Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

By majoring in political science at UMass Amherst, you will become a more engaged citizen capable of sharing power and responsibility in a contemporary democracy.

Courses will develop your skills in comprehending, engaging, and creating complex arguments and describing phenomena. You'll explore political life in the varied contexts in which it occurs: institutions, social movements, power relations, elections, war, and more.

You'll investigate issues central to public life—such as democracy, citizenship, inequality, global forces, and governance—as you build your knowledge of American and international policy from both modern and historic perspectives.

Beyond the classroom, you'll also engage experiential opportunities such as internships, studies abroad, and domestic exchange programs. On campus and all over the world, students can take on challenging experiences and strengthen leadership, interpersonal, and organizational skills.

With their focus on the study of politics, governance, and international relations, political science graduates often seek careers in law, politics, domestic and international non-governmental agencies, and academia.