Bachelor's in Political Science

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Engage your collective power to pursue the common good听

Interested? Request more information

听Credit hours:听120

Full-time, part-time

听On-Campus or Online

听BA available fully online

听BA to MS tracks available

听Study abroad opportunities

听Start terms:听fall, spring, summer

Information for Current Students

Political science gives you the power to answer fundamental questions that go to the heart of the human experience while encouraging independent thought, respect, and interest in current affairs. 听

You鈥檒l study critical issues such as war and peace, social justice, international affairs, environmental challenges, poverty and racism, and the struggles of oppressed peoples. With a degree in political science, you'll be prepared to become a leader in your community as legislative aids, policy advisors, campaign managers, nonprofit leaders, educators, public relations specialists, consultants, lobbyists, or go on to pre-law.

Meet your moment and join nationally known programs in indigenous politics, international human rights, and inner-city community development. You鈥檒l explore timely and hot-button issues at home with local and state politics or go further to have an international impact with our popular Middle Eastern Studies and study abroad programs in Germany, China, and South Korea.

You鈥檒l find ample opportunity to explore innovative community engagement programs while receiving real-world, hands-on experience in a variety of professional and community settings. Our small class sizes connect you with high-quality mentorship from exceptional faculty who prepare you for informed and creative activism. With these newfound opportunities, you鈥檒l make an impact that can change power structures and pursue the common good.听

Make Connections

Forming connections within the Political Science Department is important for your academic and professional development. Pi Sigma Alpha is the National Honor Society for Political Science, and provides a great deal of professional development opportunities for students. Connections formed in Pi Sigma Alpha extend beyond the classroom, allowing for cooperation and networking with classmates, teachers, and advisors.听

Learn more about Pi Sigma Alpha

Studying political science offers a thorough understanding of governmental structures, political leadership, and public policy. It helps you develop critical thinking abilities required to analyze complicated political situations and understand motivation behind political decisions and actions. 听

Political science is about curiosity. We explore what we don't know about political institutions and ideologies, and challenge our thinking to develop broader perspectives. You'll learn how to use scientific methods to investigate political events, allowing you to add new insights and perspectives to the field. 听

The Political Science Department creates diversity and invites students from various backgrounds to attend and study in our program. We recognize the importance of differing view points, and the value of engaging in dialogue when view points differ. This dialogue generates well-rounded students able to address the interests and concerns of many communities. 听

Our undergraduate advisor, Bassem Hassan, is available to help students navigate their academic and career options in the subjects of political science. Whether you're looking for advice on course options, internship possibilities, or graduate school preparation, our advisor is here to help you on your journey at CU Denver.听

Careers

Alumni Highlight

Elizabeth Lo, 2015听served as a legislative aide to Senator John Cooke. She continued to pursue a career in public policy, and worked in various roles in the Senate where she worked with legislators to develop policy agendas and draft legislation. 鈥淚f not for the political science department, I likely would not have gotten my foot in the door at the Senate, and thus would not have been afforded the chance at the rewarding career I have,鈥� said Lo.听

Many of our graduates are community organizers, attorneys or public servants in local, state or federal government but a degree in political science opens doors across many career fields.听

Political Science supports听careers such as

Lawyer听
Journalist听
Political Scientist听
Foreign Service officer听
Policy Analyst听
Legislator听
Public Relations Specialist听
Lobbyist听
Social Media Manager听
Educator听

Previous Political Science graduates have joined

Peace Corps听
U.S Department of State听
Women's Global Empowerment Fund听
City & County of Denver听
黑料网官网 Senate听
黑料网官网 House of Representatives 听
黑料网官网 General Assembly听
Brownstein Hyatt F盲rber Schreck's State Government Relations Group听
黑料网官网 Department of Law听
United Nations High Commission for Refugees听

Curriculum

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Political Science gives you an extensive background in all subfields of Political Science, including comparative politics, American politics, international relations, and political theory, with a special emphasis on experiential learning.听

Majoring in Political Science:听 39 hours

CU at the Capitol

CU at the Capitol is a course providing students the opportunity to serve as legislative aides in the 黑料网官网 General Assembly where they will network with political leaders and participate in lunchtime discussions with other legislative aides.

