Academics

Undergraduates pursuing a Major or Minor in Political Science must meet the departmental requirements, College requirements (the Global Education requirement, for students whose primary major is Political Science), and University requirements (the General Education requirements, i.e., "GenEds"). While these different sets of requirements at first seem daunting, they are in fact relatively straightforward and allow for considerable flexibility in course selection.

The links to the left provide comprehensive, easy-to-understand explanations of all of the above requirements, how courses can and cannot be used to meet more than one requirement, and information on how to use your Academic Requirements Report to measure your progress toward meeting the requirements.

Above and beyond requirements for completing your degree, the Department of Political Science and the University offer students an array of academic opportunities to enhance your college experience, including Certificates in International Relations and Public Policy, Departmental honors and undergraduate scholarship and research opportunities. Students who seek to get the most out of their years at UMass frequently pursue these options, as well as some of the non-academic opportunities the Department offers or supports.