsci/
Linked In at https://www.linkedin.com/groups/2312224/profile