Yes, political science is almost always awarded as a bachelor of arts (BA) degree in the United States and most English-speaking countries. It focuses on governance, public policy, political behavior, and international relations through historical, philosophical, and analytical lenses rather than quantitative or scientific methods.
As a liberal arts discipline, political science trains students to analyze complex systems of power, interpret laws and constitutions, and evaluate political institutions across time and cultures. It emphasizes written argumentation, research design, and ethical reasoning-skills central to the BA model. The degree is not structured around lab work, mathematical modeling, or technical experimentation, which distinguishes it from bachelor of science (BS) programs.
The U.S. Department of Education classifies political science under the "Social Sciences" category, which aligns with BA degrees. According to the American Political Science Association (APSA), nearly 90% of accredited political science programs in the U.S. offer the BA, not the BS. This reflects the field's roots in philosophy, history, and ethics rather than empirical experimentation.
Political science majors study topics such as electoral systems, civil rights, foreign policy, and comparative government. They learn to assess arguments using primary sources like speeches, legal documents, and policy reports-not lab data or statistical models. Their coursework includes courses in political theory, American government, international relations, and research methods.
Assignments emphasize writing essays, conducting literature reviews, and presenting evidence-based interpretations. For example, a student might compare the constitutional frameworks of France and the United States, analyzing how each system handles executive power and judicial review. This requires close reading, citation of scholarly texts, and logical structuring-hallmarks of a BA curriculum.
While some programs offer concentrations in quantitative political analysis or public administration, even those still lead to a BA. The core focus remains on understanding human behavior in political contexts, not on measuring physical phenomena or developing technologies.
Core components include theoretical foundations, historical context, and institutional analysis. Students engage with thinkers like Plato, Machiavelli, Rousseau, and contemporary theorists such as John Rawls and Martha Nussbaum. These works form the basis for debates on justice, freedom, and legitimacy in governance.
Research methods in political science involve qualitative techniques-interviews, document analysis, case studies-rather than controlled experiments. A typical senior thesis might examine voting patterns in urban versus rural districts using census data and survey results, but the interpretation relies on narrative and conceptual framing, not statistical inference alone.
Some departments offer dual-degree tracks combining political science with economics or sociology. These remain BA programs unless explicitly labeled as interdisciplinary science tracks, which are rare. Even when data analysis is involved, the emphasis stays on explanation, not prediction or engineering.
Many assume political science is a science because it uses the word "science" in its name. But "political science" is a misnomer-it does not follow the scientific method in the way biology or physics do. It is not a natural science. The term emerged in the 19th century to distinguish systematic study from mere opinion, not to imply experimental rigor.
A common mistake is equating "quantitative" with "scientific." While some political scientists use regression models or surveys, their goal is often to test hypotheses about voter behavior or policy outcomes-not to discover universal laws. The discipline prioritizes interpretation over replication, unlike hard sciences.
Another confusion arises from programs offering "data analytics" or "public policy" specializations. These may include statistics or programming, but they still culminate in a BA. The degree type reflects the program's intellectual foundation, not its tools. A course in SPSS or Python doesn't change the degree classification.
Although most programs award a BA, a few universities offer a BS in political science. These are rare and usually tied to specific research foci or joint majors with computer science or economics. They are not standard.
| Program Type | Typical Course Focus | Graduate Pathways | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA in Political Science | Political theory, constitutional law, comparative politics, research writing | Law school, public policy, academia, government service | University of Michigan, Stanford, University of North Carolina |
| BS in Political Science | Statistical analysis, data modeling, computational methods, econometrics | PhD in political methodology, data science roles, think tanks | MIT, University of Chicago (some tracks), UC Berkeley (interdisciplinary) |
Even in BS programs, the majority of coursework still centers on argumentation and interpretation. The difference lies in the depth of technical training, not the fundamental nature of the discipline.
I taught introductory political science at a public university for five years. One student, a first-generation college attendee, struggled with writing her first research paper on the impact of gerrymandering in state legislatures. She initially tried to prove her argument with charts and percentages. After several revisions guided by rubrics focused on logic, source integration, and clarity, she rewrote the paper using historical examples and constitutional precedent. Her final grade improved -not because she added more data, but because she strengthened her argument structure.
This mirrors how the BA model functions: success depends on reasoning, not instrumentation. The student didn't need a lab coat or a calculator-she needed access to archives, library databases, and critical thinking skills.
Political science is not a bachelor of science when the program emphasizes laboratory testing, engineering principles, or formal scientific inquiry. It is also not a BS if the curriculum lacks advanced mathematics or technical labs. Programs that blend political science with computer science or data science may offer a BS, but only if the institution formally reclassifies the degree and the student chooses a specialized track.
For example, a student at Brown University who majors in political science with a concentration in computational social science takes courses in machine learning and network analysis-but still receives a BA. The department's mission statement confirms the degree remains rooted in humanities and social inquiry.
Only if a program is explicitly titled "Bachelor of Science in Political Science" and includes required coursework in calculus, physics, or experimental design would it qualify as a BS. Such programs are extremely uncommon.
Political science is a bachelor of arts degree by default and tradition. Its structure, pedagogy, and assessment methods align with liberal arts education. While some programs incorporate quantitative tools, they do not alter the fundamental classification. If you're considering this major, expect rigorous reading, writing, and debate-not lab reports or chemical equations.
The answer to "is political science a bachelor of arts?" is yes-and the reason lies in its purpose, not its tools.