Why Major in Political Science?

Are you interested in how governments work at the city, state, national or international level? Do you want to learn more about political issues such as elections, protests, wars, international trade, or human rights? Could you see yourself working in public service such as government agencies, the legal profession, or non-profit organizations?

If so, then you should consider majoring in political science. The political science major can provide you with:

• An understanding of political systems, such as governments and political organizations
• The ability to analyze and critically assess political phenomenon, ranging from the peaceful and productive—such as voting and elections—to the more destructive, including civil war, human trafficking, and genocide
• Research and critical thinking skills necessary to assess social and political phenomena

What Kinds of Things Do You Study in Political Science?

Our curriculum includes a core of basic skills that are common to all majors, as well as the flexibility to explore other issues or areas that you find interesting.

The core curriculum taken by all majors provides you with foundational knowledge of American Government as well as some of the key skills necessary for political research and analysis, including statistical methods and research projects. Internships – which offer practical work experience related to your major and particularly area of interest – are also available.

You have multiple options for completing the remainder of your major. Our courses provide great coverage on some of the key areas of interest within the political world, and you can choose the classes that best suit your interests and/or career aspirations. If you are particularly interested in American Government and Political Theory, Global Politics and Policy, or Human Rights and Social Justice, you can pursue a concentration in one of those areas.

If you want to develop more skills in areas related to political science, our major works great with minors such as Legal Affairs, International Studies, Women’s Studies, or Human Rights—all of which are available at UAB.

What Kinds of Things Do Political Science Majors Do?

As is the case with any liberal arts degree, there is no singular career path for political science majors. That being said, many of the more popular career paths involve work in the public sector, including work with state or local governments or non-profit organizations. Alternatively, the skills that you develop are useful in a wide range of private sector jobs. As legal skills are often valuable in the public sector many of our majors go onto law school. Check our alumni page to see the exciting work that some of our alumni are doing. A complete list of required core courses, concentration options, and a proposed four-year program of study for the B.A. in Political Science degree are available in the UAB Undergraduate Catalog.