Best Political Science Colleges and Universities in the World
About Political Science
Political science is a branch of social science that studies the origin, development, and operations of the political system through qualitative and quantitative research. It helps in better understanding the political institutions, government systems, and political behavior. Political science is an excellent choice for students who want to learn how political systems work as well as those who want to improve their critical thinking and analytical abilities.
Duties of a Political Science Major
Most political scientists typically work full-time in an office setting. They must possess attributes such as good analytical skills, creativity, communication skills, and critical thinking abilities to perform the following duties:
- Conducting qualitative and quantitative research
- Analyzing politics, government, political trends, policies, and other political issues like international relations
- Gathering information on current policies and events using public opinion surveys, economic data, and election results to analyze the data statistically
- Developing and testing policies and political theories
- Predicting future political, social, and economic trends
- Publishing article and research papers on their research
- Assessing the impact of laws and policies on government and the public
Popular degrees for pursuing a career in Political Science
Political science has always been in high demand. For those interested in pursuing a career in political science, some of the top schools for political science offer the following degrees.
Bachelor’s Programs
There are two types of bachelor’s degrees offered in political science– B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) or B.S. (Bachelor of Science). The choice of degree depends upon the type of job the student is interested in, for example, political analyst or researcher who deals with statistics or large amounts of mathematical data, a B.S. degree in political science is suitable as it covers more math and science classes. While a B.A. in political science emphasizes more on critical thinking, communication, and all-around learning. The following are a few of the popular bachelor’s degrees in political science:
- Bachelor of Arts in Political Science
- Bachelor of Arts in Historical and Political Studies
- Bachelor of Science in Political Science
- Bachelor of Arts in Communications and Political Science
- Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and Diplomacy
- Bachelor of Science in Politics and Criminology
- Bachelor of Science in International Relations
- Bachelor of Science in Homeland Security
- Bachelor of Science in Cyber Intelligence and Security
- Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice
Master’s Programs
A master’s degree is typically required to enter the field of political science. After completing a bachelor’s degree in the relevant field, students typically go for an M.A. (Master of Arts) or M.S. (Master of Science) in the following subjects:
- Public Administration
- Public Affairs
- Public Policy
- International Relations
- Political Economy
Doctoral Programs
Doctoral degrees are the terminal degrees one can pursue in the field of political science. Students interested in pursuing a career in academia can specialize in one of four major areas of political science:
- P.h.D in Comparative Politics
- P.h.D in International Relations
- P.h.D in Political Theory
- P.h.D in National Politics
- P.h.D in Political Economy
A few of the best universities for political science also offer online degrees. These are designed to help students learn about politics in an engaging and effective online learning environment with the help of video tutorials, quizzes, and more.
Specializations in Political Science
Political science intersects with a variety of subjects of study and has a wide range of applications in a range of organizations. Students can do specializations in subjects like history, law, government, policymaking, policy dynamics, international relations, political theory, statistics, economics, legislative systems, psychology, comparative politics, and more.
Duration of Programs in Political Science
The duration of political science courses varies by university, however following is an approximate timetable of courses offered by some of the top universities:
| Country | Bachelor’s Degree | Master’s Degree | Doctoral Degree |
| USA and Canada | 3-4 years | 1-2 years | 4-7 years |
| UK | 3-4 years | 1-2 years | 4-7 years |
| Australia | 3-4 years | 1-2 years | 4-7 years |
| Others | 3-4 years | 1-2 years | 4-7 years |
Career opportunities in Political Science
Political science is one of the most popular majors sought after by students. It offers diverse career paths in areas such as government service, law, business, policy analysis, teaching, and consulting. The following are some outstanding political science job opportunities for students to consider:
- Politician
- Political scientist
- Political consultant
- Political campaign manager
- Political economist
- Public policy analyst
- International policy analyst
- Market researcher
- Paralegal
- Public relation specialist
- Investigative journalism
- Public administrator
- Professor or lecturer
- Lobbyist
Average salaries for Political Science graduates
Because there are so many different careers to choose from, the salary options in the field of political science are also extremely variable. The following are average salaries for political scientists around the world.
