Political science is a social science that focuses on the theory and practice of government and politics at various levels. Majoring in government means that you’ll study political structures, policies, and the concepts of justice and democracy.
The most common tracks and concentrations of political science are political theory, American politics, comparative politics, and international politics. However, many government and legal studies majors and programs are also inclusive of curriculum regarding those four main divisions. Political science and government are popular majors for students who plan to attend law school, and for those who would like to work in politics, government, public administration, education, public service, and business.
Most liberal arts schools offer political science programs, so we chose to focus on programs that allow for specialized programs of studies and other unique offerings.
Williams:
Williams has two majors that belong on this list. There is the political economy program, which was created to give students context and understanding of how politics and economics interact in the formation of public policy. A cool feature of this program is that classes are jointly taught by a political scientist and an economist -- the program is truly interdisciplinary and students graduate with an understanding of economics within the context of American and international politics. And then there is the more traditional Political Science major, which has the traditional subfields. But in addition to those tracks, students can also choose individual concentrations. This list details the individual concentrations that have been chosen in the past, including “Injustice and Liberation” and “Politics and Economics of the Pacific Rim.” The diverse list suggests that Williams has the resources for students to customize their studies, and dig into unique topics of interest.
Smith:
Smith College offers a major in government, which is centered around thinking about the true purpose of politics, the responsibilities of governments, and duties and rights of citizens. Another aim of the program is to familiarize students with the many differing and diverse perspectives on political issues that are often based on ethnicity, race, gender, and culture. There are four subfields within the major: American politics, political theory, comparative politics, and international politics. It is also possible to choose a concentration based on one of eight themes, which range from public policy to gender and sexuality.
Washington and Lee:
The politics major at Washington and Lee in under the umbrella of the Williams Schools, W&L’s business school. Because the program is situated in a business environment, course offerings also include classes on statistics and methods. And then there is the Washington Term, which is a six-week spring term that consists of an academic course, work experience in D.C., and a lecture series. Students work for four days (Monday – Thursday) and Fridays are spent in a guest lecture with professionals that currently work in Washington, D.C.
Pomona:
The politics major at Pomona is satisfied with eight courses. Students must take one class from each of the four main subfields and the major focuses on the U.S. government, foreign policy, and global politics – but if you are interested in a particular area, it’s possible to choose a specialization or undertake a year-long independent project and a thesis study. Funded summer research grants are available, and Pomona also hosts a pizza and politics series, which are lunch meetings for students to discuss their research with professors and guests.
Tufts:
The political science curriculum at Tufts is similar to the rest of the schools on our list. In addition, high performing students have the option of taking graduate school level classes (with permission from your professors) at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, and a “limited number” of Poly Sci majors are accepted into a five-year B.A./Masters program at the Fletcher School. Tufts also posts numerous internship opportunities, some of which exist within the school itself. If you’re interested in attending grad school and would like the option to apply during your undergraduate career, this program is worth considering.
Swarthmore:
Swarthmore’s program covers the four major areas of political science, but the school is also constantly updating the course catalogue to address issues in the political world as they arise in real-time. The major is linked to other departments at the college, including Environmental Studies, Public Policy, Interpretation Theory, The Democracy Project, Education, Peace and Conflict Studies, and Lang Center for Social and Civic Affairs.
Vassar:
Vassar’s program stands out because of its emphasis on the questioning of our current societal values. Students discuss overarching questions such as “What forms of government should exist” and “How can justice best be achieved?” It’s true that his kind of thinking often permeates a liberal arts education, but Vassar’s website makes it clear that it is a true benchmark of the program.
Bowdoin:
Bowdoin’s government and legal studies major is a good option for students who plan to attend law school. This is because all of the subfields (American politics, Comparative politics, political theory, and international relations) are tethered to the creation of effective writing skills, analysis and argumentation skills, critical reading, analytical thinking, and library and research skills – skills that are crucial for any aspiring lawyer. The course offerings delve into a wide variety of topics such as political philosophy (“Human Being and Citizen”) and environmental politics (“The Politics of Climate Change.”)
Comparing political science programs can be difficult because many of the programs are similar. We suggest that you use our list as a starting point to find what you’re most excited by, and then dig into more programs on your own.
If you’re unsure about what kind of program is best for you, contact us here.