The Major

Requirements

These requirements apply to students entering the University of Massachusetts the Summer of 2023 or later. For requirements for earlier entry years see archived Guides to Undergraduate Programs.

The Department of Political Science requires its majors to complete a minimum of 14 courses totaling at least 45 credits in Political Science, including the Junior Year Writing and Integrative Experience requirements. All courses counted toward the major must be taken for a letter grade (except under 2a and 3c) and carry at least three credits and no more than five transfer courses (or a maximum of 20 credits) may count toward the major. Students must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA within the major as well as overall at the University in order to graduate.

Required Survey Courses

1. Three broad Political Science survey courses as follows (one in each category):

1. POLISCI 101 American Politics or 162 Introduction to Constitutional Law or 181 Controversies in Public Policy or 255 US Foreign Policy
2. POLISCI 111 Comparative Politics or 121 World Politics
3. POLISCI 171 Introduction to Political Theory or 203 American Political Thought or 270 Ancient Political Thought or 271 Modern Political Thought or 272 Democracy and Citizenship or 273 Power

200 and 300-Level Coursework

2. Eight classes at the 200-level or above, at least four of which must be at the 300-level or above (a 200-level class used to fulfill the political theory survey requirement may not count toward this area as well). The Junior Year Writing (377) and Integrative Experience (IE) courses count as two of the eight courses.

1. The following will count towards this requirement:
• All classes 200-499 (or above) taken for a grade, except for independent study or practicum coursework ending in 96 or 98, which will count according to the rules below
• Three or more credits accumulated from any combination of 296, 396, 496 (independent study); 298, 498D (internship practicum); and 398R (research practicum) will be counted as a single course. However, no more than one of the eight required upper-level courses may come from credits accrued from such coursework. (Courses taken P/F may be acceptable here, but only if P/F status is mandatory.)

2. The following will count towards the 4 required 300+ level courses:
• Any 300-499 (or above) courses taken for a grade, including Junior Year Writing (377) and courses that may be counted for Integrative Experience (IE), but not any course ending in 96 or 98.

Global Knowledge & Skills Requirement

3. Three courses, totaling at least nine credits, choosing one of the following paths: (a) Global Courses – three courses from a Global Knowledge & Skills list (found on the department website) (b) Certificates approved by the department (list found on website) (c) Study Abroad (IPO-approved program) (d) Foreign Language (in sequence) (e) Individualized (with approval from Undergraduate Program Director). Coursework in this requirement area may not overlap with other requirements in the major.

Honors Program

The Political Science Honors Program is open to majors who have a grade point average of 3.400 or higher and who are in Commonwealth Honors College. Students are admitted to this program by application and, once accepted, they fulfill part of their departmental with honors courses. These requirements include five General Studies honors courses (GSH) and four honors classes in the department (Departmental Honors – DH) or across departments (Multidisciplinary Honors – MH). The DH or MH requirements include an Honors Thesis or Project (six more credits on one topic). Distinctions may be achieved for excellence in the capstone, project, or thesis, combined with higher overall GPAs. For detailed information on diploma and transcript recognitions, and for criteria required to graduate with Latin honors, see the “University Graduation Requirements” section of this Guide. Enrollment preference in Honors courses is given to Commonwealth College and Political Science Department Honors students. More information is available from the department’s Honors Coordinator or on the department's website.

Education Abroad and Exchanges

Numerous opportunities are available for study at other institutions. Students can take classes at Smith, Amherst, Mount Holyoke, and Hampshire College as part of the Five College Consortium. Our Domestic Exchange program allows individuals to choose from over 170 institutions in the U.S. and continue UMass degree progress while on another campus. Last, our Study Abroad program provides the opportunity to attend a variety of foreign universities.

Questions about the applicability of exchange credits to the major should be directed to the department’s Director of Undergraduate Advising. Up to five Political Science courses may be taken in this manner. Students should consult with the department’s advising office on course selection before starting the exchange.

Related Programs

Many certificate programs are available to undergraduates in fields closely related to Political Science, including the Five College International Relations Certificate, the Film Studies Certificate, and certificates in African Studies; Criminal Justice; Public Policy and Administration; Middle Eastern Studies; Latin American, Caribbean & Latino Studies, among others. Students also may pursue minors in conjunction with their Political Science major in such areas as Communication, Economics, Information Technology (IT), Journalism, Sociology, and Women’s Studies.

Internships

Several types of internships are available to Political Science majors.  Students regularly intern with government institutions at all levels, non-profit advocacy groups, research organizations, and other agencies with public service functions (including law offices). Internships are designed to enable students to earn graduation credits while working for a semester in a professional position to gain work experience. More information about internships is available through the department's advising office.

Undergraduate Research

The Department offers several opportunities for undergraduates to become involved in research. Our Undergraduate Research Engagement Program (UREP) pairs majors with faculty for one-on-one experience conducting research. Independent Study courses offer students opportunities to explore areas of personal interest with the structured guidance of a faculty member. Similarly, students in the Commonwealth Honors College can conduct and write original research through Honors Theses and Capstones.

Accelerated Master's

The Accelerated Master's Degree in the Department of Political Science is a flexible and individualized plan of graduate study for undergraduate students at UMass Amherst, Mount Holyoke College, Hampshire College, Amherst College, and Smith College.

The Accelerated MA is a 30-credit master's degree open to students at the Five Colleges with a 3.5 overall GPA or better. It allows Five College students to complete a bachelor and master's degree in a total of five years. The full bachelor and master's program is 150 credits.