OverviewUN Building

The department of Political Science at UCCS offers a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Minor in Political Science. A Pre-Law Minor may be earned through the UCCS Center for Legal Studies.

Is Political Science for you? It might be, if you answer yes to the following questions:

Are you interested in domestic politics? International politics? Are you concerned with issues of human rights, war and peace, environment, nationalism or ethnicity? Does domestic or international law interest you? If answered yes to all or some of the questions, then Political Science is a great option for you.

So then, what is Political Science?

Political Science is a social science that is interested in both the theory and practice of politics. Political scientists study the allocation and transfer of power. In the process, political scientists want to know who has power, when and how it is exercised. In the end, they measure the successes and the failures of governance by the examination of policies, justice system, wealth, and periods of war and peace.

Today political scientists are also concerned with the have-nots, or those individuals who have not participated in the political system because of their political, economic, social and/or historical condition.

Where are the careers for political scientists?

Careers can be found in public affairs, legislative affairs, public office, law school, graduate school in political science, policy analysis, research analysis, journalism, non-profit organizations, lobbying, and federal, state or local governments, just to name a few. Political scientists also work as:

Campaign staffers
Military Officers
Diplomats
Paralegals
FBI / CIA agents
Peace Corps volunteers
Foreign service officers
Political consultants
Historic preservationists
Reporters
Judges
Teachers / Professors
Law enforcement officers
Urban / Regional Planners
Lawyers
Writers / Editors 
Media Analysts

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Is all study of Political Science the same?

  • The discipline is divided into subfields: Political Theory, American Politics, Political Behavior, International Relations, Comparative Politics, and Public Policy.
  • Our department offers the following study tracks: American Politics / Public Law, Global Politics, Public Administration, and General Political Science.

Political Science Tracks

"And so, my fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." John F. Kennedy