Offered by Political Science .
Students who major or minor in political science receive excellent instruction and training from the Political Science faculty, both on the main campus and at Shady Grove. Students excel in the classroom and are involved in many different extracurricular activities, such as internships, research, study abroad, and participation in clubs. Upon graduating, alumni have worked for local and state governments, the federal government, legal offices, and in the civil service. Others have gone on to law school or graduate school for some aspect of political science or public policy. Some alumni become teachers, with several beginning their teaching careers with the Teach for America program. The Political Science Department also has an excellent record in statewide and national competitions. For example, political science students from UMBC have served as the University of Maryland student regent, have received Fulbright grants for teaching and research around the world, and have won the highly selective Truman Scholarship for outstanding public service leadership. Furthermore, Political Science students have led UMBC’s Mock Trial team to national prominence and have placed exceptionally well at Model United Nations conferences. Students have opportunities to interact with each other in the department through the Council of Majors, politically-oriented clubs, and Pi Sigma Alpha, the national honor society for political science. Beyond regular coursework, there is a lot to do in the department and Political Science faculty and staff are proud that students are leaving their mark in various ways both while at UMBC and after graduation.