Political Science

 

In political science, you learn about how governments work and how to use, reform, and challenge the system to address problems in your life and your community. It doesn’t matter who you are – what the government does affects you.  Students of political science understand the rights and responsibilities of citizens and denizens; knowledge of political science can help you understand how local, state and federal governments can change your community, career and family.  Political science teaches us crucial academic and professional skills – how to think critically, how to reason, how to analyze data, how to communicate – and helps us to engage actively with our communities. It includes a variety of subfields, which are basically areas of specialization. While at MC, you will be able to explore a variety of these subfields. When you transfer to pursue a B.A. in Political Science, you’ll start specializing. For example, students in the University of Maryland Government Program have the option of choosing an International Relations concentration within the Government Program.

Most 4-year programs will include the following subfields: American Government, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory. Some four-year institutions also have subfields in Public Law, Public Policy, and Public Administration and in Quantitative Methods.

MC does not offer a degree or certificate specifically in political science. If you are interested in studying politics, you can pursue the general studies degree program, specifically the social sciences, administration, and health (SSAH) core, or the International Studies degree program. Although this will differ on a case-by-case basis, students interested in subfields like American Government or Political Theory should consider the General Studies SSAH core curriculum, and students interested in subfields like International Relations or Comparative Politics should consider the International Studies curriculum.

Many MC students plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete their BA or BS in political science. If you are planning to transfer to a four-year school, you will need to look at the transferability of the individual classes you want to take. MC’s transfer planning will help you prepare for your next step.

Whether you want to take a political science class, pursue a general studies associate’s degree, major in International Studies, or prepare for a bachelor’s degree, we are here to help. We look forward to meeting you and helping you achieve your academic goals.  

Careers

Political scientists study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. They research political ideas and analyze governments, policies, political trends, and related issues. Career options include Elected office, lawyer, political consultant, staffer for congressional committees and offices, civil servant, diplomat (including foreign service and the State Department), worker in non-governmental organizations and charities, liaison between government and corporate entities, country specialist for businesses, lobbyist, teacher, media consultant, think tank analyst, pollster, and pundit.

• Career Outlook for those in the Political Science areanew window: Information from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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Political-Science Courses

Montgomery College offers political science classes on all three campuses.

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