Overview

Within this Political Science BA degree from Portland State University, your classes in the political science department will teach you the nature of power in our world through an option of lenses based on your interest. We offer a wide variety of perspectives so that you can pick the approach that is most interesting to you.

Maybe these changes will be very small, maybe they will be very big, but the knowledge you gain from getting a degree in political science will give you what you need to take your vision for our neighborhoods, city, state, country, or world and put it into action.

Earn your political science degree in Oregon’s largest and most politically active city of Portland. Studying political science in Portland presents a unique opportunity to see how a mid-sized metropolitan city addresses issues such as gentrification, homelessness, police engagement, and social justice from a public policy, legal, political theory, and American political perspective. Situated in the heart of Downtown Portland and within walking distance from multiple city, state, and federal offices, you’ll be able to easily connect with professionals actively engaged in fields such as law, politics, public policy, sustainable global development, and international justice to gain marketable skills in your field of interest, setting you up for the political science career of your dreams.

Career opportunities:

The students of the Political Science degree from Portland State University develop skills that are highly valued by today’s employers. These skills include, but are not limited to: out-of-the-box problem solving, research, critical communication skills in writing/thinking/analysis, inclusive collaboration skills, and effective oral presentation skills.

Students and alumni find employment in business, government, nonprofits, social services, and educational institutions. Completing an internship or obtaining a relevant part-time job can only boost your job prospects after graduation.

The Internship program and connections to our Alumni provide us a network of potential opportunities once you graduate with a degree in Political Science.

Here is a list of the top careers for Political Science majors:

K-12 Teacher
Policy Analyst
Public Relations Specialist
Legislative Assistant
Lawyer and Judge
Political Consultant
Political Campaign Staff
Elected Official
International Assistance Staff
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Intelligence Analyst
Political Journalist

Programme Structure

Courses include:

US Government

US Politics

Comparative Politics

International Politics

Political Theory

Law & Legal Studies

Women's Leadership

State and Local Politics

Race and Politics in the US

Key information

Duration

Full-time
- 48 months

Start dates & application deadlines

Starting 2026-09-30 00:00:00
- Apply before 2026-09-01 00:00:00 , International
- Apply before 2026-08-01 00:00:00 , National

Language

English

Duolingo English Test

110

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IELTS

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Credits

180 alternative credits

Delivered

On Campus

Campus Location

Portland, United States

Disciplines

Political Science View 1416 other Bachelors in Political Science in United States

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Academic requirements

GPA

2.5

English requirements

Duolingo English Test

110

Take A Free Practice Test!

TOEFL^® IBT

Schedule TOEFL®

PTE Academic

Schedule a PTE test!

IELTS

Prepare for Your English Test

Cathoven AI IELTS Preparation

Learn your IELTS Score

AI-powered IELTS feedback. Clear, actionable, and tailored to boost your writing & speaking score. No credit card or upfront payment required.

Trusted by 300k learners
98 accuracy using real exam data
4.9/5 student rating

Other requirements

General requirements

You must have a cumulative (overall) grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 when converted to the U.S. 4.0 grading scale.
Meet the English Language Proficiency Requirement. You may be admitted to Portland State University and an Intensive English Language Program (IELP) pathway if you do not meet PSU's English Language Proficiency Requirement. Learn more about PSU’s English language programs.

Tuition Fees

Tuition fees are shown in and the most likely applicable fee is shown based on your nationality.

International Applies to you

Applies to you

Non-residents

34599 USD / year

≈ 34599 USD / year
Out-of-State

34599 USD / year

≈ 34599 USD / year
Domestic

Applies to you

In-State

12999 USD / year

≈ 12999 USD / year

Living costs

Portland

United States

1271 - 2262 USD / month

The living costs include the total expenses per month, covering accommodation, public transportation, utilities (electricity, internet), books and groceries.

Funding

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Scholarships Information

Below you will find Bachelor's scholarship opportunities for Political Science.

Available Scholarships

You are eligible to apply for these scholarships but a selection process will still be applied by the provider.

About

Overview

Career opportunities:

Programme Structure

Key information

Duration

Start dates & application deadlines

Language

Prepare for Your English Test

Credits

Delivered

Campus Location

Disciplines

What students do after studying

Academic requirements

English requirements

Prepare for Your English Test

Other requirements

General requirements

Tuition Fees

International Applies to you

Domestic

Living costs

Portland

Funding

Need help with your student visa?

Scholarships Information

Available Scholarships

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