Welcome to the Political Science Department!

Effective Fall 2020, Political Science Field of Study Certificate

The Political Science Field of Study is a certificate that students can obtain after successfully completing a specific set of courses. Once these courses are completed, the courses will transfer as a block and apply to the Bachelor's degree in Political Science and Government at any public college or university in Texas. For more information on the required coursework, please click here.

What is Political Science?

Political Science is a field of study concerned with understanding political and governmental behaviors, institutions, relations and practices. As such, the field is comprised of a wide variety of sub-fields: political psychology and behavior, political economy, political philosophy and theory, comparative politics, international relations, political institutions, and more.

Why should I study Political Science?

Studying Political Science will introduce you to the structure of government institutions; the development and impact of constitutions; and contemporary issues affecting local, state, national, and international governments. The field also examines political systems, institutional development, as well as theoretical and direct applications of political behavior. As a field of study, it can help you to develop an understanding of how laws and public policy shape and interact with issues of political ideology, voting rights, gender, civil rights, and civil liberties. It further emphasizes the importance of civic engagement both inside and outside the classroom. By including MATH 1342, you will learn how data is collected and understand the direct skills needed to statistically analyze various topics like public opinion, voting behavior, interstate conflict, and predicting judicial decisions. The study of Political Science and Government will also allow you to develop various marketable and transferable skills including critical thinking, leadership, and applied quantitative analysis that can be used in many career fields in the discipline.

What can I do with a Political Science Degree?

Common careers for political science majors include: lawyer, paralegal, educator, policy analyst, legislative assistant, political consultant, public relations or social media specialist, government affairs manager, market research analyst, intelligence analyst, political party or interest group staff, nonprofit organization manager, and more.

What is the Political Science Field of Study (FOS)?

The Field of Study (FOS) curriculum for Political Science is the set of lower division courses that must be applied to the Bachelor degree in Political Science. Collin College follows the FOS to structure a transfer curriculum in the discipline. If a student successfully completes a FOS for an established degree program, the student may transfer that block of courses for full academic credit. The transferred FOS courses must be substituted for that institution's lower-division requirements for the discipline degree program.  The FOS is effective starting with the Fall 2020 semester. It includes:

• GOVT 2304  Introduction to Political Science 
• GOVT 2305  Federal Government (Federal Constitution and Topics) 
• GOVT 2306  Texas Government (Texas Constitution and Topics)
• MATH 1342  Elementary Statistical Methods

If you are interested in learning more about the field of political science and/or courses offered, feel free to contact a faculty member.