Application deadline
Credits and costs
Nationally Recognized
Maximize your career potential, transition to civilian life or prepare for graduate school with the online Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Penn State World Campus. This degree is designed for students who want to develop an in-depth understanding and engage in analysis of domestic politics, the politics of other nations, and political theory.
Flexible, Convenient Education That Fits Your Life
Penn State's online political science program offers the convenience of studying around your busy personal and professional schedule. Whether you are a parent, professional, or active-duty military or veteran, the flexibility of this degree means that you do not have to stop working — or travel to campus.
Political Science Curriculum
Through extensive course work in political science, you will develop analytical reasoning and critical thinking skills while gaining substantive expertise in one or more areas of political science. This degree provides maximum flexibility when selecting classes, allowing you to tailor your program of study to suit your goals for specialized or general knowledge of politics and related fields.
Upper-level courses in the political science program emphasize research-based writing projects that allow you to hone sought-after skills for employment in a variety of fields, including government, law, business, journalism, and the nonprofit sector. This degree also provides excellent background for graduate work in law, public policy, public administration, and political science. If you are a military student, this degree can help you expand your knowledge and refine your skills to advance your career as a civilian in the government or within the military.
In this program, you will have the opportunity to study with highly regarded faculty from Penn State's College of the Liberal Arts, one of the premier institutions in the world to study and work in the liberal arts disciplines.
National Political Science Honor Society – Alpha Iota Omega World Campus Chapter
The mission of the honors society is to promote excellence in the study of political science, government, and international and public affairs. Members have access to networking, grants, awards, scholarships, and other opportunities.
Courses
The online Bachelor of Arts in Political Science is a liberal arts program requiring 123 credits for completion. The content of our courses can provide you with the knowledge and skills to help you navigate the American political system as well as gain an understanding of international relations and the politics of other nations.
In meeting these requirements, students must take at least one course at any level from four of the five fields offered in the department:
- Political Theory
- Political Methodology
- American Politics/Public Administration
- Comparative Politics
- International Relations
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the major.
PLSC Courses at or Above the 400 Level (select 15 credits)
PLSC Courses at Any Level (select 12 credits)
At least 9 of these credits must be at the 100 level or above. Up to 6 credits of these 12 credits may be taken in related or complementary disciplines with approval of an academic adviser.
Additional Courses (select 9 credits)
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
Some Bachelor of Arts requirements may be satisfied by courses required for the major, General Education courses, or electives. Students should work with an adviser to select courses.
- Foreign Language: 0–12 credits
Student must attain 12th credit level of proficiency in one foreign language. - B.A. Fields: 9 credits
Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Arts, Foreign Languages, Natural Sciences, Quantification (cannot be taken in the area of the student's primary major; foreign language credits in this category must be in a second foreign language or beyond the 12th credit level of proficiency in the first language) - Other Cultures: 0–3 credits
Select 3 credits from approved list. Students may count courses in this category in order to meet other major, minor, elective, or General Education requirements, except for the General Education US/IL requirement.
General Education Requirements
Some General Education requirements may be satisfied by courses required for the major. Students should work with an adviser to select courses.
- Arts (GA): 6 credits
- Humanities (GH): 6 credits
- Health and Wellness (GHW): 3 credits
- Natural Sciences (GN): 9 credits
- Social and Behavioral Sciences (GS): 6 credits
- Writing and Speaking (GWS): 9 credits
A student must receive a grade of C or better in GWS courses. - Quantification (GQ): 6 credits
A student must receive a grade of C or better in GQ courses. - Integrative Studies: 6 credits
This requirement only applies to students starting in summer 2018 or later. Learn more about the Integrative Studies options and consult your academic adviser when choosing courses to fulfill these requirements. Integrative Studies credits may be completed within the thirty Knowledge Domain credits and must be completed with either Inter-domain or Linked courses, not a combination of both.
