Best Political Science Programs in Pennsylvania for 2027

Penn gives you a general political science track or a concentration in American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, political economy or an individualized plan. The general track takes 9 course units in political science, six of them in Penn’s department. You choose two core courses from comparative politics, American politics, international relations and ancient or modern political thought, then take a course in three of four subfields and seven electives. An honors path requires a 3.3 overall GPA, a 3.6 in political science, and a senior-year honors seminar followed by an honors thesis. Ninety-nine degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Concentrations

American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, political economy or individualized

Subfield Requirement

One course in three of the four subfields

Honors Thesis

PSCI 4997 in the fall and PSCI 4999 in the spring of senior year

Program Sources: Political Science, BA: General Political Science < University of PennsylvaniaPolitical Science, BA: General Political Science < University of Pennsylvania

Penn State’s political science BA is flexible by design: of the 39 credits in the major, you pick nine from an introductory menu that includes American Politics, Comparing Politics around the Globe, Scientific Study of Politics, International Relations and Introduction to Political Theory. Another 15 credits are political science courses at any level, and 15 more must be at the 400 level or above. Across all of that you must touch four of five fields: political theory, methodology, American politics and public administration, comparative politics, and international relations. Every major course needs a C or better. At 190 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it’s one of the larger programs on its state page.

Field Breadth

At least one course from four of five department fields

Upper-Level Work

15 credits at the 400 level or above

Entrance to Major

A C average and at least third-semester classification

Program Sources: Political Science, B.A. (Liberal Arts) | Penn StatePolitical Science, B.A. (Liberal Arts) | Penn State

Villanova gives the major a clear arc. You begin with four foundation courses, which are prerequisites for many upper-division classes, then take a research seminar that builds reasoning, analytic and presentation skills. Electives come from four subfields, American government, international relations, comparative politics and political theory, and fall into focal courses that cover core material and specialized courses that go deep on a narrow topic. A senior seminar finishes the sequence, built around a specialized topic and asking you to show the research skills you’ve developed. With 80 degrees awarded in 2023–24, it’s a mid-sized program on its state page.

Foundation

Four foundation courses that open the upper division

Research Seminar

Reasoning, analytic, research and presentation skills

Senior Seminar

Capstone on a specialized topic

Program Sources: Major in Political Science | Villanova UniversityMajor in Political Science | Villanova University

A Bucknell political science major is nine courses. Four are core courses in comparative politics, American politics, international politics and political theory, which you should take first. One methods course, either political science methods or qualitative methods, comes before senior year. You finish with three electives and a 300-level seminar, and between them they must cover at least two subfields. Taking the seminar in senior year or the second semester of junior year satisfies the college’s Culminating Experience. Juniors can be invited to write and defend an honors thesis, and up to two course credits earned off campus count toward electives. Sixty-two degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Core Courses

Comparative politics, American politics, international politics and political theory

Methods

One political science methods or qualitative methods course before senior year

Culminating Experience

A 300-level seminar in senior year or second semester of junior year

Program Sources: Political Science < Bucknell University CatalogPolitical Science < Bucknell University Catalog

Pitt’s political science BA opens with five core courses in American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory and research methods. You then pick a primary field and take at least four upper-level courses in it, plus three more outside it for breadth. A senior-year capstone counts toward one of those slots and doubles as a writing-intensive requirement. If you want a research-heavy route, the Bachelor of Philosophy adds 12 credits in cognate fields and a thesis defended before the department and the University Honors College. Pitt awarded 97 degrees in 2023–24.

Core Courses

American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory and Research Methods

Primary Field

American Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations or Political Theory, with four upper-level courses

Senior Thesis Option

Bachelor of Philosophy with a thesis and Honors College oversight

Program Sources: Degree Information | Department of Political Science | University of Pittsburgh

Lehigh’s political science BA starts with three core courses, American Political System, Comparative Politics and Introduction to Political Thought. From there you commit to one of four concentrations: Advocacy and Democracy; Comparative Politics, Policy and Law; Political Thought and Ethics; or U.S. Politics, Policy and Law. Three courses go to your concentration and four more come from anywhere in the department, for 38 to 40 credits. A Community Politics Internship runs every semester, with placements in local government, private agencies or law offices, and the Washington Semester is another off-campus route. Lehigh awarded 36 degrees in 2023–24.

Concentrations

Advocacy and Democracy; Comparative Politics, Policy and Law; Political Thought and Ethics; U.S. Politics, Policy and Law

Internship

Community Politics Internship offered every semester

Off-Campus Option

Washington Semester and Philadelphia Center internship

Program Sources: Political Science | Lehigh University Catalog

Penn’s doctoral curriculum requires coursework in two political science subfields and leaves substantial elective space for a third thematic field or other research interests. Students produce a second-year paper before moving through the preliminary examination and dissertation stages. Teaching is part of the degree: four semesters are required. Statistical analysis is also built into the curriculum, with an additional elective replacing Advanced Statistical Analysis for students whose primary field is political theory.

Teaching Requirement

Four semesters of teaching form part of the doctoral degree

Political Theory Coursework

Students with political theory as their primary field replace Advanced Statistical Analysis with an additional elective

Program Sources: PhD in Political Science

Penn State combines a three-course political analysis and statistics sequence with professional development seminars on teaching and scholarly writing. Doctoral students can meet the communication requirement through foreign-language study, statistics, or other research methods appropriate to their work. The department also offers dual-title routes, including Asian Studies and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, for students whose dissertation questions require sustained training across disciplines. Students also pass qualifying and comprehensive examinations before the final dissertation defense.

Methods Core

The required political analysis and statistics sequence contains three courses

Professional Development

Seminars address teaching in political science and scholarly writing

Program Sources: PhD in Political Science

Pitt’s PhD is a five- to six-year program, and you earn an M.A. in political science along the way, since the department doesn’t admit students for a terminal master’s. You choose two fields from American politics, comparative politics, world politics, political methodology and mass political behavior, and take at least four graduate seminars in your main field. The core sequence runs from PS 2000 through PS 2040, followed by five electives that can come from any subfield. A written comprehensive exam in your main field opens candidacy, then you present a research design to your dissertation committee. Teaching experience begins as a teaching assistant, and eight degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Fields

Two of five departmental fields, with four graduate seminars in the main field

Core Sequence

PS 2000, 2010, 2020, 2030 and 2040, plus five electives

Comprehensive Exam

Written exam in the main field of study

Program Sources: PhD Requirements | Department of Political Science | University of PittsburghPhD Requirements | Department of Political Science | University of Pittsburgh

Delaware County’s associate degree is a 60 to 61 credit plan written for transfer into parallel bachelor’s programs. The semester-by-semester grid moves from Introduction to Political Science and American National Government to American State and Local Government, then World Affairs and Comparative Politics in the second year. A social science research methodology course, two foreign language electives, a political science elective and one more 200-level political science course round out the major work. The college advises meeting a transfer advisor within your first two semesters or before 30 transferable credits. Three degrees were awarded in 2023–24.

Political Science Sequence

Introduction, American National Government, State and Local Government, World Affairs and Comparative Politics

Research Methods

SOC 260 Research Methodology

Transfer Planning

Meet a transfer advisor within the first two semesters

Program Sources: Political Science, Associate in Arts (POL) | Delaware County Community College Catalog