Declaring the Major

Eligibility: Students are eligible to declare the Political Science major when they meet one of the following criteria:

• Completed all five lower division major preparation courses with a minimum 2.0 GPA.
• Completed four preparation courses and enrolled in the fifth course in the current term.

Processing time for major declaration requests is three to five business days. Students are responsible for running a new audit on DARS (https://dars.ucla.edu/) to confirm that the change has been applied. 

Unit Limits: Students admitted to UCLA as first years may declare Pre-Political Science or Political Science before reaching 150 units. If you have 135 units or more, consult your college advising unit before declaring.

Transfer Students: Students who transferred to UCLA under another major must meet the eligibility requirements below to switch to Political Science major or add it as a second major*.

1. A 3.7 minimum GPA in UC transferable courses.
2. A 3.7 minimum GPA in all UC transferable courses that will be used for the major including lower and upper division courses.
3. Completion of at least three preparatory courses by the spring before transfer.
4. Completion of all remaining preparatory requirements with a UC GPA of at least 3.3.

Students who meet these requirements may submit the following petition to switch to Political Science or add it as a second major* once they’ve established a UC GPA: https://forms.gle/4yyKLcmUZShPXidt9. Petitions will be processed within 3-5 business days.

*This form only provides preliminary approval to pursue a double major with Political Science. Double major requirements set by the College of Letters and Science also apply: https://caac.ucla.edu/petitions-forms/double-major/. If your primary major is not in the College, please review the double major policies for your respective school. 

Community College Courses: Community college courses are not considered in-progress for the purpose of declaring the major. They will only count towards your major preparation requirements after your transcripts are sent to UCLA, processed, and the courses are reflected on your DAR as equivalents to UCLA Political Science courses.

Please check Transferology (https://www.transferology.com/) to see how past coursework has transferred to UCLA. Transferology is an advisory tool only, and does not guarantee transferability. Actual course transferability is subject to change without notice, at the discretion of the UCLA Registrar’s Office and Undergraduate Admission.

Major Course Substitutions

Course Substitutions

The Political Science major requires students to complete 10 upper division courses. At least eight out of the ten courses must be departmental. Students can apply up to two non-departmental courses to their upper division major requirements. There is no limit to the number of lower division courses that may be substituted.

What is a departmental course?

• All courses offered by the UCLA Department of Political Science during the academic year and summer sessions.
• The following courses taken at the Quarter in Washington Program in Washington, D.C.:
  • Fall 2025 onwards: POL SCI M194DC and CESC 155DC
  • Prior to Fall 2025: POL SCI M194DC and POL SCI 195CE
• The following courses taken at UC Center Sacramento through UC Davis: Political Science 195 and Political Science 196E.

What is a non-departmental course?

• Any course taken outside the UCLA Department of Political Science including:
  • UCLA courses in other subjects.
  • Study abroad courses, including those classified as “Political Science” by UCEAP.
  • Courses taken in political science departments at other universities in the United States.

Course Substitutions Database

The course substitutions database lists all courses that have been petitioned for major credit. These courses are non-departmental unless otherwise noted.

“Approved” courses don’t require a new petition. To have an approved course applied to your major requirements, please contact our department through Message Center with the information below.* 

• Institution
• Course department
• Course number
• Course title

*Substitution courses will NOT be applied to the major requirements automatically.

Additional Notes:

• Substitution courses must be taken under the same course title, number, and instructor (if applicable) that is listed on the database.
• Courses taken prior to Fall 2020 are credited based on rules in place at that time, i.e., if the Political Science Department granted major credit for a class, even if it exceeded two classes in a non-departmental category at that time, that credit will be respected.

Petitions

Before petitioning a course for major credit, please search the course substitutions database to see if the course has been petitioned already. Details on course substitutions are available on the “Major Course Substitutions” tab above.

Submitting a Petition

Political Science Departmental Honors Program

Overview of the Program

The Departmental Honors Program is a yearlong commitment that begins in the spring of a student’s junior year and concludes the following winter with the completion of an honors thesis. Outstanding political science majors are invited to apply in the winter of their junior year. Admitted students will conduct original research on a question of their choosing, relevant to the discipline of political science, and under the guidance of a faculty mentor. A successful thesis is roughly 50 pages long and it must meet the standards of the faculty mentor and be judged to do justice to the topic.