Course Availability
If you're ready to see when your courses will be offered, visit our public LionPATH course search (opens in new window) to start planning ahead.
Costs and Financial Aid
Undergraduate Tuition
Undergraduate tuition is calculated based on the number of credits for which you register and the number of total credits you have accrued at or transferred to Penn State. Tuition is due shortly after each semester begins and rates are assessed every semester of enrollment.
| How many credits do you plan to take per semester? | If you have 59 or fewer credits | If you have 60 or more credits |
|---|---|---|
| 11 or fewer | $620 per credit | $664 per credit |
| 12 or more | $7,527 per semester | $8,125 per semester |
Financial Aid and Military Benefits
Some students may qualify for financial aid. Take the time to research financial aid, scholarships, and payment options as you prepare to apply. Military service members, veterans, and their spouses or dependents should explore these potential military education benefits and financial aid opportunities, as well.
How to Apply
Deadlines and Important Dates
Your degree application, including receipt of all transcripts, must be received by the following deadlines to be considered complete.
New students are encouraged to complete the FAFSA by March 1. Please visit the Office of Student Aid website for more information about applying for financial aid and recommended deadlines.
Admissions Help
Thank you for your interest in applying to this program. Contact an admissions counselor to discuss your educational goals, financial aid options, and application deadlines.
Admission Requirements
To apply for this program, you must be a high school graduate, or have completed your GED.
What You Need
Applications are submitted electronically and include a nonrefundable application fee. You will need the following items to complete your application:
High school transcripts or GED transcript - First-year applicants are required to submit Self-Reported Academic Records (SRAR). Official high school transcripts will only be required at the time a student accepts an offer of admission to Penn State.
Official college or university transcripts, if you attended another institution, and/or official military transcripts (if applicable). (All college or university transcripts are required regardless of the length of time that has passed, the grades earned, or the accreditation of the institutions attended. Acceptance of transfer credit toward your degree is subject to final approval by the academic department. For detailed information, see the Transfer Students page.)
Transcripts not in English must be accompanied by a certified translation. Please send your transcripts by mail or electronically through Parchment, eScrip-Safe, or the National Student Clearinghouse directly to Penn State from the college/university where coursework was attempted.
Submit official documents by mail to:
Undergraduate Admissions Office
The Pennsylvania State University
201 Shields Building
University Park PA 16802
English Proficiency — The language of instruction at Penn State is English. With some exceptions, international applicants must take and submit scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or International English Language Testing System (IELTS). Minimum test scores and exceptions are found in the English Language Proficiency section on the Undergraduate Admissions International Requirements page. Visit the TOEFL website for testing information. Penn State's institutional code is 2660.
Start Your Application
Former Penn State students may not need to complete the admissions application. Please visit our Returning Students page for instructions.
If this is your first time applying to Penn State, you'll need to complete the following steps:
- Review the application instructions before beginning.
- Complete the online application and submit all official documents.
- Pay the application fee.
Checking Your Status
You can check the status of your application by using the same login information established for the online application form and choosing "MyPennState — Check Application Status." Your decision letter (confirming your acceptance or denial) will be mailed four to six weeks after receipt of all application materials. An admissions counselor will contact you if additional information is required.
Technical Requirements
Review the technical requirements for this degree program.
Get the resources you need to make informed decisions about your education. Request information on this program and other programs of interest by completing this form.
Start or Advance Your Career
Start or Advance Your Career
You can use the knowledge gained from this program and the support of Penn State career resources to pursue careers in a variety of fields, depending on your goals.
Earn a Valuable Credential along the Way
Earn a Valuable Credential along the Way
Show mastery of specific subjects before your degree is complete. Thanks to shared courses across programs, students can often earn a certificate or another degree in less time than if they earned them separately.