| Country | Average salary in USD/year |
| USA | 1,25,350 (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics) |
| Australia | 89,262 (Source: ERI Economic Research Institute) |
| Sweden | 58,413 (Source: Salary Expert) |
| Canada | 51,810 (Source: Pay Scale) |
| Germany | 43,569 (Source: Pay Scale) |
| UK | 32,789 (Source: Pay Scale) |
Top 50 Universities in the world for Political Science based on ranking (Shanghai/QS/THE)
The following table includes a worldwide ranking of some of the best colleges for political science:
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 1 | 1 | 4 | Harvard University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 2 | 7 | 3 | Stanford University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | Princeton University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 4 | 5 | 7 | London School of Economics and Political Science | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 5 | 14 | 22 | New York University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 6 | 28 | 9 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 7 | 13 | 15 | Columbia University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 8 | 8 | 11 | Yale University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 9 | 3 | 1 | University of Oxford | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 10 | 10 | 6 | University of California, Berkeley | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 11 | 51-100 | 43 | Aarhus University | Denmark | Click Here | Click Here |
| 12 | 16 | 41 | University of California, San Diego | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 13 | 101-150 | NA | Texas A&M University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 14 | 39 | 20 | Duke University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 15 | 23 | 101–125 | The George Washington University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 16 | 51-100 | 14 | University of Pennsylvania | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 17 | 14 | 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 18 | 19 | 10 | University of Chicago | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 19 | 26 | 17 | University of Amsterdam | Netherlands | Click Here | Click Here |
| 20 | 151-200 | 126-150 | Vanderbilt University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 21 | 51-100 | 30 | The University of Texas at Austin | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 22 | 101-150 | 39 | The Ohio State University – Columbus | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 23 | 101-150 | 16 | University of Wisconsin – Madison | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 24 | 43 | 35 | University of British Columbia | Canada | Click Here | Click Here |
| 25 | 12 | 83 | Georgetown University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 26 | 51-100 | 59 | University of Zurich | Switzerland | Click Here | Click Here |
| 27 | 51-100 | 97 | University of Gothenburg | Sweden | Click Here | Click Here |
| 28 | 37 | 25 | ETH Zurich | Switzerland | Click Here | Click Here |
| 29 | 48 | 72 | University of Essex | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 30 | 42 | 13 | University College London | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 31 | 17 | 70 | King’s College London | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 32 | 51-100 | 51 | University of Oslo | Norway | Click Here | Click Here |
| 33 | 40 | NA | European University Institute | Italy | Click Here | Click Here |
| 34 | 101-150 | 24 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 35 | 151-200 | 84 | Washington University in St. Louis | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 36 | 101-150 | 74 | University of Konstanz | Germany | Click Here | Click Here |
| 37 | 17 | 12 | University of California, Los Angeles | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 38 | 51-100 | 32 | University of Mannheim | Germany | Click Here | Click Here |
| 39 | 51-100 | 75 | University of Warwick | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 40 | 24 | 21 | Cornell University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 41 | NA | 60 | Michigan State University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 42 | 151-200 | Pennsylvania State University – University Park | USA | Click Here | Click Here | |
| 43 | 33 | 42 | University of Copenhagen | Denmark | Click Here | Click Here |
| 44 | 101-150 | 26 | University of Washington | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 45 | 151-200 | 101-125 | Dartmouth College | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 46 | NA | 101-125 | Emory University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 47 | 51-100 | 77 | Uppsala University | Sweden | Click Here | Click Here |
| 48 | 101-150 | 75 | Stockholm University | Sweden | Click Here | Click Here |
| 49 | 151-200 | 55 | University of Maryland, College Park | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 50 | 151-200 | 67 | University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
Top Universities in the USA for Political Science
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 1 | 1 | 4 | Harvard University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 2 | 7 | 3 | Stanford University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 3 | 4 | 5 | Princeton University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 5 | 14 | 22 | New York University | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
| 6 | 28 | 9 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | USA | Click Here | Click Here |
Top Universities in the UK for Political Science
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 4 | 5 | 7 | London School of Economics and Political Science | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 9 | 3 | 1 | University of Oxford | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 29 | 48 | 72 | University of Essex | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 30 | 42 | 13 | University College London | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
| 31 | 17 | 70 | King’s College London | UK | Click Here | Click Here |
Top Universities in Sweden for Political Science
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 27 | 51-100 | 97 | University of Gothenburg | Sweden | Click Here | Click Here |
| 47 | 51-100 | 77 | Uppsala University | Sweden | Click Here | Click Here |
| 48 | 101-150 | 75 | Stockholm University | Sweden | Click Here | Click Here |
Top Universities in Germany for Political Science
| Shanghai Ranking | QS Ranking | THE Ranking | University | Country | Bachelor Programs | Master Programs |
| 36 | 101-150 | 74 | University of Konstanz | Germany | Click Here | Click Here |
| 38 | 51-100 | 32 | University of Mannheim | Germany | Click Here | Click Here |
Academic Requirements for studying Political Science
The following are the eligibility requirements for admission to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the political sciences as given by the top-performing universities around the world.
Bachelor’s level
- A high school diploma or equivalent with a GPA of 3.0
- Transcripts
- Good score in English language proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL (minimum score requirement varies from university to university)
- Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Valid passport
Master’s level
- A GPA of 3.0 or more in bachelor’s degree in political science or a comparable field.
- Academic transcripts
- GRE score of 290 or above
- Good score in English language proficiency tests like IELTS and TOEFL (minimum score requirement varies from university to university)
- Letter of Recommendation (LOR)
- Statement of Purpose (SOP)
- Valid passport
- Published research papers (preferable)
- Work or internship experience (preferable)
