Best Political Science Programs in Washington for 2027

Getting into political science at UW takes three introductory courses with at least a 2.0 in each, because it's a minimum requirement major. The full major is 50 credits: those 15 introductory credits plus 35 upper-level credits. Distribution means one course from three of five fields: political theory, comparative government and politics, international relations, American government and politics, and methods. Four electives fill out the rest. If you want more depth, two optional programs add a transcript notation. The International Security Option focuses on the causes of war and the use and control of force, and the Political Economy Option studies how politics and economics interact.

Entry to the Major

Three introductory courses with a 2.0 minimum in each and a 2.0 cumulative GPA

Field Distribution

One course from three of five fields, with methods among the choices

Transcript Options

International Security or Political Economy, each with added credits beyond the 50-credit major

Program Sources: Political Science Major Declaration and Requirements | Department of Political Science | University of Washington

Washington State has you declare one of three options: Global Politics, Pre-Law or General. Global Politics emphasizes comparative and international politics and includes an international experience requirement that you can meet with study abroad, an international internship, or a minor in global studies or a foreign language. Pre-Law follows recommendations of the Association of American Law Schools. General mixes American politics, comparative and international politics, and policy and public administration with a wide range of electives. In 2023–24, 80 students earned the degree.

Degree Options

Global Politics, Pre-Law or General

International Experience

Study abroad, international internship or a global studies or language minor, in Global Politics

Pre-Law Option

Curriculum reflects Association of American Law Schools recommendations

Program Sources: Political Science | School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs | Washington State UniversityPolitical Science | School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs | Washington State University

Gonzaga’s major is 36 hours. Five lower-division courses come first: introductions to American politics, comparative politics and international relations, plus Political Thought and Praxis and How to Study Politics. A Senior Seminar closes it out. In between, you choose an 18-hour concentration in American Politics, Comparative Politics or International Relations. Each concentration asks for three courses in the chosen subfield, one course in political thought, one course in a different area of politics, and one more upper-division course. Gonzaga awarded 34 degrees in 2023–24.

Concentrations

American Politics, Comparative Politics or International Relations

Methods Course

POLS 202 How to Study Politics

Senior Course

POLS 498 Senior Seminar

Program Sources: Political Science (BA) | Academic CatalogPolitical Science (BA) | Academic Catalog

Western divides political science into four fields: American politics and public policy, political theory, international relations and comparative politics. You take a core course in each, which makes up 20 of the 60 credits in the major. Then come one upper-division course in any two fields and a senior seminar chosen from PLSC 431 to 434, and the balance of credits can go to any field. Internship or independent study can count for up to ten credits, up to ten credits of approved study abroad may apply, and every major course needs a C- or better. Western awarded 77 degrees in 2023–24.

Four-Field Core

American politics, political theory, international relations and comparative politics

Senior Seminar

One course from PLSC 431, 432, 433 or 434

Experiential Credit

Up to ten credits of internship or independent study, plus up to ten of study abroad

Program Sources: Majors | | Western Washington University

Seattle University frames its 120-credit BA around power and group decision-making, with a curriculum that links moral issues to empirical analysis of political life. A Legal Studies specialization adds work on legal reasoning, the role of law in politics and theories of justice. If law school is the plan, a Bachelor/JD Accelerated 3+3 Pathway finishes both degrees in six years. The department posts four-year plans and two-year junior-transfer plans for both the standard major and the specialization. In 2023–24, 20 students earned the degree.

Specialization

Legal Studies

Accelerated Pathway

Bachelor/JD 3+3 in six years

Transfer Plan

Two-year degree plan for junior transfer students

Program Sources: Political Science, BA | All Programs | Academics | Seattle University

Four introductory courses open the major: Introduction to Politics, American Politics, Comparative Politics and International Relations. You then choose one political thought course, from Western thought through early modern, recent or American political thought, and finish with a senior assessment. In between, advanced electives let you follow your interests, with examples like Campaigns and Elections or International Human Rights. The department also points to internships and study abroad for hands-on experience. It awarded 17 degrees in 2023–24, and it describes small classes where faculty know your name.

Core Courses

POSC 101, 210, 260 and 270 cover introductory politics, American politics, comparative politics and international relations

Political Thought Choice

One course from Western, early modern, recent or American political thought

Senior Requirement

POSC 489 Senior Assessment

Program Sources: Political Science, BA | Central Washington University

Eastern’s 72-credit major starts with five-credit introductions to US politics, political theory, comparative politics and international politics. At the 300 level you put 15 credits into one subfield and 10 into each of the other two, and at the 400 level you take two more subfields. Mock Trial I and II sit in the American politics list, and the major ends with a Senior Capstone plus a portfolio assessment. A pre-law option of the same 72-credit length is also offered. The catalog describes the major as a fit if you want a concentrated study of government or may go on to graduate school. 33 students earned the degree in 2023–24.

Introductory Sequence

POLI 100, 202, 203 and 204: US politics, political theory, comparative politics and international politics

Subfield Distribution

35 credits at the 300 level and 10 at the 400 level across three subfields

Senior Requirements

Senior Capstone and Portfolio Assessment

Program Sources: Political Science Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA) < Eastern Washington University

Pacific Lutheran’s 36-semester-hour major is framed by four required courses: American Government, Introduction to Political Science, a Political Science Methods course and a Senior Seminar capstone. The seminar puts the weight on student research, writing and presentation, and you need the methods course and a public policy course behind you before you take it. Around that core you choose a 300-level public policy course, an intensive writing course, one global studies course in international and comparative politics, and two electives. The department keeps a capstone page for each year’s class, and it awarded 10 degrees in 2023–24.

Required Courses

POLS 151, 251, 301 and 499, covering American government, the discipline, methods and a senior seminar

Public Policy Requirement

One 300-level course from POLS 345, 346, 354 or 370

Capstone

Senior Seminar with student research, writing and presentation

Program Sources: Major | Political Science | PLUCourse Descriptions | Political Science | PLU

You build competence in three fields, and at least one has to be a general field: American politics, comparative politics, international relations or political theory. The others can be general or specialized, such as political economy, public law, political methodology or race, ethnicity and politics. Methods run in order through your first year, with research design in fall, advanced design in winter and quantitative or qualitative methods in spring. Before the fields are done you write and defend an article-length Paper of Distinction, which together with the methods courses leads to a required UW master’s degree. Then come written exams across your fields, a defended prospectus and the dissertation.

Field Structure

Three fields, with at least one general field and one additional core course in another general field

Methods Sequence

POLS 500 and 501, then POLS 503 or a qualitative or mixed-methods course

Milestones

Paper of Distinction, written exams, prospectus defense and dissertation defense

Program Sources: Ph.D. Program Requirements | Department of Political Science | University of Washington

Pick two of six specialization areas, from American politics to political psychology and political behavior, and take three classes in each before a preliminary qualifying exam. Everyone also takes the same five research tools courses, covering the scope of the discipline, normative theory, research methods, quantitative methods and a one-credit course on the profession. Most first-year students are funded as teaching assistants at about 20 hours a week, and you complete a teaching or original data collection experience before graduating. Committees form in year two, prelims usually come in the second half of year three, and passing them starts a three-year clock to finish. The department awarded 5 degrees in 2023–24.

Specializations

Two of American, Comparative, International, Theory and Philosophy, Political Psychology and Behavior, or Public Policy and Administration

Research Tools

POL_S 501, 502, 503, 504 and 539

Milestones

Preliminary exam, written and oral, usually in March of year three

Program Sources: PhD Course Requirements | School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs | Washington State UniversityPhD Milestones | School of Politics, Philosophy, and Public Affairs | Washington State University