If youâre interested in majoring in political science at °”TV, you may have noticed that the university offers two undergraduate political science majors: political science and political science â public service.
The difference between these two majors may not be immediately clear, so which one should you pick? If you find yourself facing this dilemma, this article is for you.
Why study political science?
Political science is the study of systems and theories of government. This field encompasses a broad range of topics. At °”TV, political science courses fall into four different fields:
- American politics
- Comparative politics
- International relations
- Political theory
Within these categories, you might take courses on voting behavior, national security policy, constitutional law or medieval political philosophy.
Studying political science is a great choice for anyone interested in politics and current events, or planning a career in law, journalism or activism. If you are passionate about championing social justice or giving a legal voice to those in need, a degree in political science will give you the skills and knowledge to use systems of law and government to affect change.
If youâre not certain about those fields, thereâs no need to worry. A political science degree comes with a skillset that is broadly applicable to a wide range of careers. Youâll develop proficiency in data analysis, critical thinking, writing, speaking, leadership and teamwork.
Once youâve decided that political science might be the field for you, youâll need to pick a major. At °”TV, that means choosing between political science and political science â public service.
What is the political science major like?
The first available major is the general . It offers a broad range of study. As a political science major, you will choose courses from at least three of the four fields of concentration.
You can pick which fields you would like to weight more heavily to design your own course of study. For example, if youâre interested in law, you could take mostly American politics and political theory courses, with some international relations for variety. Or, if youâre more interested in studying world governments, you can spend most of your time on comparative politics and international relations.
The main appeal of the political science major is its breadth and flexibility. This major allows you to sample from a wide variety of topics and study politics across both borders and centuries. To learn more about the major, consider reading our article âWhat Can I Do With My Political Science Major?â.
What is the political science â public service major like?
The focuses more narrowly on American politics and policy. You will take courses from a core program on institutions and processes of American government. In addition, youâll choose courses from different areas of concentration â foreign policy, environmental policy and social policy, to name a few. These areas of concentration may allow you to take courses outside the Department of Political Science that will count toward your major.
The political science â public service major also features a required internship and research experience. You can either participate in a quarter away like the or , or you can find your own independent internship in public policy. This is a great opportunity to gain some professional experience working in the field. It may also give you a better idea of what you want to do with your degree after you graduate.
To learn more about options for the internship experience, visit the .
This major is much narrower in scope, but it allows you to study certain areas of American politics and policy in more depth. If you know your interest lies in American government and law, the political science â public service major can help you develop skills to work with public policy after graduation. This major is especially well-suited for anyone interested in running for office or working in government.
Choose a major based on your career path
The most important question to consider when choosing your major is where you want to go with it. Narrowing down what youâd like to do after graduation will help you pick which political science major best suits your goals.
If you are interested in a career in law, journalism, diplomacy, research or academia, you will want to pick a major that will afford you a broad and diverse range of knowledge and experience. The political science major is a perfect choice for these fields. By building a course of study across all four fields of political science, you can develop a broad and versatile base of knowledge.
If you are more interested in government, campaign or nonprofit work or specific areas of law like environmental and public interest law, the political science â public service major may be the choice for you. This major suits these careers because it gives you a more specialized line of insight into policy-making and policy implementation without requiring a broader knowledge of political theory or international affairs.
The political science â public service major is also ideal for students interested in immediately getting involved in community organizing, state and local government or nonprofit work rather than pursuing a higher-level degree.
Deciding which major to pick based on your desired career path can help you optimize your time in undergrad. However, both majors can give you the skills needed to enter many fields, so donât panic if you donât know which one to choose. And remember â you can always switch majors. Some of the coursework for one political science major will be transferable to the other; check with your advisor to see which courses can be applied to both.
Two perspectives from political science majors
R.J. Praker: Political Science A.B.
I started at °”TV as a declared political science â public service major. Partway through my first year, I decided to switch to the political science major. Why?
Early on in my college career, I realized I didnât want to work in government. Instead, my interest lay in nonprofit and private law. I was fascinated by constitutional law and legal theory, so I wanted to include political theory courses in my major program. The political science major gave me the breadth I desired to explore the political science field.
My switch in majors also allowed me to incorporate my other interests. In addition to my major, I am minoring in Russian. By choosing the political science major, I was able to count the Russian and Eastern European politics courses I was taking supplementally toward my major.
I love the flexibility my major offers! By choosing political science, Iâve been able to stack my schedule with constitutional law and Slavic politics, which wouldnât be possible in a different major.
Cynthia Hoang-Duong: Political Science â Public Service A.B.
Cynthia plans to attend law school and become an attorney. She entered °”TV as a psychology major, but after her first quarter, she decided to switch to political science â public service. When asked why she switched majors, she had three reasons:
- Political science â public service has an internship requirement. I felt like I really needed an internship but was scared I wouldnât do it if I didnât need to in order to graduate.
- Public service has a greater range of fields â like social policy, which Iâm interested in. Political science would have allowed me to take pre-law classes, but I preferred to also have the option to take sociology classes.
- Being able to take sociology courses like âThe Criminal Justice Systemâ and âSociology of Lawâ means Iâm able to learn more about criminal law, which is what I want to do in my future career.
Cynthia recommends the political science â public service major to students who are interested in an internship in political science but arenât sure where to start. She also recommends it to students who want to incorporate other fields, like sociology or economics, into their political science major.
Choosing political science at °”TV
The bottom line is that itâs best to explore your options thoroughly before making a decision. Remember â over half of °”TV students change their major at some point in their undergraduate career. Thereâs nothing wrong with experimenting with different programs to see whatâs right for you.
If youâre interested in political science but arenât sure these majors are for you, you should also investigate the international relations major or political science minor.
Now that you understand the difference between °”TVâ two political science majors, youâll be better equipped to choose which major suits you better. Take some time to review the requirements for both and to reflect on your interests and career goals.
To learn more and make a concrete plan, explore advising resources at the .
View our political science major
View our political science â public service major
R.J. Praker (she/her) is a third year pursuing a bachelorâs degree in political science with minors in professional writing and Russian. She currently works as a writing intern for and an academic peer advisor for the . She also serves as chief copy editor at the . R.J. is from Placerville, California and loves to hike in the Sierra Nevada with her familyâs dogs.