• Major Requirements For Students Entering Fall 2005 or Later
• Major Requirements For Students Who Entered Before Fall 2005
• Courses Listed by Area
• Joint Major in History/Political Science
• Minor Requirements For Students Entering Fall 2005 or Later
• Minor Requirements For Students Who Entered Before Fall 2005
• NJ / NY Internships
• Washington Semester Internships
• Departmental Honors
• Pi Sigma Alpha - National Political Science Honor Society
• Certificate Programs:
  • Certificate Program in Quantitative Political Science Methods
  • Global Politics Certificate
  • Eagleton Undergraduate Associates Certificate

While majors may choose to focus their studies on one of these areas, they are required to develop a solid intellectual foundation and understanding that spans all three and to approach the study of Political Science within the broader context of the social sciences.

Students completing the Political Science major are expected to develop the ability to read and listen critically, to reason analytically and engage in thoughtful moral judgment, and to write and speak clearly and forcefully. The major emphasizes the enhancement of key intellectual skills and qualities of mind-the habits of questioning, debating, challenging, and shaping coherent and persuasive arguments and interpretations-and seeks to involve undergraduates in the active research life of the Rutgers department.

Course work is organized into two general levels. Classes at the 100 level are regarded as introductory and are designed to expose students to general concepts, basic knowledge, and modes of inquiry, as well as to serve as a foundation for additional course work. Classes at the 300 and 400 levels focus on more specialized issues, questions, or problems. In general, students should complete appropriate introductory course work before enrolling in upper-division classes.

Political Science majors are encouraged strongly to take advantage of opportunities to engage in experiential learning at Rutgers. These opportunities include not only the one-term Washington Internship Program and Rutgers Study Abroad program, but internships supervised by the department.

Prior to declaring a major in Political Science, a student must complete at least two 100 level Political Science courses with an average grade of C or better. These courses can be counted toward major credit.

This major is administered entirely by the Department of History. For further information visit the History department.

INTERNSHIP IN POLITICAL SCIENCE 790:481/482 (3 credits)

The Political Science Department offers internships in New Brunswick and throughout the New Jersey/New York metropolitan area. Students with any major can earn three academic credits by working at an unpaid internship a minimum of 120 hours during the fall or spring semester (150 hours during the summer session). In the fall and spring semesters, students are also required to attend a weekly internship class. Students should consult the university schedule of classes to determine the meeting time and place of 790:481/482. The first session will be an information session to acquaint interested students with the opportunities available and the requirements of the internship program. (A similar meeting is held in late April/early May for students wishing to intern during the summer session - please consult our webpage for the specific date, time, and place of that meeting.) Special permission numbers for 790:481/482 are distributed at these meetings. Students wishing to explore the possibility of interning should contact Professor Pilch at prior to the start of the semester in which s/he wishes to intern.

Students will receive credit only for work done during the semester in which they are enrolled in the internship program. The student must obtain the program director's prior approval; credit will not be awarded for internships which have not been approved in advance.

In association with the Washington Internship Institute (WII) http://www.wiidc.org or The Washington Center (TWC) http://www.twc.edu students from all majors may spend a semester in Washington, D.C. Juniors and seniors who have at least a 3.0 GPA and 12 credits in Political Science courses (including six in American government-related courses), may choose to spend a semester enrolled in the Rutgers Washington Internship Program for full academic Rutgers credit. The program includes an internship in a government, public service agency and possibly a foreign embassy, a course on a related topic given by (WII) or the Center (TWC), and completion of a major research paper which will be graded by the Political Science Department. Interested students should review the "Washington Internship Program" handout. Click here for more information about the requirements for the research paper. Contact Professor Bert Levine, the Director of the Political Science Department's Washington Internship Program, at for review of your transcript and acceptance into program. Put Washington Internship in the subject line of your email.

This program is offered in the fall and spring semesters. It is no longer offered in the summmer session.