Political Science

This page covers:

Political Science Programs:

Note:

  • Study Abroad programs and Northwestern may have specific prerequisites, including language prerequisites, for admission. Click on the program name, below, to view prerequisites and other details.
  • Northwestern has a number of requirements that students must adhere to while they are abroad. View these requirements.

English Language Programs

Program Location Coursework NU Terms Abroad
European Union Studies
(Sciences Po)
 Paris, France
  • Developed jointly by faculty from Northwestern and Sciences Po, Europe's premier public affairs school, this program combines seminars and lectures on emerging institutional, legal and economic structures and excursions to important European Union sites
  • Students also enroll in a French language course at the appropriate level
 Fall Quarter
Oxford University London, England
  • Courses at this world class institution are taught tutorial style and will be designed with a tutor upon arrival.
  • Students must have 3.6 GPA and a solid background in subject(s) they want to study.
 Full Year
King's College, University of London London, England This program offers a wide variety of upper level courses within the War Studies Department, focusing on war, peace, and conflict resolution. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
University College London, University of London London, England Various political science courses offered including: Introduction to British Politics, International Security and Politics of the EU. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Goldsmiths College, University of London London, England Numerous political science courses at all levels such as UK and European Comparative Governance & Politics,  World Politics, and Modern Political Theory. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Queen Mary, University of London London, England Numerous political science courses offered including British Political System, Comparative Politics & Government, & Gender and Politics.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
University of Edinburgh Edinburgh, Scotland Various political science courses offered including: Comparative Politics, Global Justice & Citizenship, and Theories of International Relations. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
University of Stirling Stirling, Scotland Various political science courses offered including: People & Power: Politics of the British Isles, Introduction to International Politics, and Great Political Thinkers. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Trinity College Dublin Dublin, Ireland Numerous political science courses offered including: Irish Politics, the Government & Politics of the U.S., & European Union Politics. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Danish Institute for Study Abroad Copenhagen, Denmark
  • Specialized programs, such as "European Culture & History," "European Politics & Society" and "Global Economics" are open to students majoring in political science or a related field.
  • Several elective courses in political science are also offered, including classes with a European or regional focus.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Collegium Hieronymi Pragensis Prague, Czech Republic Regional political science courses are generally offered on this program, such as Challenges to European Politics and Political Dimension of the European Union. Check website for current offerings. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
American University in Cairo Cairo, Egypt Several political science courses are available, including classes with a regional focus. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
CIEE-Language and Culture
 Amman, Jordan A regional political science course is generally offered on this program, such as America and the Arabs. Check website for current offerings. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
SIT-Political Science and Development Muscat, Oman This program explores social and economic development, regional politics, political reform, and religious traditions in Muscat, a meeting point of Arab, Asian, and African cultures, traditions, and languages. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters
Contemporary India: Development, Environment, Public Health Pune, India A regional political science course is generally offered on this program, such as Issues in Political Economy and Development. Check website for current offerings. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
CIEE-University of Hyderabad Hyderabad, India Various political science courses are offered within the School of Social Sciences at the University of Hyderabad. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Contemporary Brazil (Northwestern Program) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil A regional political science course is generally offered on this program, such as Political Economy of Brazilian Development. Check website for current offerings. Fall Quarter
Development Studies in Uganda Kampala, Uganda
  • A unique look at economic and political development in Uganda.
  • Excursions to field sites, independent research project on the SIT programs.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters
Emerging Legal and Economic Structures in China Beijing, China This program includes lectures and seminars on emerging structures and current political economy in China. Summer
Victoria University of Wellington Wellington, New Zealand
  • Variety of courses focusing on Political Science and International Relations
  • Within the Political Science offerings there are several streams: comparative politics, political philosophy, and New Zealand politics (including Maori relations).
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
University of Otago Denedin, New Zealand
  • The Department of Politics offers courses in the fields of New Zealand Politics and Policy Studies, Political Philosophy, Comparative Politics, and International Relations.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
The University of Queensland Brisbane, Australia
  • Variety of courses in Political Science including courses focusing on Australian, Aboriginal and local politics.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
The University of Melbourne Melbourne, Australia
  • University courses in Political Studies
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
University of New South Wales Sydney, Australia
  • The School of Social Sciences and International Studies offers a variety of university courses in Political Science and International Relations
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
University of Sydney Sydney, Australia
  • Courses within the Dept. of Government and International Relations focus on Australian politics, international relations, international business and politics, the state and the economy, politics in Asia and the Pacific, American politics, European politics, communist and post-communist systems, public policy and public management, international security, human rights, political institutions, and political theory.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
IES Abroad-Beijing: Contemporary Issues Beijing, China
  • Several IES Abroad Area Studies courses focusing on Governments, Political Science and International Relations.
  • No language prerequisite, but students will enroll in a Chinese language course.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Ewha Womans University Seoul, Korea
  • Variety of English taught courses in the Department of Political Science and International Relations.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
CIEE Ghana Legon, Ghana Direct enrollment at the University of Ghana, Legon allows students to take a variety of Political Science. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year