Each thesis will be graded by the mentoring professor in collaboration with the Honors Program Director. The level of honors (“Honors” or “Highest Honors”) will be based on 1) the quality of the thesis and 2) the student’s overall academic performance in the major. The honors designation will appear on the student’s official transcript and diploma. If “No Honors” is awarded, no designation will be noted.

Admission into the Departmental Honors Program

Applications for preliminary admission to the honors program open in the winter quarter of a student’s junior year and are due by Friday of Week 8 of that term. Admission is competitive, with 20-22 students typically accepted per cohort. All decisions are final.

Students who are preliminarily admitted will receive a PTE number to enroll in POL SCI 191H for the spring quarter. Final admission to the program will be determined at the conclusion of POL SCI 191H.

To apply, students must submit:

• A one-page statement explaining their interest in the honors program and their qualifications for completing a major research project.
• A one-page description of their research topic and preliminary research question.
• A completed departmental honors application signed by a faculty mentor. Please note: Your mentor must be a member of the Political Science department’s permanent ladder faculty, emeriti faculty, or hold a joint/courtesy appointment with our department. A list of eligible faculty is available on the Political Science website.
• Most recent UCLA transcript (including winter course enrollments).

Final admission into the program is based on the following criteria:

• Completed POL SCI 191H with an A- or better.
• Completed at least five upper division Political Science courses by the end of the spring quarter of junior year.
• Minimum 3.5 major and overall GPA. Failure to maintain a 3.5 GPA may result in dismissal from the program.

Note: If you would like your completed thesis to be e-published on our departments repository, please be aware that you will need to give written consent to have your thesis added.

Departmental Honors Sequence

• Spring Quarter of Junior Year
  The honors sequence begins with POL SCI 191H, a four-unit course taken in the spring of the junior year. POL SCI 191H is a prerequisite for final admission to the program, and students must earn an A- or better to continue. The course culminates in the development of a research prospectus, a detailed plan for conducting original research. During the quarter, students will learn how to craft literature reviews, develop research questions, propose hypotheses, select research methods, and determine information sources. In Weeks 9 and 10, students will present their research prospectus in class. In-person attendance for 191H is mandatory.
• Summer Following Junior Year
  Following the completion of POL SCI 191H, students will begin their research over the summer. In collaboration with their faculty mentor, students will create a detailed action plan, which may include additional reading, data collection, or other preparatory work. A mandatory progress report must be submitted to both the faculty mentor and the program director by the start of fall quarter. (Note: There is no summer enrollment requirement.)
• Fall and Winter Quarters of Senior Year
  In their senior year, students will enroll in 8 units of POL SCI 198 (4 units each in Fall and Winter Quarters), a contract course taken with their faculty mentor. During these quarters, students will continue their research and begin writing their thesis, completing it under the faculty mentor’s supervision by the end of winter quarter. Honors students will also meet with the Honors Program Director once or twice each quarter to discuss progress, solve problems, and exchange ideas. These meetings are mandatory.
• Completion of the Thesis
  The completed thesis is due at the end of winter quarter, with printed copies submitted to both the faculty mentor and the program director.

Graduating with Departmental Honors or Highest Honors

• To graduate with “Honors” in the major, a student must meet the following criteria:
  • A major GPA of at least 3.5
  • An overall UCLA GPA of at least 3.5
  • Completion of POL SCI 191H with a grade of at least A-
  • Completion of the Honors Thesis with a minimum grade of B+
• To graduate with “Highest Honors” in the major, a student must also:
  • Graduate with a final major GPA of at least 3.85
  • Complete the Senior Honors Thesis with a grade of A+

Enrollment Information

Study in Sacramento or Washington D.C.

Quarter in Washington Program

https://communityengagement.ucla.edu/programs/quarter-in-washington/

• Earn 12 units toward your UCLA degree. You can complete two upper division Political Science courses by participating in the program.
  • POL SCI M194DC (4 units) provides upper division Political Science credit in the American Politics field or as an elective.
  • From Fall 2025 onwards, CESC 155DC (8 units) satisfies one upper division Political Science elective course. Prior to Fall 2025, POL SCI 195CE (4 units) satisfied one upper division Political Science elective.

