Major Requirements
The Department of Government and Politics offers three undergraduate curriculum options:
GVPT Major Requirements- No Concentration (B.A. track)
GVPT Major Requirements- International Relations Concentration (B.A.-IR track)
GVPT Major Requirements- Bachelor of Science (B.S. track)
The B.A. track exposes students to cutting-edge political science research in the major areas of the field, including American politics, comparative politics, and international relations, as well as training in political methodology. The B.A.-IR track provides more focused coursework in international relations and comparative politics; the concentration is formally recorded on the student's transcript. The B.S. track emphasizes data science and the production of empirical political science research.
Determining which track is right for you depends on what kind of career you want to pursue, as well as your interest in research. If you want to learn how to interpret research related to political science generally, the B.A. or B.A.-IR could be a good choice. The training provided in those tracks would prepare you for many careers in the government, nonprofit organizations, or the private sector. Both B.A. tracks will provide an excellent foundation for a law degree or master’s degree program.
If you are more interested in producing quantitative political science research, you should consider the Bachelor of Science option. The B.S. track is primarily for students with a strong background and interest in statistics and data science. If you want to pursue a Ph.D. in political science (or a related field), or work in a career in which you conduct empirical research, you should consider the B.S. degree.
If you are considering the B.A.-IR or B.S. track, we strongly encourage you to complete the prerequisite coursework early to help you decide if the track is right for you (B.A.-IR track: GVPT200 & GVPT280/282; B.S. track: GVPT201 & GVPT320).
Students are permitted to switch tracks. Please contact GVPTAdvising [at] umd.edu for instructions on changing tracks.
GVPT - BA |
GVPT - BA (IR) |
GVPT - BS |
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Benchmarks
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Benchmarks
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Benchmark 1
Benchmark 2
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GVPT Theory Requirement
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GVPT Theory Requirement
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GVPT Foundational Course
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GVPT Methods Requirement
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GVPT Methods Requirement
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GVPT Methods Requirements
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GVPT Courses of Choice
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GVPT Courses of Choice
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GVPT Courses of Choice
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GVPT Skills Requirements
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GVPT Skills Requirements
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GVPT Skills Requirements
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*Course may be used to satisfy the 200-level GVPT course requirement for the BA or BA-IR Benchmarks.
Courses
List of Courses and Available Syllabi
Testudo Schedule of Classes