Contact Us
To learn more about the Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, offered in partnership with the Penn State College of the Liberal Arts, please contact:
World Campus Admissions Counselors
Phone: 814-863-5386
Email: [email protected]
Faculty
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Burton Atkins
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, University of Kentucky
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DegreeM.A., Political Science, University of Kentucky
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DegreeB.A., Political Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison
Dr. Burton Atkins is an instructor for Penn State World Campus and Professor Emeritus (political science) at Florida State University. His research interests and publications have focused on American constitutional law and judicial behavior, as well as on comparative judicial studies with an emphasis on the British appellate courts.
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James W. Binney
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DegreePh.D., International Relations Theory & Comparative Politics, University of Kentucky
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DegreeM.Ed., Higher Education, Penn State
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DegreeM.A., International Relations Theory & Comparative Politics, University of Kentucky
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DegreeB.A., Political Science, University of North Carolina at Wilmington
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DegreeB.S., Hotel and Restaurant Management, Penn State
Dr. James W. Binney is an instructor for Penn State World Campus. He has a wide range of teaching interests that include American politics, international relations theory, racial politics and ethnic conflict, comparative politics (regional specialties in Post-Soviet politics and Central Asia), political and economic development, developing nations, and political theory and ideologies. Dr. Binney is interested in research in foreign aid.
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Christopher Cook
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara
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DegreeM.A., Political Science, University of California, Santa Barbara
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DegreeM.A., Political Science, California State University, Los Angeles
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DegreeB.S., History, Fitchburg State College
Dr. Christopher Cook’s research and teaching interests include foreign policy with an emphasis on intervention, terrorism, and political communication. He has published articles examining American foreign policy in the Congo and Sierra Leone as well as examining U.S. media coverage of African conflicts.
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A. Lee Hannah
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, Pennsylvania State University
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DegreeM.A., Political Science, Pennsylvania State University
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DegreeM. Ed., Curriculum and Instruction, Virginia Tech
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DegreeB.A., History, Virginia Tech
Dr. Lee Hannah's research and teaching interests primarily focus on public policy and political behavior. He is currently working on a book titled "Green Rush: The Rise of Legal Marijuana in the American States" with Daniel Mallinson (Penn State Harrisburg). The book is under contract with New York University Press. He has published articles in Science, Policy Studies Journal, Climatic Change, Publius, State and Local Government Review, Public Opinion Quarterly, and others. He is currently an associate professor of political science at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.
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Marie Hojnacki
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, Ohio State University
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DegreeM.A., Political Science, Ohio State University
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DegreeM.S., Public Policy Analysis, University of Rochester
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DegreeB.A., Political Science and Communication, Canisius College
Dr. Marie Hojnacki is an associate professor of political science at Penn State University Park. Her research examines how organized interests act to shape public policy, and why some types of interests have advantages over others in terms of policy success and agenda setting. A current project investigates how organizations communicate their issue priorities, and how and why communication strategies may differ for different types of groups. Dr. Hojnacki teaches about political parties, interest groups, representation, and research design.
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Gregory Kruczek
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DegreePhD, Government and International Affairs, Virginia Tech University
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DegreeM.A., International Affairs, Penn State University
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DegreeB.A., Political Science, Penn State University
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DegreeB.S., Professional Golf Management, Penn State University
Dr. Gregory Kruczek is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Political Science at Penn State where some of the classes he teaches are international relations theory, and government & politics of the Middle East. His research includes Middle Eastern politics, where he is currently examining how the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq used ethno-religious minorities in the drive for statehood between 2003- 17. He is proficient in Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic, and is the founder and advisor for the Middle Eastern Studies Club, which is open to all Penn State students.
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Amy Linch
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, Rutgers University
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DegreeB.A., Political Science and Philosophy, Boston College
Dr. Amy Linch is an assistant professor of teaching and co-director of undergraduate studies in the Department of Political Science at Penn State University Park. She has authored and edited several works on democratization in post-communist societies and social and political transformation in early modern England. Her recent work focuses on the intersection between human capabilities and the capabilities of other species.
