Welcome Political Science Transfer Students!

We greatly appreciate the experience and wisdom transfer students bring to our Political Science program, and our undergraduate advising program is ready to help you hit the ground running as soon as you arrive.

Our Academic Advisors and Peer Advisors are available whenever you have a question or concern or need help planning your next new experience. We work as a team to make sure someone is available whenever you are in need, but you are also welcome to connect with one advisor and work with them throughout your career. You may want to hear from many of us, or you might find you’re more comfortable connecting with one of us. Either option is fine. What matters most is that you are comfortable coming to advising when you have a question. We hope we can play an active role in your success at UMass.

We offer individual advising sessions by appointment or you can drop into the third floor of Thompson Hall for questions. We can suggest classes to help you complete your degree.  We might help you set up experiences where you can take your learning outside of the classroom, like study abroad or domestic exchange, internships, or research. We also can help you connect with post-graduation, graduate school or career-search supports. We are always available to help!

We Encourage Our Political Science Transfer Students to Get Real World Experience!

We know that experiences like internships, research assistantships, and studying abroad or domestic exchange can help broaden your horizons and build your resume – but how do you find time to incorporate these into your busy life?

Our majors have completed internships in a wide variety of fields, including political organizing and elections, nonprofit management, law and criminal justice, business and marketing, education, government, public policy, and more.

We also encourage our transfer students to study abroad or engage in domestic exchange, and we can help work with you to fit that into your academic path! Our majors have no trouble finding courses at other institutions we can approve to apply to their UMass degree.

If you’re interested in research, our Undergraduate Research Experience Program (UREP) is a well-designed program that is waiting and ready for you. Many of our faculty work with undergraduate students as research assistants; this can be a wonderful learning experience, and you can earn college credit toward graduation in the process.

What Do Political Science Majors at UMass Study? 

The Department of Political Science at the University of Massachusetts has a strong tradition of providing undergraduate instruction of the highest quality. Whether you are just taking a class or two, or are planning to major in Political Science, you will find that the Department and its faculty are committed to undergraduate teaching and students. We offer a wide range of classes, from lecture-based instruction to smaller seminars, as well as internships and Honors courses. The diversity of the faculty means that the Department is able to offer a broad range of courses every semester.

Political Science majors study political life in the varied contexts in which it occurs—institutions, social movements, power relations, elections, political culture, ideas, and war. The major emphasizes issues central to public life such as democracy, citizenship and participation, inequality, global forces, institutions, and governance. The most significant purpose of the Political Science major is to help educate a reflective and active citizenry capable of sharing power and responsibility in a contemporary democracy.

What Skills Will I Develop with a Political Science Degree?

The curriculum is geared toward supporting departmental goals first by developing students’ skills in critical thinking and comprehending complex phenomena. Second, the program emphasizes students’ development of skills in articulating clear, sound, and compelling arguments of their own, based on appropriate evidence, in spoken and written presentation.  Third, the program offers opportunities for acquisition of quantitative, qualitative, and interpretive research skills that are applicable to a broad range of careers and intellectual interests.

What Careers Are Available To Me with a Political Science Degree?

A major in political science is valuable preparation for a wide variety of career fields and academic pursuits.  These include law, business, and corporate positions in environmental protection, consumer affairs, and public affairs; journalism; federal and state government positions in environmental protection, criminal justice, public health, welfare, and transportation; state and local management and administration in planning, zoning, housing, human resources, environmental policy, education policy, law enforcement, and budgeting and finance; positions with nonprofit research and advocacy organizations in human rights, international development, and other concerns; management of domestic or international grass-roots development or refugee assistance organizations; and educational administration.

You can explore some of our recent graduates’ career outcomes here.

As a Political Science major, you’ll also have access to the SBS Career and Professional Development advising team, as well as to your Political Science advisors, to help plan for your life after UMass.