Political Science Major

At Hamline, political science majors participate in research with faculty as early as their first year, something usually reserved for graduate students at other institutions. You'll design and conduct your own research project based on your individual interests and goals.

The list of possible research projects is as varied as our students. For example, picture yourself:

• Analyzing voter data to identify emerging political trends in your community, city, or state
• Examining extremist groups' use of social media sites to learn how fringe ideologies spread online
• Designing a survey to determine how a voter base view their local government 
• Creating experiments to analyze how racial or gender biases correlate with a population's support for, or opposition to, public policies

During your research process, you’ll collaborate with professionals at major research institutions, publish your research in academic journals, and present your work at local, regional, and national conferences.
 

Learn more about undergraduate research at Hamline 

We make sure you leave Hamline with work experience in the field of political science on your resume. And the opportunities are boundless. Whether you want to explore a career in law, political strategy, grassroots organizing, or more, we have internship opportunities for you.

Examples of past internships that political science majors have had include:

• Minnesota State Senate, legislative intern
• City of Oak Park Heights, city planning intern
• NAACP, education researcher
• Alzheimer’s Association, public policy intern
• CommonBond Communities, youth advocate
• Minnesota DFL Party, finance and development intern
• Unite America, political associate
• Stevens Square Community Organization, digital communications intern
• Global Minnesota, marketing intern
• The Borgen Project, political affairs intern
• Jefferson Center, research analyst
• U.S. Senator Klobuchar's Office, constituent outreach intern

Our innovative courses and one-on-one mentoring by faculty will give you the tools to succeed in a variety of jobs, such as:

• Deputy press secretary
• Family law attorney
• Director of strategic initiatives
• Finance director
• Historic preservation specialist
• Educational engagement specialist
• Policy analyst 
• Director of communications and public affairs 
• Senior vice president of international engagement

You can also put your BA in political science to work in any number of fields, including:

• Municipal politics
• City planning
• Field organizing
• Policy analysis
• Finance and operations
• Campaign management

Our graduates have gone on to graduate schools across the country in the pursuit of master’s and doctoral degrees. Examples of programs and schools include:

• PhD in Comparative International Development and Education, University of Minnesota
• PhD in International Relations, American University School of International Service
• MA in International Relations, University of York, England 
• Master of Public Policy, Humphrey School of Public Affairs