Degrees and Certificates
​Political Science
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

Bachelor of Science in Political Science

In-Class

Policy choices undertaken at the local, state, national, and international levels impact everything we do. The Political Science major offers a curriculum that helps make sense of how the political world around us operates. The Department of Political Science and Public Administration enables students to take courses in American politics, international relations, comparative politics, and public administration. Political Science majors can select an elective concentration, either in Public Policy and Leadership or International Affairs, that reflects their career interests.

Through small classes and close faculty relationships, students gain the substantive knowledge to contribute to problem solving and policymaking and develop a strong foundation in analytical reasoning, critical thinking, data analysis, and persuasive communication, key skills needed for success in many practical arenas. Recent graduates have pursued different types of professional opportunities after graduation including working for state and local governments, consulting firms, and nonprofit organizations as well as pursuing graduate degrees in political science, public administration and community planning. Several others have gone on to law school.

To help you pay for school, scholarships are available on a department level and at the university level.

Apply Now
Get Your Degree

The Know How

What you will know with a Political Science degree from AUM

We Teach You How To Make Effective Arguments

The courses in this program help you reason persuasively, providing you with the skills to collect and analyze data, and develop and support logical explanations

We Give You Essential Skills

Surveys with employers tell us that writing, researching, presenting, and critical reading are important career skills for serious job candidates. You’ll start developing those and other skills as you launch a lifetime of learning.

We Help You Attain Your Goals

This program will help you prepare for graduate studies—should you choose to pursue them—advance in your career and have the best shot at advancement or leadership roles.

We Make You Career Ready

Through internship opportunities, experiential learning, hands-on assignments, and professional networking opportunities, you will be a very competitive job candidate.

Download Your Warhawk GPS!

Game Plan for Success

Your GPS is an academic tracker that provides a step-by-step guide to graduating on time.

Download Your Political Science Plan of Study
Download Your Political Science Four-Year Plan

Points of Pride

  • Classes are small, so faculty will know you well and work closely with you.
  • This major culminates with a senior capstone seminar in which students explore a topic of interest in-depth.
  • Political science faculty are passionate teachers who bring their research and diverse experiences to the classroom. Examples include research projects in Europe and Africa, and working for the U.S. Congress.
  • Since Montgomery is the state capital, political science majors often complement their coursework with internships at state agencies, the City of Montgomery, the state legislature, lobbying firms, and nonprofits.

Soaring Warhawks

  • Victoria Byrne is a Transportation Planner with the Alliance Transportation Group, in Austin, Texas.
  • Keaton Pickett is a Continuous Improvement Manager with Shipt.
  • Jackson Teal is a Senior Sales Assistant at Gray Media.
  • Christie Tarantino-Dean is Executive Vice-President and CEO of the Institute of Food Technologists, an international organization that works to create a “safe, sustainable, and nutritious” food supply for everyone.
  • Tim Ragland was the mayor of Talladega, AL.
  • Clay Crenshaw is the Chief Deputy Attorney General of Alabama.
  • Randy McNeill served as Assistant Attorney General in the Criminal Trials and Appeals Division in the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and is now an attorney at the Webb McNeill Walker law firm in Montgomery, Alabama.
  • The Honorable Tracy S. McCooey is a retired Montgomery Circuit Court judge.
  • Edin Mujkic went on to earn a Ph.D. from the Joint AUM-Auburn University Program in Public Administration and Public Policy and is an associate professor in the Department of Public Administration at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs.
  • Boone Kinard is the Executive Director of External Affairs, Alabama Community College System.
  • Ragan Ingram was Communications Director for the Office of Lieutenant Governor, and Assistant Commissioner and Chief of Staff at the Alabama Department of Insurance and now works at Windom, Galliher and Associates, a government relations firm in Montgomery.

Customize Your Concentration

  • Looking to enhance your political science training for a robust and flexible career? A minor in Psychology, Communication, or Economics could help.
  • Apply to the University Honors Program, a diverse community of students who take classes together, work on community service projects, and travel the U.S. and abroad.
Clubs & Societies

Join a Club

Pi Sigma Alpha

This national political science honor society is the only national honor society for undergraduate and graduate students in political science.

Pi Alpha Alpha

This national public affairs and administration honor society is for graduate students in the Public Administration master’s degree program.

Degree Options

Is a Degree in Political Science right for me?

With this bachelor’s degree as your educational foundation, you have many career possibilities.

Career/Job TitleEntry-level EducationJob Growth 2020-2030Annual Median Salary
Writer/AuthorBachelor’s degree9% (As fast as average)$67,120
News Analyst, Reporter, and JournalistBachelor’s degree6% (As fast as average)$49,300
LawyerLaw school9% (As fast as average)$126,930
High School TeacherBachelor’s degree (with specialized studies in education)8% (As fast as average)$62,870
Political ScientistMaster’s degree9% (As fast as average)$125,350

Note: Salaries vary depending on several factors including your level of experience, education, training, demographics, and industry. Here is a sampling of the future job growth and salaries according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Learn More

Quick Facts

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

At AUM’s College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, you will have powerful learning experiences, working side by side with professors who have real-world experience.

Our academic departments include Communication and Theatre, Criminal Justice, Economics, English and Philosophy, Fine Arts,  History and World Cultures, Political Science and Public Administration, Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work, and Army ROTC. To help you pay for college, you might qualify for one of our scholarships.

Official Name of the Political Science Degree

Bachelor of Science in Political Science

Modality

This degree requires students to meet on campus. Students in these courses enroll in a program to connect in a campus setting and to collaborate using a variety of technological and educational tools. Professors play an inspirational role in building relationships among teams and individuals in this setting. The criteria for many programs can only be met with In-Class coursework. Be sure to check with your advisor to understand the best route to take.

In-Class
Political Science

Required Courses

To complete this degree concentration, you will need to complete courses in the university core, Political Science, and electives. Contact us for a current listing of courses required to complete this program.  

The course listings below are only a few of the classes this concentration requires. For a full review of this program in detail, please see our official online catalog AND consult with an academic advisor.

Course #Course NameCourse Description
POLS 1020Intro to American PoliticsIntroduces students to the key institutions and processes shaping the American political system, including the Constitution, the presidency, Congress, the judiciary, elections, parties, and the media. May be taught online.
POLS 1200Intro to International RelationsIntroduces students to a conceptual and analytical understanding of international relations. Focuses on the impact of sovereignty, international organizations, non-governmental organizations, international law, power, interdependence, globalization, and the prospect for cooperation and conflict.
POLS 3010Research DesignIntroduces students to strategies and methods of conducting research in the study of politics including topic selection, literature review, hypotheses testing, survey and archival research, and other components of political science research.
POLS 3450Comparative PoliticsAn examination of the institutions, political processes, functions, and problems of major contemporary political systems from a comparative perspective.
POLS 4952Senior SeminarStudents develop, research, write, and present an independent analysis of some political phenomenon. Topics and explanations are to be informed and guided by the relevant political science literature. Normally taken in spring of senior year.
Apply NowUndergraduate Catalog
Send AUM Admissions a Message
Get In Touch

Want More Info About AUM?

Address

7400 East Drive, Montgomery, AL | Taylor Center 101

Call Today

334-244-3000

Fax

334-244-3795

Email

admissions@aum.edu

Office Hours

8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Monday – Friday

Back To Top