Exploring the Political Science Program at UCLA: A Comprehensive Overview

The Department of Political Science at UCLA prides itself on its high national ranking and the faculty's dedication to fostering an engaging intellectual environment. This article delves into the various facets of the UCLA Political Science program, encompassing its graduate and undergraduate offerings, faculty, curriculum, research opportunities, and career prospects for its graduates.

A Top-Tier Department

The UCLA Department of Political Science is consistently ranked among the top 10% of undergraduate programs in the nation. The department boasts approximately 45 core faculty members and admits an entering class of about 15 to 20 students each year, allowing for significant personalized attention. Currently, there are about 150 students in residence. UCLA considers itself a "full service" department, offering coursework and research opportunities in all major sub-fields of the discipline.

Graduate Program: Rigor and Diversity

The graduate program at UCLA combines outstanding faculty and students with a broad, research-oriented curriculum and the extensive resources of a leading university. The curriculum facilitates intensive study in various cross-cutting areas, including empirical and theoretical approaches, as well as contemporary and historical perspectives. Interdisciplinary concentrations such as political economy, American political development, race and politics, and the philosophical, historical, and literary dimensions of political theory are also available. The department emphasizes rigorous academic training and independent research, fostering a diverse and intellectually stimulating graduate student community. Graduates have secured tenure-track academic positions at prestigious institutions such as Princeton, Yale, Harvard, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego. Many graduates have also found employment in the public sector or in private organizations that value research and analytical skills.

The graduate program's curriculum is divided into six general areas: American Politics, Comparative Politics, Formal Theory/Quantitative Methods, International Relations, Political Theory, and Race, Ethnicity & Politics. Students are encouraged to be well-rounded in their study of politics, with the department requiring study in two major and two minor fields. The boundaries between these fields are intentionally permeable, as are the boundaries between the department and other academic disciplines. Formal theory and methods, for example, offers training that supports research across most of the subfields. Political Economy, an area of marked departmental strength, overlaps Comparative Politics and International Relations, and also invites interdisciplinary work with the Department of Economics.

Notable Alumni and Faculty Achievements

The department has a history of producing accomplished alumni and attracting distinguished faculty. Recent accolades include:

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Julian Michel (UCLA PhD 2024): Received multiple research awards for his dissertation work on "The Subnational Roots of Democratic Stability."
Tejas Parasher: Honoured with the 2024 Political Theory Prize for his book, 'Radical Democracy in Modern Indian Political Thought'.
Mohammed Alharthi: Named a 2025 Rhodes Scholar, UCLA’s first international student to win the scholarship.
Diego Sarmiento: Awarded a 2024 Truman Scholarship.
Jeff Lewis: Elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.
John Branstetter (UCLA PhD 2017): Selected to receive the 2019-2020 UCLA Distinguished Teaching Award.
Joseph Asunka (UCLA PhD 2014): Named CEO of the Afrobarometer.

The department also mourns the passing of esteemed faculty members Professor Leonard Freedman and Professor James Wai Tong, who made significant contributions to the field of political science and the UCLA community.

Undergraduate Program: Foundational Knowledge and Skills

The UCLA Political Science Department provides students with a solid foundation in political processes, institutions, and concepts across diverse national and cultural contexts. The program equips students with the skills to:

Think critically about basic political processes, institutions, and concepts as these operate in different national and cultural contexts.
Locate, evaluate, and use information and scholarship needed to place particular political events in broader historical, cross-national, and theoretical contexts.
Acquire a knowledge of diverse theories of politics, by engaging critically with texts, media, and contexts.

Students are classified as Pre-Political Science majors while they are completing the lower division preparation courses. Students are eligible to declare the Political Science major when they have completed all five preparation courses with a 2.0 GPA or when they have completed four preparation courses and enrolled in the fifth in the current term. *AP Statistics credit does not fulfill the statistics requirement for Political Science. Starting Fall 2024: Ten upper division courses (minimum 40 units) selected from Political Science M105-199. These courses must be taken for a letter grade and be a minimum of 4 units each. Note: Political Science majors should be aware that the upper division course requirements in the major (40 units) do not meet the upper division requirement of 60 units (effective Fall Quarter 1997) for graduation.

