Political Science
Begin your path to politics or community / public service with an Associate of Arts transfer degree in Political Science from ACC.
Do you dream of making a difference in politics or through community service? Your degree in Political Science is the first step on your path to a career in politics or community / public service. You’ll learn about political and governmental institutions and processes, the conduct of government and the creation of government policy, the structure and activities of political parties, and the social, cultural, ethnic, and historical factors that drive these activities. You’ll also develop valuable job skills like political analysis, communication, and public administration. Once you graduate, you’ll be able to transfer to any Colorado 4-year university as a junior to finish your Bachelor’s degree.
What You'll Learn
While completing your Political Science AA, you’ll learn:
- Democracy in theory and practice
- The legislative process of a proposed bill becoming a law
- To think critically by establishing a conclusion based on the information presented
- The impact and importance of participation in the political system
- How human values relate to the making of policy
CIP 451001 (DPSC)
The purpose of a statewide articulation agreement is to identify the courses a student at a Colorado public community college must complete as part of an AA/AS degree to be guaranteed to be able to complete the designated baccalaureate degree program at public four-year colleges and universities as designated by the Colorado Department of Higher Education (CDHE) transfer agreement.
For more information about this transfer degree please refer to the Colorado Department of Higher Education website.
Admission Requirements
Program Requirements
- ENG 1022 - English Composition II: GT-CO2 3 Credits and
- GT - One GT Pathways approved CO3 course (GT-CO3)
- GT - One GT Pathways Mathematics course (GT-MA1), prefer MAT 1260 Introduction to Statistics
- GT - Two GT Pathways Arts & Humanities courses (GTAH1, GT-AH2, GT-AH3, or GT-AH4)
- GT - One GT Pathways History course (GT-HI1)
- GT - Two GT Pathways Natural & Physical Science (GT-SC1)
Please Note: If these credits are not required for the major at a receiving 4-year institution, they will be applied to the Bachelor's degree as elective credit towards graduation. Please check with the receiving institution to determine in which way these courses will be applied.
Note: Additional POS courses beyond the 4 courses identified above may not count toward the Political Science major at the receiving 4-year institution.
Elective credit must be completed from the following lists of approved prefixes or courses to bring the total credit hours to 60.
- Any Guaranteed Transfer course.
- Any course in the following prefixes except Special Topics, Independent Study, Capstone, and Internships:
ANT, ART, BIO (1000 OR above), CHE, ECO, HIS, HUM, LIT, MUS, PED, PHI, PHY (1105 OR above), POS, PSY, SOC.
- ENG 1031 - Technical Writing I: GT-CO1 3 Credits (OR higher ENG course)
- HWE 1061 - Fitness and Wellness 2 Credits
- MAT 1240 - Mathematics for Liberal Arts: GT-MA1 4 Credits (OR higher MAT course)
- ANY Foreign Language (including ASL) numbered 1011 or higher
All courses required for this degree must be completed with a "C" or better to be considered for transfer to another Colorado institution. Transferability of courses to colleges or universities outside of Colorado is determined by the receiving institution.
Graduation Requirements
- Apply for graduation online at www.arapahoe.edu/graduation.
ACC academic plans will help guide you through your chosen program. The academic plan will provide you with important information, like which semesters courses are offered if there are any prerequisites or co-requisites for courses, program outcomes, course sequence recommendations, notes for the program, graduation requirements, and other important information. These are updated annually, so we recommend downloading a copy of yours to keep on track to graduation.
Job Opportunities in Political Science
Other Job Opportunities in Political Science
- Legislative Assistant: Work with elected officials to research policy, draft legislation, and communicate with constituents.
- Policy Analyst: Evaluate public policies and propose solutions, working for government agencies, think tanks, or advocacy groups.
- Campaign Staffer/Political Consultant: Assist in the planning and execution of political campaigns, managing media, public relations, and strategy.
- Foreign Service Officer/Diplomat: Represent your country abroad, working on diplomacy, international relations, and trade agreements.
- Public Affairs Specialist: Manage communications between organizations and the public, often in government or corporate settings.
- Advocacy or Lobbyist: Work to influence public policy on behalf of interest groups, non-profits, or corporations.
- Intelligence Analyst: Analyze security and political threats, working for government agencies like the CIA or NSA.
- Urban or Regional Planner: Plan and develop land use policies for urban or regional areas, often working for local governments.
The Social and Behavioral Sciences programs at ACC are truly comprehensive, engaging students in ways that encourage active learning and help connect course concepts to daily life, family structures, personal identity, and history. I highly recommend these courses to anyone with even a slight interest in the social sciences!
—Felicity Daleccio, ACC Alum 2024