Learn about the CU at the Capitol course

Earning a BA in Political Science will provide you a great deal of professional choise in career upon graduation. With related occupations (political scientists, public relations specialists, compliance officers) growing between 6 and 18% from 2018-2022, our program will set you up for success. Many courses are offered online.听

Course topics听include:

Human Rights听
Legal Studies听
Gender Politics听
Race and Ethnic Politics听
Middle East Politics听
International Relations听
American Politics听
Urban Politics听
European Politics听

Electives and/or foreign language proficiency 听

Foreign language courses may be satisfied if you鈥檝e taken a certain number of classes in high school. These electives give you the freedom to dive deeper into topics or courses that interest you.听

CU Denver Core: 34-40 Hours听

You鈥檒l be educated in

English and mathematics
international and cultural diversity perspectives
arts and humanities
behavioral, physical, and social sciences

College of Liberal Arts and Science听Core鈥�15 Hours听

These courses give you a better understanding of the issues and skills you need to succeed.

Topics include: 听

Logic, Language, and Scientific Reasoning听
Psychology听
Writing for the Sciences听
Public Health

Non-Political Science majors can add a minor in Political Science to your degree by completing at least 15 hours of specified coursework. You will need to see your CLAS advisor to declare this minor.听

Topics include:

Gender and Politics 听
Media and Politics 听
Political Economy 听
International Relations 听
Global Governance 听
Public Administration听

Double Majors

You, like many of our students, may be interested in a听double major. Common combinations include:听

International Studies听
Communications听
History听

Add a master's in Political Science to your bachelor's degree in as little as one extra year.听

Save time and tuition while expanding your career opportunities by enrolling in the 鈥�4+1鈥� Dual BA/MA Degree Plan. 听听

Benefits include

More career opportunities.听Some career paths require that job candidates hold advanced degrees. Completing the 鈥�4+1鈥� Dual BA/MA Degree Plan allows you to apply for higher level positions more quickly, providing an advantage in a competitive job market. 听

Saves time. Combining the Bachelors and master's programs allow you to complete your undergraduate and graduate studies quickly, typically within five years instead of six or more.听

Cost.听A shorter timeline to a Master of Political Science completion means less tuition, fees, and related educational expenses.听

Faculty.听Combining the BS and MS degrees allows you to continue to take courses at the graduate level from the same familiar, award-winning, and caring faculty members.听

Learn more about the CU Denver 鈥�4+1鈥� Dual BA/MA Degree Plan

听

In their introductory classes, and continuing at successively higher levels across their departmental studies, Political Science students will consistently improve their:听

Knowledge of the role of political action and political systems in shaping human cultures and socio-economic patterns, including:听

Knowledge of the American Political System 听
Knowledge of political systems across history and world region
Knowledge of theoretical foundations of political systems and political values听
Ability to compare political systems in their differing abilities to deliver public welfare 听
Knowledge of the processes, institutions and actors involved in globalization 听

Intellectual and Practical Skills, including:听

Inquiry and analysis听
Creative thinking听
Written communication听
Oral communication听
听Reading Ability听
听Quantitative literacy听
听Information literacy听
Teamwork听
Problem solving听

Personal and Social Responsibility, including:听

Civic knowledge and engagement鈥攍ocal and global Intercultural knowledge and competence Ethical reasoning and action Foundations and skills for lifelong learning 听

Integrative/Holistic and Applied Learning, including:听

Completion of department course work across a range of political science subfields听
Application of insights from other programs of study to enhance their political understanding and practical skills听

Tuition

The听听for the Bachelor of Science (BA) in Political Science听is different for in-state and out-of-state students. See the link for the current table of rates.

Residents of听听states may qualify for reduced tuition rates. The Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) program requires students to听maintain current residency in WICHE state until degree completion.听

Scholarships

Each year, CU Denver undergraduate students are awarded over $30 million in scholarships from institutional, local, state, and听national sources.听听

Other opportunities

Many departments have paid positions (both in the work-study program and outside of it) which may include jobs as graders, teaching assistants, and learning assistants. Please expect to have to apply.

