Department of Political Science

Be a part of the solution.

We emphasize research and teaching that links theory with real world issues and action through politics, public policy and administration. Join us to develop the critical thinking, analytic, writing, and intentional communication skills you need to examine and change the forces that shape our world, and opens doors to a multitude of career possibilities.

Explore Political Science and Public Affairs careers

Student Interns at Nevada State Legislature

Academic programs

The Department of Political Science offers a range of academic programs at the bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels.

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

Political science is the study of governments, power, decision-making, public policy and political behavior in local, national and international politics.

Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs

An interdisciplinary major exploring a range of topics from international environmental studies to political economy.

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science/Secondary Education

Combines political science with secondary education, preparing students for state licensure and teaching certification in social studies.

Minors in Political Science

Minor in political science with options in general, foreign affairs, public administration and policy, American government, and more, including Asian and Latin American studies.

Accelerated Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts in Political Science

A five-year program to earn both B.A. and M.A. degrees in political science or public administration.

Master of Arts in Political Science

Covers the discipline's substance and methodology, focusing on sophisticated political analysis.

Master of Public Administration

Develops understanding of public programs' environments and enhances managerial skills.

Ph.D. in Political Science

Provides advanced study in politics and policy, emphasizing research methods and allowing for personalized study paths.

Pre-Law

Political science and international affairs majors offer excellent pre-law training, education and exposure. Our degrees prepare you for the rigorous analytical reasoning and clear, logical, written and oral communication skills you will need for law school, for a career in law, or in a related field.

Find out about pre-law

People sitting in courtroom during trial

Department highlights and announcements

Nevada Department of Education Director Amber Reid wins State Leadership Award

Political Science Ph.D. student Amber Reid has won the national State Leadership Award from the National Association for Federal Education Program Administrators. As the Nevada Department of Education states in their press release, the national State Leadership Award "is presented to an outstanding educational leader who has made significant contributions to the administration of federal education programs in their state". Ms Reid is Director of Nevada's Department of Education Office of District Support Services in the Student Investment Division.

Dr. Jeffrey Griffin to lead Summer Honors series discussion

In a recent student poll, Dr. Jeffrey A. Griffin, Lecturer and Political Science Undergraduate Advisor, was nominated by Honors College students as an especially engaging professor. As such, he has been invited to participate in the “Summer Honors” series, leading a focused discussion with new Honors College students.

24 students complete internships at Nevada State Legislature

During the Spring 2023 semester, 24 of our students are interning with the Nevada State Legislature. Assigned to individual legislators, students are getting firsthand experience in the inner workings of the Legislature, and direct experience with the policy process and policy research. They are helping present bills and participate in interactions between legislators and advocates from a variety of interests. The program is supervised by Dr. Amber Joiner, UNR Political Science Ph.D. '18, who herself was a legislative intern and a two-term Nevada State legislator.

Political Science articles in Nevada Today

Gallagher Dialogues explores the intersection of Artificial Intelligence and public policy, Feb. 8

The Guinn Center welcomes Russell Wald, deputy director for the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence (HAI), for its second annual fundraising event

University awarded nearly $1.8M for collaborative research project to study rural perception of climate change

NSF’s EPSCoR RII Track-2 program funds 11 projects in highly-competitive process

Religious Studies Committee presents Jelena Subotic for Kutten lecture

Departments of Political Science and Gender, Race and Identity collaborate to host guest speaker, Jelena Subotic

Read all department news

Scholarship opportunities

Thanks to the generosity of alumni and other donors, the Department of Political Science has a number of scholarships specific to Political Science and/or International Affairs majors. Some, such as the Adam Gregory Thomas Legislative Internship Scholarship Endowment, support the Nevada State Legislature Internship program, others, such as the Senator William J. Raggio Free Enterprise Scholarship Endowment, support students’ expenses. There are many more, with support and awards ranging from about $500-$4,500.

New student scholarships

Your application to the University is your scholarship application. No further applications are required. Applications received by February 1 are given priority consideration.

Continuing student scholarships

If you are a continuing student, to be eligible to be considered for scholarships and awards, you must complete the Graduate & Undergraduate Scholarship (GUS) Application in your MyNEVADA account between October 1 and February 1 annually by going to Student Center, Supplemental Forms, Scholarship Application. The GUS application is available until May 31 but scholarship application preference is given to those that complete by February 1. The GUS application is required to be eligible for scholarships/awards.