Foreign Language Programs

Program Location Coursework NU Terms Abroad
Institute d'Etudes Politiques de Paris (Sciences Po) - Northwestern Exchange
 Paris, France
  • Direct university enrollment at Sciences Po, Europe's premier public affairs school
  • Includes courses in political science, economics, political communication and international studies
  • Full-year students may combine spring semester at Sciences Po with fall semester at Internships in Francophone Europe, an intensive internship and academic experience, through the Northwestern/Sciences Po French Field Study Program (see below)
 Fall-Winter Quarters, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Northwestern/Sciences Po French Field Study Program with Internships in Francophone Europe Paris, France This program combines an intensive internship and coursework:
  • Semester 1: full-time internship and courses with Internships in Francophone Europe (see below)
  • Semester 2: direct, full-time enrollment at Sciences Po in their International Undergraduate program, through the Northwestern Exchange
 Full Year
Consortium for Advanced Studies in Barcelona (Northwestern program) Barcelona, Spain A variety of Political Science courses taught in Spanish or Catalan available at Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Universitat Autónoma de Barcelona and Universitat de Barcelona. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
IFSA-Argentine Universities Program Buenos Aires, Argentina A wide variety of political science courses are available at the partner institutions Universidad de Buenos Aires, Universidad del Salvador, Universidad Torcuato di Tella and Universidad Católica Argentina.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
IES-Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Argentina A wide variety of political science courses are open to advanced Spanish students at the partner institutions Universidad de Buenos Aires, Universidad del Museo Social Argentino, Universidad Torcuato di Tella and Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
IFSA-Chilean Universities Program Santiago, Chile A wide variety of political science courses are available at the partner institutions Universidad de Chile, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile and the Universidad Diego Portales. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
SIT-Cultural Identity, Social Justice, and Community Development Valparaiso, Chile This program examines the political history of Chile and how the country is working to reconcile its past while moving forward politically, socially, and economically. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile (NU Exchange) Santiago, Chile Various courses are available at La Facultad de Historia, Geografía y Ciencia Política. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
SIT-Bolivia:Multiculturalism, Globalization, and Social Change Cochabamba, Bolivia This program focuses on how cultural processes, identities, and resources determine who controls and benefits from development in Bolivia. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters
C.V. Starr – Middlebury School in Latin America Florianópolis, Brazil Several political science courses are available at the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Madrid Language and Liberal Arts Program Madrid, Spain Advanced language students who attend for the full year or spring semester can enroll in political science courses at the partner institution Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Montpellier Integrated Studies Montpellier, France The University of Montpellier offers a variety of courses in Political Sociology, Public Politics, the History of Contemporary Politics, Political Institutions, Geopolitics, and the European Union.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Internships in Francophone Europe Paris, France
  • This is a one semester, intensive internship/academic experience
  • Students receive individualized placement for work and research in public policy, international relations, European affairs, French political process, party politics.
  • Typical placements: Parliament, ministries, political parties, labor unions, think tanks, policy journals, European organizations, local government.
  • Typical research topics: Financing political parties, the future of the extreme right, France and the international criminal court, an analysis of the effectiveness of economic sanctions, ecotax for financing public transportation, literature and politics in the 19th century, emerging European political ecology
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters
IES Abroad Berlin-Language and Area Studies Berlin, Germany
  • German-taught IES Abroad and university courses focusing on Political Science and International Relations.
  • Language prerequisite: FS & FY-2 years of college-level German; WSQ-2.5 years.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters
IES Abroad Freiburg-Language and Area Studies Freiburg, Germany
  • German-taught IES Abroad and university courses focusing on Political Science and International Relations.
  • Language prerequisite: FS & FY-2 years of college-level German; WSQ-2.5 years.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters
Antioch-Tübingen Tübingen, Germany
  • Political Science courses are offered in the Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Tübingen.
  • Language prerequisite: 2 years of German.
 Fall-Winter Quarters, Winter-Spring Quarters, Full Year
Year of Study in Munich Munich, Germany
  • Political Science courses at the University of Munich.
  • Language prerequisite: 2 years of German.
 Full Year
CIEE Nanjing-Intensive Chinese Language and Culture Nanjing, China
  • Program offers several area studies courses focusing on International Relations and Foreign Policy.
  • Language prerequisite: 1 year of Mandarin Chinese
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters

IES Abroad-Nagoya

 Nagoya, Japan
  • English taught area studies courses at the Nagoya University that focus on Political Science.
  • Language prerequisite: 1 year college level Japanese.
 Fall Quarter, Winter-Spring Quarters
CIEE Tokyo-Arts and Sciences Tokyo, Japan
  • English taught area studies courses at Sophia University in Political Science.
  • Language prerequisite: 1 year of college level Japanese. This is an NU requirement; the program recommends 1 college-level course.
 Fall-Winter Quarters, Spring Quarter, Full Year
Japan Study at Waseda University Tokyo, Japan
  • English taught area studies courses at Waseda University in Governance.
  • Language prerequisite: 1 year college level Japanese.
 Fall-Winter Quarters, Full Year

Tips for Earning Major/Minor Political Science Credit Abroad:

  • The Political Science Department will accept up to two credits from abroad for majors and minors (one in political science and one in an allied field). Exceptions to this rule are possible, notably in the case of Northwestern University.
  • Research the course descriptions of the classes you plan to take abroad so your advisor can consult them and ensure the classes correspond to major/minor requirements at Northwestern.
  • For credit in Political Science, meet with the Director of Undergraduate Studies or a member of the Undergraduate Advising Team.
  • Figure out which courses you want to take at Northwestern when you return from study abroad. This is necessary because not all courses are offered every quarter.

Northwestern Contacts for Studying Political Science Abroad

Michael Loriaux, Phone: 847- 491-2632, Location: Scott Hall 235