Best Political Science Programs in Illinois for 2027

You pick a concentration with your advisor, and there are seven: Citizen Politics, Civic Leadership, General Political Science, International Relations, Law & Power, Public Policy & Democratic Institutions and World Politics. Strong students can join the departmental research honors program, which includes PS 495 and PS 496, or follow a coursework honors track based on advanced political science credits. A five-year BALAS/MA in Political Science and European Union Studies is offered with the European Union Center, applied for in your third year. Illinois awarded 230 degrees in the field in 2023–24, which makes it a large program.

Concentrations

Seven options from Citizen Politics to World Politics

Research Honors

Departmental research honors program with PS 495 and PS 496

Combined Degree

Five-year BALAS/MA in Political Science and European Union Studies

Program Sources: Political Science, BALAS | 2026-2027 Course Catalog | University of Illinois Urbana-ChampaignPolitical Science, BALAS | 2026-2027 Course Catalog | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Chicago’s major is twelve political science courses and a substantial paper. You take three of four field introductions, covering political theory, American politics, comparative politics and international relations, and a required research methods course, with a statistics course strongly recommended. Six to eight electives of your choosing follow. The paper requirement can be met with a BA thesis or a long paper, and the long paper is often a course paper written for a political science instructor. Courses from outside the department can count by petition. The university awarded 75 degrees here in 2023–24.

Field Introductions

Three of four: political theory, American politics, comparative politics, international relations

Methods Course

PLSC 22913 Political Science Research Methods

Writing Requirement

BA thesis or long paper

Program Sources: Program Requirements | Department of Political ScienceProgram Requirements | Department of Political Science

Northwestern majors begin with three 200-level gateway courses drawn from at least two subfields: political theory, American government, law, international relations and comparative politics. A methodology course comes next, with options in empirical methods, interpretive methods, evaluating evidence or statistical research methods. Then you take the Political Research Seminar, ideally in junior or senior year, plus seven further 300-level courses. Honors students apply in spring of junior year and write a thesis through two honors seminars. Concentrations are not required, but you can design themes such as race, ethnicity and politics or conflict and national security. Northwestern awarded 68 degrees here in 2023–24.

Gateway Courses

Three 200-level courses from at least two subfields

Methodology Requirement

One course in empirical methods, interpretive methods, evaluating evidence or statistical research

Research Seminar

POLI_SCI 395-0 Political Research Seminar, plus seven 300-level courses

Program Sources: Political Science Major | Northwestern University Academic CatalogPolitical Science Major | Northwestern University Academic Catalog

The Department of Politics and Government teaches students how people organize and operate governing institutions, along with international relations, the use or abuse of power, and the rights and privileges of citizens. Small classes and full-time faculty at every level mark the department. If you are transferring from an Illinois community college, the recommended courses are U.S. Government and Civic Practices, Quantitative Reasoning in Political Science, Politics of Africa, Asia, Latin America and Introduction to Political Theory. The Model United Nations team has won Distinguished Delegation Awards. The school awarded 72 degrees in 2023–24.

Recommended Transfer Courses

U.S. Government and Civic Practices, Quantitative Reasoning in Political Science, Politics of Africa, Asia, Latin America and Introduction to Political Theory

Student Activities

Model United Nations team with Distinguished Delegation Awards in 2014 and 2015

Program Sources: Transfer Students - Political Science Major | Illinois State UniversityPolitical Science Major | Illinois State University

Loyola’s political science major spreads across four subfields: political theory, international relations, comparative politics and American politics. You start with three of the four 100-level introductions, then take one course in each subfield plus four electives, 33 credit hours in all. An internship in Chicago or through the Washington, DC program can fill one elective slot, though only three internship credits count toward the major. If you’re admitted to the Accelerated Master’s Pathway, up to four 400-level courses can double as BA electives. With 129 degrees awarded in 2023–24, this is a large program on the Illinois page.

Core Structure

Three intro courses, one course in each of four subfields, and four electives (33 hours)

Internships

Chicago or Washington, DC internship course (PLSC 370) counts as an elective

Accelerated Master’s Pathway

Up to four 400-level courses count toward BA electives

Program Sources: Political Science (BA): Loyola University Chicago

Chicago’s political science PhD offers comprehensive examinations in quantitative methods and formal theory as well as the substantive political science fields. Students complete a primary-field examination and a secondary-field course distribution, with an early MA paper providing a manageable independent research project. Methods preparation varies with the research: political theory or qualitative projects may call for language study, ethnography, interpretation, or archival work. The first two years combine those requirements with a broad course program.

MA Paper Advising

The early research paper has both a primary adviser and a secondary adviser

Secondary Field

Course distribution in a second field complements the primary-field comprehensive examination

Program Sources: Graduate Degree Requirements | Department of Political Science

Northwestern’s political science PhD requires an article-style research paper by the start of the second year, developed with two faculty advisers. Students qualify in a primary field and establish competence in a second field through examination or a prescribed course sequence. Methods training ordinarily includes probability, statistics, and linear models, with an exemption for political theory majors. The dissertation proposal follows these milestones, placing independent writing early in the program.

Early Faculty Advising

Two faculty advisers guide the article-style paper due at the beginning of the second year

Methods Exception

Political theory majors are exempt from the probability, statistics and linear models requirement

Program Sources: Political Science PhDPolitical Science PhD

Urbana-Champaign’s doctoral coursework starts with PS 522, a course on the basic principles of political inquiry that every student takes. You then specialize in American politics, comparative politics, international relations or political theory, with at least five graduate courses in that area and two in a minor area, one of which involves a research paper. The research tools requirement is heavy: five graduate-level units spread across statistics, formal theory and qualitative methods, including a two-course statistics sequence. Eight people earned the degree in 2023–24.

Required Course

PS 522 on the principles of political inquiry

Methods Requirement

Five graduate units of research tools, including a two-course statistics sequence

Areas of Study

American politics, comparative politics, international relations or political theory

Program Sources: Coursework | Department of Political Science | Illinois

Loyola’s doctorate asks for 48 semester hours, or 16 courses, built around a methods trio of Research Design and two Techniques of Political Analysis courses, the first of which you take in your opening fall. You pick a major field with four classes and a minor field with three from international relations, comparative politics, American politics and political theory. A directed readings course in your last semester of coursework develops the dissertation proposal. Written and oral comprehensive exams come next, then a proposal defense and the dissertation. Funded students also work as research assistants and teach as professor of record for at least one class.

Methods Sequence

PLSC 401 Research Design, then PLSC 475 and 476 Techniques of Political Analysis

Fields

Major field (four classes) and minor field (three classes)

Milestones

Written and oral comprehensive exams, dissertation proposal defense, dissertation

Program Sources: Ph.D. in Political Science | Political Science, Department of | Loyola University Chicago

UIC’s doctorate lets you specialize in urban politics, American politics or comparative politics, with political theory and international relations available by approval. The first year is a fixed set of core courses, and years two through five are built around an advisory committee you choose. After coursework and a research requirement come preliminary exams, and a dissertation proposal must be defended within three months of passing them. You need 96 semester hours if you arrive with a bachelor’s degree, or 72 with an approved master’s. A Chicago exchange program also opens courses at the University of Chicago and Northwestern. One degree was awarded in 2023–24, so this is a small cohort.

Subfield Specialties

Urban politics, American politics and comparative politics

Credit Hours

96 semester hours from a bachelor’s, 72 from an approved master’s

Milestones

Preliminary exams, then a dissertation proposal defense within three months

Program Sources: Doctor of Philosophy | Political Science | University of Illinois Chicago