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Financing Your Education

Become a Beacon and pursue your passion in UMass Boston’s diverse, supportive environment. Many students across our 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs receive financial aid—providing access to an education that’s exceptional and affordable. Click below to learn more about financial aid opportunities and deadlines.

Financial Aid Deadlines & Application Process

Scholarships for First-Year & Transfer Students

Early action deadline: November 1; Regular Decision Deadline: June 15

Financing Your Education

Become a Beacon and pursue your passion in UMass Boston’s diverse, supportive environment. Many students across our 200+ undergraduate and graduate programs receive financial aid—providing access to an education that’s exceptional and affordable. Click below to learn more about financial aid opportunities and deadlines.

Financial Aid Deadlines & Application Process 

Scholarships for First-Year & Transfer Students

For additional information regarding tuition and fees, please visit the Bursar’s Office or send an email to Bursar@umb.edu.

Introductory Courses (6 Credits)

Take two courses from the list below.

• POLSCI 101 - Introduction to Politics 3 Credit(s)
  or
• POLSCI 103 - Introduction to Political Theory 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 102 - Government and Politics of the United States 3 Credit(s)

American Politics and/or Public Policy Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

• POLSCI 203 - Public Policy (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 265L - World War II Internment of Japanese Americans (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 310 - Money in Politics 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 318 - The Legislative Process (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 320 - Women, Politics, and Policy 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 324 - The American Presidency (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 325 - Public Administration (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 329 - American Constitutional Law and Theory (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 330 - Presidential Elections (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 332 - Civil Liberties in the United States (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 335 - Law and Public Policy (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 340 - Boston: Cooperation and Conflict in the Urban Environment (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 344 - Problems of Urban Politics (A) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 345 - Sports, Politics, & Policy 3 Credit(s)

International Relations Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

• POLSCI 220 - International Relations (B) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 333 - Terrorism 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 365 - Japan and the United States 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 380 - Theories of International Relations 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 402 - World Politics and World Order (B) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 407 - US-Latin American Relations 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 410 - Pol Intrnatnl Econ 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 422 - Nationalism (C) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 424 - American Foreign Policy (B) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 435 - Foreign Policy Analysis 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 499L - Seminar in International Relations (B) 3 Credit(s)

Comparative Politics Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

• POLSCI 202 - Comparative Politics 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 365 - Japan and the United States 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 369 - Politics of the Middle East (C) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 370 - Human Rights, Immigration and Gender in Mexico 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 371 - Latin American Poltc 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 372 - Central American Politics (C) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 375 - Third World Development (C) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 387 - The Government and Politics of China (C) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 390 - A Comparative Analysis of Inequality and Redistribution 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 404 - The Politics of the Arab-Israeli Conflict 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 407 - US-Latin American Relations 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 422 - Nationalism (C) 3 Credit(s)

Political Theory Course (3 Credits)

• POLSCI 251 - Ancient and Medieval Political Thought (D) 3 Credit(s)
  or
• POLSCI 252 - Modern Political Thought (D) 3 Credit(s)

Methods or Advanced Political Theory Course (3 Credits)

Take one course from the list below.

• POLSCI 350 - Political Research Methods 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 439 - Thinking Islamophobia and the War Terror 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 450 - Decolonial Theory 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 451 - Queer Theory & Politics 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 343 - Feminist Political Thought 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 453 - Democratic Theory (D) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 455 - Problems in Political Thought (D) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 456 - Political Thought of Lincoln (D) 3 Credit(s)
• POLSCI 458 - From Biopolitics to Necropolitcs 3 Credit(s)

Electives (12 Credits)

Take four additional political science courses. No first year seminar courses may be applied toward this requirement. Two courses required for another degree program may be applied toward this requirement with permission from the department.

For more information on curriculum, including course descriptions and degree requirements, visit the Academic Catalog.

When a student completes the undergraduate major in political science or international relations, s/he will be able to:

• Understand political theories, structures, systems, actors, institutions, and processes, both locally and globally.
• Apply fundamental critical thinking skills to the analysis and interpretation of political theories, structures, systems, actors, institutions, and processes, both locally and globally.
• Communicate #1 and #2 effectively.

Looking to declare a Political Science major or minor, but you have questions?  Contact Department Chair Prof. Paul Kowert (Paul.Kowert@umb.edu).

Looking to declare an International Relations major or minor, but you have questions?  Contact the IR Major Director, Prof. Luis Jimenez (Luis.Jimenez@umb.edu).

Looking to declare a Public Policy minor, but you have questions?  Contact the Public Policy Minor Director, Prof. Erin O'Brien (Erin.Obrien@umb.edu).

Political Science Department Location: Wheatley Hall, Floor: 05, Room: 00070

Please email or call us for general inquiries at Poli.Sci@umb.edu 

Department Chair: Prof. Paul Kowert. Email: Paul.Kowert@umb.edu