Political Science

An undergraduate major in Political Science provides a foundation for careers in politics, public administration, international service, law, business, and journalism, as well as a foundation for graduate work and teaching in the social sciences.

The Political Science major at Boston College consists of ten courses: two introductory courses; at least one course in each of the four subfields of political science (American Politics; Comparative Politics; International Politics; and Political Theory); and four electives from any of the subfields. Please note that courses, not credits are the fundamental building block of the major. In order to complete the major, students must complete 10 political science courses that are each worth at least 3 credits. Thus, for the purposes of the major, three 4-credit political science courses from another institution are counted as three courses (they are not equivalent to four 3-credit courses). The larger number of credits for a single course from another institution may count toward the aggregate credits required for BC graduation, but that course will still count as a single course toward the major’s ten-course requirement. (A “double course” transferred from abroad, however, that spans two semesters, and carries 6–8 credits, will be counted as two elective courses for the major.)

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