Programs of Study

If you have decided that a political science degree is right for you, consider Ball State University. The political science department offers several paths to an education in this discipline.

You can earn a bachelor’s degree by majoring in political science, legal studies, or choosing a teaching major in social studies. With the political science and legal studies majors, you have options to further specialize in your field, whether that is economics or international studies in political science, or business or public law within legal studies.

If you already have a four-year degree and you want to deepen your understanding of political science by earning a master’s degree you have several options. With the master of arts in political science you have the freedom to tailor your studies to your personal interests and career goals. We also offer a master of public administration and an MPA with a criminal justice concentration which is jointly-offered with the Department of Criminal Justice and Criminology.

If your career goals don’t include a degree in political science but a basic course of study would complement your degree or satisfy a personal interest, consider a minor in political science or a minor in European studies. You often can work a minor into your schedule of classes without adding to the time it takes to complete your degree.

Summer credit workshops are also a great way to complete a course whether you are seeking a political science major or minor, or if you are simply interested in a particular course.