Major in Political Science
You’ll learn about political systems and leaders, government policies and domestic and international conflicts as a political science major at Merrimack College.
What You’ll Learn
As a political science major, you will:
- Analyze a political situation from multiple perspectives and connect it to theoretical models or practical experiences.
- Explore society’s vital questions about law, government, justice and humanity.
- Apply your knowledge by pursuing an internship in government.
- Develop your writing and critical thinking skills, which will help you become a thoughtful, engaged member of society.
You might also consider double majoring or minoring in related fields, such as pre-law, economics or environmental studies and sustainability.
Hands-On Learning
Why not take your skills out of the classroom and into the political arena? Debate constitutional issues against national teams in Moot Court, explore a public service internship or spend a semester during your junior year with the American University Washington Semester Program or abroad.
Career Options
As a graduate of our program, you’ll be well equipped to pursue a graduate degree — in law, history, political science or a related topic — or to begin your career working in the public or private sector. Our graduates go on to jobs in business, government, international relations, public administration, academia and more.
Recent graduates hold a variety of exciting positions, including:
- Analyst, Library of Congress
- Attorney General, State of Vermont
- Director, Lowell (Mass.) Planning Board
- Judicial Law Clerk, New Hampshire Superior Court
- Legislative Aide, U.S. Congress
- Mayor, City of Lawrence, Massachusetts
- Prosecutor, Tewksbury (Mass.) Police Department
- Research Assistant, Citizens for the Constitution
- Secretary, Executive Office of Health and Human Resources, Massachusetts
- State Senator, Massachusetts
- Systems Analyst, Massachusetts Department of Revenue
What You’ll Take
All political science majors take a combination of required and elective courses to satisfy the 42-credit requirement.
Required Courses (complete all)
| POL 1100 | Politics of the United States |
| POL 1500 | Comparative Politics |
| POL 2000 | Political Science Methods |
| POL 4800 | Senior Seminar |
- We recommend that POL 2000 Political Science Methods be completed by the end of your sophomore year.
- You are required to take a writing intensive course in the discipline. This course rotates among upper-level elective courses.
U.S. Politics and Government (choose at least two)
| POL 1300 | Intro to Public Administration (formerly POL 2121) |
| POL 1400 | Politics of Public Policy |
| POL 2010 | Political Ethics |
| POL 2120 | Government, Business & Law |
| POL 2122 | Law and Society |
| POL 2181 | American Political Thought |
| POL 2300 | The Politics of Food |
| POL 3111 | Massachusetts State & Local Government |
| POL 3112 | Congress and the Legislative Process |
| POL 3113 | The American Presidency |
| POL 3122 | Issues in Public Policy |
| POL 3130 | Campaigns and Elections |
| POL 3140 | Mass Media and American Politics |
| POL 3141 | Political Communication |
| POL 3150 | Criminal Law |
| POL 3151 | American Constitutional Law |
| POL 3152 | Civil Liberties and Civil Rights |
| POL 3153 | Politics & Religion |
| POL 3160 | United States Foreign Policy |
| POL 3161 | Politics of Immigration and Human Movement |
| POL 3171 | Music and Politics |
| POL 3600 | Special Topics (when course pertains to a US topic) |
World Outside the United States (choose at least two)
| POL 1900 | International Politics (formerly POL 2510) |
| POL 2200 | Global Issues |
| POL 2581 | Intro to Political Theory |
| POL 3520W | Modern China |
| POL 3525 | Politics of the Middle East |
| POL 3530 | Democracy, Development and Violence |
| POL 3531 | Politics of Developing Nations |
| POL 3540 | International Political Economy |
| POL 3541 | Cyber Security: The Intersection of Technology and Policy |
| POL 3600 | Special Topics (when course pertains to a global topic) |
| POL 4599W | Issues and Cases in United States Foreign Policy |
Remaining Courses
Select the remaining three courses from the electives above. Qualified students may choose all or some from the following list:
| POL 4700 |
Directed Study (Moot Court may only be taken twice for credit toward a political science major - 4 credits max) |
| POL 4850W | Public Service Internship |
| POL 4851 | Public Service Summer Internship |
| POL 4852 | Public Service Fall or Spring Internship |
Notes
- Only two political science courses may be double-counted between a political science major and a pre-law minor.
- Only two political science courses may be double-counted between a political science major and an international studies major.