Political Science Schools and Programs in The United States

Political Science Studies in The United States

Political science studies and evaluates the theories and practices of politics and government at domestic, foreign and international level. In the United States it is an undergraduate major in the arts and sciences part of a college or university, which normally leads to a Bachelor of Arts (BA), and a research subject at master's and PhD level. It is not a professional degree: graduates go on to work in government, campaigns, research and business, or continue to law school or graduate study. SpainExchange lists 184 colleges and universities in the United States under political science.

How the degree is organised

• Associate degree: a two-year programme at a community college. Seattle Central College, for example, has a political science pathway that leads to an Associate of Arts designed for transfer to a university
• Bachelor's degree: usually four years of full-time study, with classes in a wide range of subjects in addition to the major
• Master's degree: a two-year degree that adds specialisation
• Doctorate (PhD): a programme of five to eight years that trains researchers and university teachers

The major is built around a few fields. At Binghamton University, students take courses in American politics, political theory, comparative politics and international relations, and can choose a BA in Political Science or tracks in Legal Studies and in Global and International Affairs. At the University of Washington, the major requires at least 50 credits: 15 introductory and 35 upper-level, spread across political theory, comparative politics, international relations, American politics and methods. The University of California San Diego offers a general major and eight areas of concentration, among them data analytics, public law and public policy.

At graduate level, Binghamton offers a Master of Arts with a thesis track or a comprehensive exam track, and a PhD in which students choose a primary and a secondary focus among American politics, comparative politics and world politics. Its 4+1 programmes let students finish a bachelor's degree and a master's degree, for example in public administration, in five years.

Admission and language

For a bachelor's degree, applicants must in general have completed high school and be at least 17 years old. Each college sets its own requirements, and EducationUSA, the advising network of the U.S. Department of State, recommends starting the search 12 to 18 months before the academic year of entry. Classes are taught in English and colleges ask international applicants for proof of their English level. At many universities students enter the college first and declare the major later; the University of Washington, for instance, asks for a minimum 2.0 cumulative GPA and minimum grades of 2.0 in the introductory courses.

International students need a student visa. Once accepted by a school certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the school's international student office issues the Form I-20 used in the visa application.

Costs

Fees are set by each institution. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), average tuition and fees for first-time, full-time undergraduates in 2022-23 were $9,800 at public four-year institutions, $40,700 at private nonprofit four-year institutions and $4,000 at public two-year institutions. Two years at a community college followed by two years at a university, the "2+2" route, can lower the total cost of a bachelor's degree.

Where to study political science

Boston, Philadelphia and New York have the most schools in this directory (four each), followed by Baltimore and Denver (three each). The list includes large universities such as the University of Washington, the University of California San Diego, Binghamton University, The Ohio State University, the University of Michigan and the University of Wisconsin-Madison; private universities such as Stanford University, Yale University, Duke University, Northwestern University and The University of Chicago; smaller colleges such as Lawrence University, Wellesley College and Claremont McKenna College; and community colleges such as Seattle Central College, Pasadena City College and Broward College.

Recognition

There is no national ministry that approves degrees in the United States. Recognition of credits and degrees by other institutions and by employers is linked to the accreditation of the institution. Political science has no licence or professional register, so what counts abroad is the level of the degree and the accreditation of the university.

Careers

The job title "political scientist" covers a small research occupation. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), political scientists typically need a master's degree, held about 6,100 jobs in 2025, and 68 percent of them worked for the federal government. BLS projects that their employment will decline 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, with about 400 openings a year. Most graduates work under other titles. BLS notes that employers may consider candidates with a bachelor's degree in political science for some entry-level positions, such as with political campaigns or in government. UC San Diego reports that many of its students go on to graduate programmes in political science, international business, economics and law, or find jobs in the private and government sectors.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a political science degree take in the United States?

A bachelor's degree usually takes four years of full-time study. A master's degree adds about two years and a PhD five to eight.

Do I need a master's degree to work in this field?

For research posts as a political scientist, typically yes, according to BLS. A bachelor's degree can be enough for some entry-level jobs, such as with political campaigns or in government.

Can I begin at a community college?

Yes. Community colleges offer two-year associate degrees, and in the "2+2" model students then spend two years at a university to earn the bachelor's degree.