University of California Center Sacramento

https://uccs.ucdavis.edu/

• Earn 16 quarter units toward your UCLA degree. You can complete two upper division Political Science courses by participating in the program.
  • Political Science 195 and Political Science 196E (4 units each) provide upper division Political Science credit in the American Politics fields or as an elective.

Undergraduate Advising

Summer 2025 Advising

We are offering virtual advising appointment during Summer 2025. Current UCLA students can schedule an appointment via MyUCLA.

Appointments are released on weekday mornings for the following week.

Please arrive to your appointment prepared and on time. We offer a 10-minute grade period. If you’re unable to attend your appointment, please cancel it as soon as possible so that another student can take the slot.

***Please note that we don’t accept walk-in appointments. Students who arrive at the advising office without an appointment will be asked to schedule one for another day/time.***

Questions?

You can find answers to most major-related questions by exploring the information on our website or reviewing your degree audit. Still have questions? Please submit them to the Political Science queue on Message Center.

Please contact your main advising unit for non-major related inquiries or the respective departmental advising office for questions regarding another major or minor.

Academics

• College Advising Units: Advise students on non-major requirements, process non-major petitions, assist with creating long-term degree plans, and provide graduation checks.
• CAC Peer Counselors: Undergraduate students in the College of Letters & Science who are trained to support students with questions about academic policies, deadlines, referrals, petitions, GE and degree requirements, the process for declaring majors and minors, tutoring resources, pre-health requirements, and program planning.
• Undergraduate Writing Center: Provides free writing support to all undergraduate students at any stage of the writing process. Whether students need help brainstorming ideas, organizing their arguments, improving their writing style, or refining their grammar, trained peer writing consultants offer personalized feedback and guidance. The UWC offers one-on-one appointments, workshops, and online resources to help students strengthen their writing skills across all disciplines.
• Undergraduate Research Center – Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (URC-HASS): Provides students with opportunities to engage in research though faculty-mentored research projects, independent studies or creative endeavors. The center offers funding, workshops and guidance on how to get started in research, apply for grants and present at conferences.
• Center for Accessible Education (CAE): Accommodations and resources for students with disabilities.
• Center for Scholarships & Scholar Enrichment: Helps UCLA students identify and apply for scholarships. We offer workshops, individual counseling, and other resources.
• Career Center: Provides career/internship/graduate school counseling, interview preparation and more.

Mental Health and Wellness

• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): CAPS staff are here to support your mental health needs and provide you with practical coping advice.
• RISE Center: Holistic wellness hub program that fosters resilience, connection, and well-being.
• Wazo Connect: Peer mentorship program centered around improving mental health at UCLA.
• UCLA Basic Needs and Resource Guide: Basic Needs encompasses everything from health to financial, housing, and food security. Their resource guide is comprehensive and updated regularly.

Support & Community

• UCLA Transfer Center: The Transfer Student Center’s mission is to provide transfer students resources and programming that connects them to the university and supports them in achieving their personal, academic, and professional goals.
• First-Year Experience (FYE): Dedicated to equipping all first year students with the skills, tools, and knowledge supporting your transition to UCLA.
• Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars: Supporting the international community at UCLA.
• Students with Dependents (SwD): The Students with Dependents (SwD) Program within the Bruin Resource Center offers support to UCLA undergraduate, graduate, and professional students who have taken on the role of parent, guardian, or caregiver and have continued their academic careers. Through partnerships with parenting student organizations at UCLA, the SwD Program can direct students with dependents to organizations and resources that would support scholars and their families throughout their educational journey.
• LGBTQ Campus Resource Center: Provides a comprehensive range of education and advocacy services supporting intersectional identity development as well as fostering unity, wellness, and an open, safe, and inclusive environment for UCLA’s LGBTQ community.
• Undocumented Students Program (USP):The Undocumented Student Program (USP) within the Bruin Resource Center supports UCLA undergraduate and graduate students who are undocumented and/or part of mixed-status families. Through individual support, education, and campus advocacy, USP is dedicated to providing academic, wellness, and emotional support to students and creating an inclusive environment and supportive community.
• Student Organizations: A list of student organizations.
• UCLA One: Connect with UCLA alumni.