Top 10 Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Political Science
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Those who earn online bachelor’s degrees in Political Science have an excellent way to create positive changes in both their community and in the world. This dynamic career path is usually chosen by those that wish to fight against the injustices that are perpetrated by individuals within society, by society as a whole and by governments or private corporations. The world of Political Science is both exciting and rewarding for those that choose to devote their life to it.
Career Outlook
Employment of political scientists is projected to decline 2 percent from 2014 to 2024. Political scientists should face strong competition for jobs as the number of candidates is expected to exceed the number of available positions. However, do not let this discourage you from seeking a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. By choosing a top tier school that will provide you with a flexible and customizable Political Science education, you will be able to gain an edge over the competition due to being more marketable than they are. Some potential career options available to Political Science majors include:
- Political Consultant
- Human Rights Advocate
- Public Relations Manager
Methodology
- Affordability (1/3): the average out-of-state tuition per credit hour
- Flexibility (1/3): if the program offers additional specializations and/or an accelerated track
- Student Satisfaction (1/3): average student satisfaction and review scores adjusted for number of reviews.
Top 10 Online Bachelor’s Degrees in Political Science
10. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is one of five different campuses and operating subdivisions of the University of Massachusetts, and the campus is located in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. The online Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth is 100% online and asynchronous. The program is also fully accredited. The political science major at UMass Dartmouth’s College of Arts and Sciences utilizes scientific, philosophical and applied thinking to examine the politics of the United States and throughout the world. Students enrolled in this program will acquire proficiency in writing, communication, advocacy and comparative analysis–skills that are incredibly vital in today’s working environment. An education in political science prepares students to think critically and to act as effective and conscientious global citizens that hold others accountable for their actions.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $939
Website: https://www.umassd.edu/
9. Northern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University is a public research university located in DeKalb, Illinois. The online Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through Northern Illinois University is available in an online and asynchronous format, allowing students to complete their coursework regardless of where they reside and on their own timetable. Students of Northern Illinois University may pursue either a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Political Science and may choose from five different degree emphases that will specialize the education received. These specializations are: International Politics, Justice and Democracy, General Politics, Public Administration and Service and Public Law. Due to the various specializations available to students–in addition to the myriad of Political Science-related electives that supplement the education received–students will be able to tailor the education they obtain to suit their personal and professional interests.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $318
Website: https://www.niu.edu/index.shtml
8. Washington State University
School Profile
Washington State University is a public land-grant research university and is located in Pullman, Washington. The online Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through Washington State University is available to distance learning students in a fully online and asynchronous format. The program is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities and is highly flexible due to the number of specializations that are available for students to choose from. These specializations are: Administrative Studies, Anthropology, Communication, Comparative Ethnic Studies, Criminal Justice, Economic Sciences, History, Human Development, Psychology and Women’s Studies. Students that successfully complete this degree program will have a solid Political Sciences foundation upon which they can build a dynamic career.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $570
Website: https://wsu.edu/
7. Pennsylvania State University
The Pennsylvania State University–commonly referred to as Penn State or simply as PSU–is a public, state-related, Land-grant, Sea-grant, Space-grant and Sun-grant research university with campuses and facilities located throughout Pennsylvania. The online Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through Pennsylvania State University is both 100% online and fully asynchronous. Students enrolled in this program will be able to choose from a variety of electives in areas of study such as International Politics, Law and Society and Criminal Justice. These electives will allow students to customize their education to best facilitate the kind of Political Science career they wish to pursue. In addition to that, the myriad of electives available will provide students with supplementary knowledge and skills that will make them more marketable to employers.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $579
Website: https://www.psu.edu/
6. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is a public coeducational research university located in Mānoa, Hawaiʻi. The online Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa is a high-quality degree program available in an online and asynchronous format. The degree program at this school is a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences with a concentration in Political Science, and the program prepares students for careers in business, local and national government, international relations, non-profit and non-governmental service organizations, journalism, law, public administration, social work and teaching through the use of rigorous coursework, such as: Global Issues, Environmental Politics and Politics of Food to name just a few. The coursework for this program is designed to give students a strong and solid understanding of the many facets that make up various aspects of Political Science.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $680
Website: https://manoa.hawaii.edu/
5. Arizona State University
Arizona State University is a public metropolitan research university with various campuses and satellite locations. The Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through Arizona State University is available online and in an asynchronous format. The school offers both a Bachelor of Art in Political Science and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science through Arizona State University’s School of Politics and Global Studies. The key difference between these two offerings is that the Bachelor of Art in Political Sciences degree will provide students with a wider-range of knowledge spread out over a variety of liberal arts and humanities courses and the Bachelor of Science in Political Science degree program will provide students with skills needed to fully master technical and practical facets of their field by limiting most of their coursework to topics that directly relate to the fields of Political Science. The option between these two is nice to have, as it allows students to choose what kind of Political Science education they receive.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $500
Website: https://www.asu.edu/
4. Oregon State University
School Profile
Oregon State University is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant and sun-grant coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon. The Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through Oregon State University is a fully online and asynchronous program. Oregon State University offers both a Bachelor of Art in Political Science and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science degree programs, and either of these programs will provide students a strong understanding of various Political Science topics through various and diverse program topics, such as: American Politics and Governmental Politics, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Analysis, Politics in Media and Relating to Media, Gender and Law, Eastern and Central European Politics and Current Issues in Rural Policies.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $280
Website: https://oregonstate.edu/
3. University of Maine
The University of Maine–also known as UMaine–is a public land-grant research university located in Orono, Maine. The Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through the University of Maine is fully online and is offered in a completely asynchronous format. For successful program completion, the school requires that students obtain minimum of 36 credit hours in Political Science courses with grades of ‘C’ (2.0 GPA) or better and 72 credit hours outside their major while maintaining the same grade requirements. Students that do successfully complete this quality program will possess the required skills and knowledge needed to become highly successful in the field of Political Science and to make a positive impact within their communities and even globally.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $215
Website: https://umaine.edu/
2. Northeastern University
Northeastern University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts and is classified as what is known as a Doctoral University with a Highest Research Activity classifiaction by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. The Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through Northeastern University is both fully online and completely asynchronous, allowing students to complete their coursework on their own timetable. Students enrolled in this program will work and collaborate online while taking courses in American Government, Comparative Politics, International Relations, Political Theory and Foreign Policy to name a few. This dynamic program also allows students to custom-tailor their education by choosing from several open electives that are available at the school.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $378
Website: https://www.northeastern.edu/
1. University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida is a public research university located in Orlando, Florida and is the largest university located within the United States based purely on the total undergraduate enrollment. The online Bachelor’s degree in Political Science offered through the University of Central Florida is fully online, asynchronous and accredited. The Bachelor of Science in Political Science degree program has three different specializations for students to choose from. These specializations are: American Politics and Policy, International Relations – Comparative Politics and Pre-Law. Upon successful completion of this degree program, students will be able to immediately enter the professional world and obtain a career in various Political Science fields, or they can choose to further their education by obtaining a law degree. The school’s quality programs, various specialization and electives available to choose from and highly affordable per credit hour cost are the reasons we have chosen the University of Central Florida as our top pick.
Estimated Cost Per Credit Hour: $179
Website: https://www.ucf.edu/
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