The Undergraduate UMass Boston Navitas GSSP is the first year of a bachelor’s degree program at UMass Boston. The Navitas GSSP consists of for-credit coursework and provides an academic and cultural bridge from the high school experience to studying at a university in the United States. When students successfully complete the UMass Boston Navitas GSSP, they will progress directly into the second year of their undergraduate degree program.

Politics touches on virtually every aspect of a person’s existence – from a local town hall to the United Nations. In Political Science, students explore current affairs, historical studies, and theoretical approaches to formulate standards for judging the quality of political life and the performance of institutions. Political Science is concerned with how societies are governed and the consequences for human welfare as they relate to various political structures, processes, and beliefs. The department strives to contribute to a just, compassionate, and responsible political order and prepare graduates for careers in politics and government, business and finance, law, international relations and many other fields.

The Department of Political Science offers a variety of course options in the study of politics to prepare students for both professional success and informed, engaged citizenship in our increasingly globalized world.

The major in Political Science offers the opportunity to explore many different dimensions of political life, ranging from small groups and citizens' organizations, to cities, individual nations, and global systems. The study of politics includes not only basic information about government and political process, but also explores broad issues of power, conflict, peace, citizenship, representation, and justice.