Understanding How Political Processes Shape Community Decisions

Our programs bridge the humanities and social sciences and provide hands-on learning opportunities for students.

About the Department

Our community provides a bedrock for academic exploration and intellectual engagement at UConn. We produce cutting-edge research that reflects our commitment to methodological and intellectual openness and diversity.

By the Numbers

700+
Undergraduate Majors

115
Honors Students

40
Faculty at Five UConn Campuses

40
Graduate Students

7
New Research Labs

Quick Links

A professor lectures at the front of a class.

Find a Professor

Browse our faculty directory and explore how their research is working to address critical questions in political science.
 
Meet Our Faculty

A student doing homework on an outdoor bench.

Academic Advising

Our advisors help students navigate their degree requirements, select courses, and make the most of their academic experience.
 
Connect With Us

Students in a large lecture hall laugh at a joke

Undergraduate Courses

Explore a broad range of topics in political science, including political theory, international relations, and American politics.

Browse Courses

Research

Our Department is organized around five subfields that reflect the conceptual and theoretical questions addressed in political science:

  • American Politics
  • Comparative Politics
  • International Relations
  • Political Theory
  • Public Law

News

  • Alumni Notes: Early Spring 2025
    Adam Kuegler (’17) is the first UConn Law graduate to be accepted to the Supreme Court Fellows Program. Dan Fata (’94), Jeffrey Dressler (’08), and Jaime Cheshire (’99)‘s service on the Afghanistan War Commission was mentioned in UConn Magazine.  Susette Talarico (’76) was awarded The President’s Medal at the University of Georgia for her profoundly […]
    Posted on March 31, 2025
  • Faculty Achievements: Early Spring 2025
    Dr. Matthew Singer’s paper “This Crisis Is Different: Weakened Economic Accountability During the COVID-19 Pandemic” was published in Presidential Studies Quarterly on Jan 15, 2025.  Dr. Zehra Arat, Dr. Jason Byers, and Dr. Sandy Grande were winners of the 2024-2025 Course Development Grant Competition to create new courses. Dr. Arat’s course will be “Women’s Rights […]
    Posted on March 31, 2025
  • Student Successes: Early Spring 2025
    Mariam Vargas (’25), Dylan Steer (’25), & Alan Cavagnaro (’25) were among the students who were selected to attend the United Nations 29th Annual Climate Change Conference of Parties in Baku, Azerbaijan in November. San Lee (Ph.D. Candidate) will present her dissertation chapter titled “The Use of the CEDAW for Advancing LGBTQIA+ Rights” at the […]
    Posted on March 31, 2025

Upcoming Events

Featured Headlines

‘You read the news. You think about these things. It’s just a way to formally express it’

Follow us on Instagram


It’s time for another tip 🤩 this week’s tip is about managing your course load. Personally a planner works the best for me but for others it may be a calendar or another organizer! Either way it’s highly recommended that you find what works best for you to help reduce your stress of ...managing courses, clubs, social life and other extracurricular activities!! Tune in next week for another tip😌

PS. If you want a planner, Amazon and staples have some good ones 🤫.

You know what time it is🥳🥳 this week’s tip is about the writing center!! If you ever need help with an essay or other writing assignments you can go to the writing center on the second floor of Babbidge library!! They provide peer tutoring so if you are interested visit this link for more ...information: https://writingcenter.uconn.edu!!! See you next week with another tip 😻

Happy first of the month🥳🥳 and it’s time for another tip!!! The Q center is an amazing resource UConn provides and should definitely be taken advantage of. If you ever need help with a Q course you can go to the Q center for peer tutoring and review session!! It is on the third floor of ...Babbidge!! See you next week for another tip from Jessica

Time for another tip 🤩this week’s tip is about if your confused about POLS requirements! Searching up “UCONN POLS plan of study” will give you a pdf filled with requirements and possible classes that fulfill each requirement! You can also speak to the PAA or your academic advisor if you ...need extra help! Until next week 🥳🥳

It’s the second week of Jessica’s tips 🥳🥳!! This week’s tip is about advising!! If you need advising help you can always schedule a meeting with your Academic Advisor or with me-the peer academic assistant-so we can answer your questions! See you next week for another tip 😁

Happy summer ☀️!!! Jessica is the new PAA and will be sharing tips for POLS majors every week of the summer until the fall semester! This week’s tip is about the PWB 🤩!! It’s highly recommended that POLS majors check their email every Friday for the PWB. Important announcements, job and ...internship opportunities and events will all be announced through this! It is a valuable tool that every POLS major should take advantage of! See you next week with a new tip 🥳

Seniors, join us this week for Senior Farewell Week in the POLS Suite! Celebrate your accomplishments, say bye to professors, and grab some POLS swag!

Summer is approaching fast so get ahead and take a POLS course this summer!!! There are a variety of courses available and registration is already open!! For more information: https://summersession.uconn.edu/