Political Science

The Political Science major is concerned with exploring the exercise of power in its myriad forms and consequences. Students in the major are encouraged to explore central issues, such as the ethical problems attendant to the exercise of power; the history of important political ideas, such as liberty, justice, community, and morality; the impact of historical, economic, and social forces on the operation of politics; the functioning and distinctive features of the US political system; the diversity of political systems and the significance of these differences; and the interactions among international actors and the causes of war and peace. Undergraduate courses in political science vary from large lectures of 250-300 students to small seminars of 18 students. The courses are challenging, often emphasizing critical reading and analytical writing.  

Declaring the Major

To declare the major, students must have completed the minimum eligibility and must attend a declaration-orientation session. For information regarding minimum eligibility, please see the Major Requirements tab on this page. Transfer students may go to assist.org for a list of California community college courses that satisfy University and major requirements. Upper division courses in the major are restricted to declared Political Science majors in Phase 1 of registration and usually fill before Phase 1 ends, so students should declare, if eligible, before the start of Phase 1 of registration.

Students must attend a Major Declaration Session to declare the major:

1. Pick a date from the calendar on the website linked below. Students will be eligible to attend a Major Declaration Session after they have completed the final for their second prerequisite Political Science course.

2. Be prepared to submit unofficial transcripts after attending a major declaration session.

3. A sign-up sheet is available online one hour before the posted start time. Students must sign up online in order to atend and should do so promptly to secure a spot. Sessions held early and late in the semester as well as during the registration period usually fill quickly. A declaration session takes about an hour and includes an orientation to the major and Q&A after which declaration forms are shared with participants.

For a schedule of Major Declaration Sessions, please see the department website.

Honors Program

Declared Political Science majors with a 3.5 grade-point average (GPA) in the major at Berkeley and a 3.3 overall Berkeley GPA who have senior standing (at least 90 units completed) and have completed at least two letter-graded upper division political science courses at Berkeley are eligible to apply for the honors program. The honors program consists of a two-semester seminar, POL SCI H190A and POL SCI H190B (offered in fall/spring only), and culminates in the writing of an honors thesis. Students must also obtain the sponsorship of a member of the faculty who will guide the research. Applications can only be made online; please refer to the undergraduate program section of the website. Departmental honors are awarded upon completion of the honors seminar with a grade of B+ or better, a minimum GPA of 3.5 in the major, and a 3.3 in overall work at Berkeley.