Political Science Letter of Specialization

Earn a credential in a law-related area while pursuing your political science degree

Earning a letter of specialization enables students majoring in political science at UMass Amherst to build greater expertise in a specific law-related field area with a recognized credential. 

Political science majors may choose from several letters of specialization: 

  • Comparative and International Law 
  • Conflict Resolution 
  • Constitutional Law 
  • Law and Social Justice 
  • Data Analytics for Politics, Policy, and Legal Studies (DAPPLS) 

To earn a letter of specialization, you’ll complete five courses from a faculty-designed course list. Classes include legal topics, as well as courses from law-related liberal arts disciplines. 

Upon graduation, you will receive a formal letter from the director of the program which can be cited as a credential on resumes, personal statements, and in letters of recommendation.