Political Science Summer Institute

The Political Science Department offers a 3-week summer program with introductory coursework in American Politics and a career panel component. This program introduces students to politics in the United States, emphasizing the process through which people engage in collective action. Students will learn why people engage in collective action, how they do so, and what the consequences are. The course also covers the creation and evolution of institutions that organize collective action and how these institutions function. The program provides students with basic facts about American politics, explanations of its logic, and an introduction to social science methods.

Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis starting February 15th. The program has application requirements for admission. If your school transcript utilizes a different grading system, please submit your transcript as is. INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS: If you are an international student, a transcript refers to your complete secondary academic record. If your school has a translation/equivalency guide, please also include it with your transcript.

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At the time of registration, ALL applicants will be prompted to submit a few short sentences reflecting on their pursuit of participation in a UCLA Precollege Summer Institute. The Political Science Summer Institute is a commuter program. UCLA Summer Institutes do NOT provide on-campus housing for commuter programs. However, students who are 17 or older as of June 23, 2025, may independently apply for housing through UCLA Housing. Participants of the Political Science Summer Institute must commute to the UCLA campus each day of the program. Specific location information (e.g. Summer Sessions parking permits will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Students will receive a letter grade upon completion. However, if you would like to change your grade type to Pass/No Pass (P/NP), please contact your instructor. To receive a “Pass” notation, students must earn a letter grade of C or better. Qualified students attending grades 9th - 11th in Spring 2025 in the state of California may be eligible for Summer Scholars Support, a need- and merit-based scholarship offered by the UCLA Summer Sessions Office. Students must be 15 years old by the first day of Summer Sessions 2025 on June 23rd in order to participate in a Precollege Summer Institute and/or apply for Summer Scholars Support. The UCLA Department of Political Science offers full or partial, need-based scholarships. The award is not intended to cover travel costs and may not cover textbooks or other course materials. Submit the POLITICAL SCIENCE Scholarship Application online.

Scholarship Opportunities

The UCLA Department of Political Science offers full or partial, need-based scholarships to qualified students. The award is not intended to cover travel costs and may not cover textbooks or other course materials. The scholarship application requires students to answer the following essay questions:

Essay Question 1: Every person has a creative side, and it can be expressed in many ways: problem solving, original and innovative thinking, and artistically, to name a few. Describe how you express your creative side.
Essay Question 2 (optional): Please describe any additional information that you have not had the opportunity to share, including financial hardships or obstacles that have impacted you. What steps have you taken to overcome it, and how has it affected your academic achievement?

Applicants must also submit a letter of recommendation from a teacher or school counselor commenting on their ability to successfully complete a rigorous program.

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Chase Privett

Dr. Chase Privett, an alumnus of the UCLA Political Science PhD program, joined the Morningside University faculty in the 2024-2025 academic year. He teaches a wide range of political science courses, with particular enthusiasm for Game Theory and American Politics.

Student Life and Opportunities

Beyond academics, the Political Science Undergraduate Council (PSUC) plays an active role in fostering a supportive community. The Buddy System Mentorship Program, launched in April 2025, connects mentors and mentees, providing guidance and networking opportunities.

Outcomes and Career Paths

UCLA Political Science graduates pursue diverse career paths in academia, the public sector, and private organizations. The median salary for UCLA political science graduates with a bachelor's degree is $34,392. While this is slightly below the national median, the skills and knowledge gained from the program provide a strong foundation for career advancement.

Defining Political Science

Political Science is the study of how humans relate to one another and the systems of power and institutions of rule we construct in order to arrange our collective lives. These institutions can be formal like electoral systems, or international courts, or the various branches of governmental power; but they can also be informal and include the cultural practices of diverse ethnic groups, the public contestation of beliefs and values, and everyday forms of collective participation ranging from sporting activities, to political activism, to digital networking and beyond. What these diverse expressions of political activity share is an acknowledgment of the fact that we are many and that in order for the many to live peacefully with one another we must innovate ways to negotiate forms of power.

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