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Jeremy M. Ladd
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DegreePh.D., Political Studies, Queen's University, Canada
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DegreeM.A., Political Science, University of Western Ontario, Canada
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DegreeM.A., Canadian-American Relations, University of Western Ontario, Canada
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DegreeB.A., Political Science, University of Toronto, Canada
Dr. Jeremy Ladd is an Assistant Teaching Professor of Political Science and Social Data Analytics at Penn State University, where he teaches courses on comparative politics, political methodology, and data science. His research focuses on opposition political parties in electoral authoritarian regimes and emerging democracies, with particular attention to what makes some parties in these contexts successful and others not. He is also interested in how both authoritarians and their opponents are adapting to the digital world.
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Tamar London
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, University of Rochester
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DegreeB.A., Mathematics and Political Science, Binghamton University
Dr. Tamar London is an instructor for Penn State World Campus. Her past research has focused on mathematical models of international negotiation. She teaches courses on international relations, international political economy, and game theory and statistics.
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Nicole Morford
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, Penn State
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DegreeM.A., Political Science, Penn State
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DegreeB.A., Political Science, Geneva College
Dr. Nicole Morford is an instructor for Penn State World Campus. Her research focused on social movements and civil society development in post-Soviet states, particularly the women's movement in Ukraine. She teaches courses about American and comparative politics.
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Adam Nye
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, University at Buffalo, SUNY
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DegreeM.S., Social Sciences Interdisciplinary, University at Buffalo, SUNY
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DegreeB.A., Political Science and Psychology, University at Buffalo, SUNY
Dr. Adam Nye is an associate teaching professor in the Department of Political Science at Penn State’s University Park campus. He primarily teaches courses related to public law and judicial politics. The public law courses focus on landmark Supreme Court cases, while the courses related to judicial politics concentrate on legal procedures and the behavior of judges. In addition, Dr. Nye also teaches about the bureaucracy in America, and the American national government.
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Amanda Parks
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, Penn State
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DegreeM.A., Political Science, Penn State
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DegreeB.S., Journalism, Bowling Green State University
Dr. Amanda Parks, an instructor for Penn State World Campus, centers her research and teaching interests around public opinion and political communication, with a particular focus on the institutional reasons for media distortions and its effect on citizens' evaluations of policies and candidates. Other research interests include deliberative citizen engagement and the effects of new media on political communication.
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Daniel Ponder
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DegreePh.D. Political Science, Vanderbilt University
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DegreeB.S. Political Science, Missouri State University
Dr. Daniel Ponder is a Professor of Political Science at Drury University in his hometown of Springfield, MO. For 13 years before that he was a professor at the University of Colorado. His research and writing focus on the American presidency, but he teaches on the Supreme Court, Constitutional Law, quantitative methods, Congress and the Presidency, Public Policy, and the interplay of film, music, and politics. He wrote 2 books on the presidency and his research appears in numerous scholarly journals. In 2019-20, he was President of a section of the American Political Science Association.
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Amy Sentementes
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DegreePh.D., Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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DegreeM.A., Political Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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DegreeB.S., Political Science, Texas Christian University
Dr. Amy Sentementes is an assistant teaching professor at Penn State, where she teaches courses on public opinion, political psychology, and gender and politics. Recently, she began teaching a food politics course, combining her passion for food writing with her professional training in political science. The course explores the political institutions involved in food production and consumption patterns, as well as the psychological contributions food provides in American society.
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Ilya Winham
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DegreePh.D., Political Theory, University of Minnesota
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DegreeM.A., Social Sciences, University of Chicago
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DegreeB.A., Political Science, Macalester College
Dr. Ilya Winham is an instructor for Penn State World Campus, and also teaches courses in the history of political thought at the University of Georgia. He was an assistant editor of the journal Political Theory from 2007-2010. His research interests include the political thought of Hannah Arendt, Isaiah Berlin, and Machiavelli.
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