Admission Requirements听

If you are an incoming听freshman to CU Denver (in-state, out-of-state, and international applicants), you can apply through either the Common Application or the Milo Application. Transfer students will need to submit the Milo Application. 听

Incoming first-year students听

CU Denver requires that students complete the 黑料网官网 Higher Education Admission Requirements (HEAR). You will not have to meet all Minimum Academic Preparation Standards (MAPS) for admission, but you will need to听complete CU Denver coursework by graduation.听

Transfer Students听

We have strong connections with other four-year and community colleges.听If you have completed more than 24 hours of transferable coursework, you will be evaluated for admission on the basis of your college GPA without regard to your high school performance. If you have fewer than 24 hours, you will be evaluated based on both your high school and college GPAs. For more information and to plan your transfer, see听听in the admissions office.听

Bridge to Bachelors

If you are in your first or second semester at one of the participating听听and plan to transfer to CU Denver after earning your associate degree,听听might be a great program for you. To qualify, you must meet the criteria including meeting regularly with your assigned CU academic advisor while you are attending community college. See the听听

International Students听

You will need to begin your application through the听.听They will help you manage your application process.听

Application deadlines

Spring

Domestic Application:听January 1听
International Applications:听Priority is听September 15, and Final is听October 15

Summer

Domestic Applications:听May 15听
International Applications:听Priority is January 15, and Final is听March 15听

Fall

Domestic Applications:听August 1
International Applications:听Priority is听March 15, and听Final is听May 15

Political Science department in the news

Alum Donalyn White Receives Prestigious CU GOLD Award听

We are extremely excited to announce that Donalyn White, an alum of both Political Science and English, is the 2024 recipient and will be featured at a ceremony this May! The GOLD award (Graduate of the Last Decade) recognizes graduates of the last ten years for their accomplishments in their career, service, and/or volunteer efforts that have brought honor to individuals and CU Denver.听

Kristin Roy: Shaping Politics from 黑料网官网 to DC

Current Denverite, Kristin Roy reflects on her time as a CU Denver PSCI student and a prior political staffer, which included a tenure at the White House and work on political campaigns, all of which shaped her academic goals.听

From PSCI Student to Legislative Aid

When asked to reflect on her time at CU Denver, Kezia McDonald-McNeal听mentions her move from UNC as being beneficial. "Before attending CU Denver, I was at UNC and experienced some racism on campus, so I chose CU Denver because I felt it was more diverse and closer to home," Kezia explains her decision to attend the university. She initially pursued nursing but discovered her true passion in Political Science after dabbling in paging. "I felt it was a better fit for me".听

Breaking Barriers: The Journey of Ali Alnazzal from Refugee to Grad Student听\

Ali Al Nazzal is one of the CU Denver PSCI Department's most accomplished and dedicated students! He currently serves as a TA in the department and is a published author in the Spring 2024 edition of PRAXIS Student Journal. We are extremely proud of Ali's accomplishments and are excited to present his story in this own words.听

Hazzel Chavira: McNair Scholar, Researcher and Equality Advocate

Hazzel Chavira, a first-Generation Latina, candidly discusses her educational journey as a political science major. Her college experience was a turning point, allowing her not only to seek answers to problems but also to tackle the stigma associated with political participation in racial and ethnic communities.

Alumna Krista Kafer takes action in Supreme Court hearing

Krista Kafer, an active Republican participant in 黑料网官网 politics, found herself at an important point while deciding whether to join a lawsuit seeking to remove Donald Trump from the state's ballot on constitutional grounds. Reflecting on her choice to join the case, Kafer was inspired by Aesop's fable about "belling the cat", which emphasizes the importance of taking action when one believes in a cause. 听

Inclusion is our value

CU Denver听is home to one of the most diverse student populations in 黑料网官网. 听

Join your choice of 100+ student groups and organizations which support your听identity and interests听
Your听department and faculty are committed to the pursuit of equity and inclusion in the classroom, lab, and beyond
Learn more at our Office of听

Find your people

Campus can feel like a huge place. We help you find your people by offering the experience of a more traditional, small liberal arts program鈥攆or a fraction of the cost. We offer a variety of clubs and networking opportunities.听

See Your Future

Learning to think critically about my own political assumptions and receiving support for political and civic engagement forever enriched my life.

鈥�Stephen Polk
Assistant Professor, Naropa, 2008

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