Students who major in political science study the government, both in theory in practice. The most common tracks are American Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Comparative Politics. Below you’ll find eight schools with political science programs that caught our eye. As always, we do not make these lists based on rankings. Instead, we look for special opportunities that might interest our blog readers. Keep reading for our list:
Georgetown:
Understandably, a lot of high school students who want to study political science have aspirations of attending college in Washington, D.C. While it’s not called Political Science, Georgetown has incredible resources in the areas of political science and government. We suggest playing around with their areas of study drop-down menu, and even got you started here.
Tufts:
The political science program is highly regarded for a number of reasons. In addition to providing access to a long list of impressive professors, the school is also home to the “Tufts in Washington” program. Tufts teamed up with American University, and choose between one of two tracks for their semester in Washington. The tracks are American National Politics and American Foreign Policy. Tufts is a good option for those students who aren’t sold on living in Washington D.C., but still want to access the resources that it has to offer.
Stanford:
Political science majors at Stanford focus their efforts on analytical skills so that they can gain a better understanding of how government agencies function. There are five tracks available: Justice and Law, Political and Economic Development; Elections, Representation, and Governance; International Relations, or Data Science. It’s possible to add in an additional track, and you’re encouraged to pursue jobs and internships during your time at Stanford.
Williams:
Williams refers to their political science program as “the study of power.” You’ll find the traditional concentrations at Williams: American Politics, International Relations, Political Theory, and Comparative Politics. If none of that inspires you, it’s also possible to create your own track. In the past, students have studied Democracy; Justice, Rights, and Law; and Civil Disobedience. Click here if you’d like to look into their course offerings.
Harvard:
The Government program at Harvard stands out because the school offers a variety of resources for students to figure out an ideal path forward. You can have lunch with a professor, attend any number of lectures on campus, and they also offer a variety of introductory courses for those students who might be interested in studying Government. All of the freshman seminars sound interesting, some of which focus on elections and others on free speech. Harvard is known for its academic programs, and their Government program is no different.
Vassar:
At Vassar, students question the norm. In addition to studying how the government works and its relation to society, Vassar places an emphasis on how things should be. You’ll question our current values, discuss how justice can actually be achieved, and you’ll be encouraged to dig into the very issues that society is currently facing. This approach is common at a liberal arts school, but Vassar stands out because of its commitment to questioning the status quo.
UC Berkeley:
Berkeley’s program has topped these lists for years, and for good reason. For starters, despite being a large school, Political Science majors at Berkeley speak highly of their professors’ commitment to engaging with their students. You’ll find the traditional tracks, but Berkeley’s curriculum also dives into public policy, political behavior, and public law. The school also hosts lecture series, which you can read more about here. Research is highly encouraged, and the school helps students obtain those positions using resources that can be found on this page.
Penn:
Penn’s program stands out because of the breadth of the coursework. A few that stand out are American Foreign Policy, Modern Political Thought, Democracy and Development in India, and Latin American Politics. While you’re on Penn’s website, pop over to their PPE program. We wrote about it here, and it’s a good fit for those students who love politics but are also interested in philosophy and economics.
We love helping our clients and blog readers find exciting schools. With that being said, this list is just a few of the many impressive programs we’re familiar with. We encourage you to do your own research as well!
Contact us here if you’d like to work with someone one-on-one.