Political Science

Understanding the dynamics of politics, and how to make them serve you, is a critical element of understanding and shaping your own life. Studying political science teaches you how collective decisions are made — and how you can have a role in them — across all the arenas of your life. Within our close-knit community of scholars, you'll develop the critical thinking, analytic, writing, and sharp communication skills needed to examine the forces that shape our world.

Read about the Indigenous history of our local land.

Political Science Commencement Ceremony

Sunday, June 15, 2025
1:00pm
Southwest Campus Green

More Commencement information

What you can do with a degree in Political Science

A political science degree prepares students for a huge range of careers in government, law, political activism, international affairs, business, journalism, or organizational management. Our graduates have gone on to pursue successful careers in: 

  • Law
  • Government affairs
  • Civic engagement
  • Campaign management
  • Strategic communications
  • Civil service
  • Global business development
  • Human rights activism
  • Nonprofit management
  • Policy research and advising
Carly Gabrielson, Communications Director for U.S. Representative & Political Science B.S

Build Your Career Around Building a Better World

“The diverse course of study at the University of Oregon expanded my awareness of the direct impact that the role of the federal government has in the lives of individuals, positive and negative. Through internships, I was able to build community connections and develop applicable job skills.”

—Carly Gabrielson, communications director for US Representative & Political Science BS, 2013

Our Degree Programs

Political science undergraduate students can pursue either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree while also completing up to two (2) career path focuses: Public Policy and Political Action; Politics, Law and Justice; Politics of Business; Global Engagement; Sustainability, Development, and Social Action; or Ethics, Identity, and Society. PhD students also have the option of completing a specialization in Politics, Culture and Identity.

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Learn from Experts in the Field

Our faculty members engage in and regularly publish research across the political science spectrum. Many focus their efforts on the intersections of the five traditional subfields of political science: comparative politics, public policy, US politics, international relations, and political theory.

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Get Real-world Experience

Political science students can participate in research and organizing projects with Oregon unions, workers’ organizations, public policy organizations, and legislators concerned with labor and employment issues. Students also do independent research projects; take annual trips to Salem and Portland to watch the political process; and interact with elected officials, scholars, journalists, and activists.

Scholarships & Funding

The Department of Political Science offers multiple scholarships for both undergraduate and graduate students. The majority of funding for our graduate students is offered in the form of graduate employee appointments.

Undergraduate Scholarships
Graduate Funding

Academic Support

Political science majors receive robust academic support from our director of undergraduate studies, as well as two undergraduate coordinators. They can also work with college and career advisors at Tykeson Hall to explore their interests and map out a career path.

Undergraduate Advising 
Support for Graduate Students

Political Science News and Events

INDIGENOUS, RACE AND ETHNIC STUDIES, POLITICAL SCIENCE, SOCIOLOGY - We’re entering a new phase in the digital revolution, one in which scientists are stretching the capabilities of digital technologies to solve some of society’s largest and most complex problems. Read more in the Annual Research Report, out now.
POLITICAL SCIENCE - Years before Sravya Tadepalli started working as a senior legislative advisor at the Oregon Employment Department, she was a Clark Honors College student studying political science and journalism. As a UO student, she received some of the highest honors for an undergrad, including being a Truman Scholar and Rhodes Scholar finalist. After the UO, Tadepalli went to graduate school at Harvard University to earn a master’s degree in public policy.
GLOBAL STUDIES - It’s a big world, and decisions that happen in one region often ripple out to others. The School of Global Studies and Languages provides students with an internal atlas that helps them understand the forces and decisions that have human impact.

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Composition Writing Lab Drop-In Hours
Mar13
Composition Writing Lab Drop-In Hours Mar 13 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
UO Educator Career Fair
Mar13
UO Educator Career Fair Mar 13 Ford Alumni Center
8th Annual Mentoring and Advising Summit
Mar14
8th Annual Mentoring and Advising Summit Mar 14
Organic/Inorganic/Materials Chemistry Seminar Series - 3rd Year Talks
Mar14
Organic/Inorganic/Materials Chemistry Seminar Series - 3rd Year Talks Mar 14 Willamette Hall
Organic/Inorganic/Materials Chemistry Seminar Series - Chalcogenides by Design: Developing Treasure Maps with Quantum Chemistry
Mar17
Organic/Inorganic/Materials Chemistry Seminar Series - Chalcogenides by Design: Developing Treasure Maps with Quantum Chemistry Mar 17 Willamette Hall
Dept. of History Seminar Series: They Know their Value and Take Advantage of It: Household Workers' Organizing at the Dawn of an American Service Economy
Mar18
Dept. of History Seminar Series: They Know their Value and Take Advantage of It: Household Workers' Organizing at the Dawn of an American Service Economy Mar 18 McKenzie Hall
What is Research? (2025)
Apr3
What is Research? (2025) Apr 3 University of Oregon Portland
What is Research? (2025)
Apr4
What is Research? (2025) Apr 4 University of Oregon Portland
What is Research? (2025)
Apr5
What is Research? (2025) Apr 5 University of Oregon Portland
Mastering the Art of a Humanities & Social Science Poster
Apr7
Mastering the Art of a Humanities & Social Science Poster Apr 7

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