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.

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

POLITICAL SCIENCE - In mid-August, Chandler James, an assistant professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, attended the 2024 Democratic National Convention (DNC) as a district-level delegate. This is what he experienced.
POLITICAL SCIENCE - Ideas of what constitutes “normal” in the exercise of presidential duties have changed in recent years, but a new University of Oregon study indicates most Americans still support traditional norms, at least until they run up against partisanship. Chandler James, a political science assistant professor, published this research in Presidential Studies Quarterly.
ECONOMICS, GLOBAL STUDIES, PHILOSOPHY, POLITICAL SCIENCE - Two College of Arts and Sciences students — one attending an immersive Mandarin language study abroad and the other serving on a state of Oregon board on climate change and exploring Peru — are having life-transforming experiences.

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How to Be Ready for the BIG10 Academia Career Fair
Oct14
How to Be Ready for the BIG10 Academia Career Fair Oct 14
How to: Resume and Cover Letter Tips Workshop
Oct14
How to: Resume and Cover Letter Tips Workshop Oct 14 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
Physical Chemistry Seminar: “Spectroscopic Studies of Nucleic Acid Structure, Dynamics and Photophysics”
Oct14
Physical Chemistry Seminar: “Spectroscopic Studies of Nucleic Acid Structure, Dynamics and Photophysics” Oct 14 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall
History Pub Lecture Series: "Malaria Eradication in Africa, 1920-2020: A History of Failures, but What About the Present?"
Oct14
History Pub Lecture Series: "Malaria Eradication in Africa, 1920-2020: A History of Failures, but What About the Present?" Oct 14 Whirled Pies Downtown
Department of History Coffee Hour
Oct15
Department of History Coffee Hour Oct 15 McKenzie Hall
Disabled and Neurodivergent Graduate Student Time Together
Oct15
Disabled and Neurodivergent Graduate Student Time Together Oct 15 Susan Campbell Hall
The Roots of Polarization: From the Racial Realignment to the Culture Wars
Oct15
The Roots of Polarization: From the Racial Realignment to the Culture Wars Oct 15 William W. Knight Law Center
How to Be Ready for the Graduate Student & Postdoc Industry Recruitment Event (GSPIRE)
Oct15
How to Be Ready for the Graduate Student & Postdoc Industry Recruitment Event (GSPIRE) Oct 15
The BIG 10+ Academia Career Fair
Oct16
The BIG 10+ Academia Career Fair Oct 16
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches)
Oct16
Resume Extravaganza! (Drop-In Resume Reviews with Career Coaches & Peer Coaches) Oct 16 Willie and Donald Tykeson Hall

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