Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
Understand government, law, and the ideas that shape a free society — and prepare to lead in public life.
Built-In Internship
Real experience in government or public life
Constitution & Founding
Constitutional law and the American founding
Criminal Justice Option
Add a Criminal Justice concentration
How should we govern ourselves? What makes a society free, and what keeps it that way? ACU’s Political Science degree takes those questions seriously, grounding you in American government, constitutional law, political thought, and the relationship between faith and public life.
The major pairs a strong core — American government, research and writing, law and politics, constitutional law, and a required internship — with study of the ideas behind it all, from the American founding to competing schools of political thought. You’ll learn to read closely, argue well, and think clearly about the questions at the center of public life, and you’ll finish with a Political Science Capstone. You can keep the degree broad or add a Criminal Justice concentration.
Throughout, a Biblical Worldview shapes how you think about justice, authority, human dignity, and the proper limits of power. You’ll graduate ready for law school, public service, policy, campaigns, and a range of careers where understanding government matters.
Understand American Government
Study how American government works, from its founding to its institutions today.
Master Constitutional Law
Learn the Constitution and the legal framework of American government.
Engage Political Thought
Trace the great ideas of political philosophy from the ancients to the present.
Examine Faith and Politics
Explore how faith, freedom, and public life intersect.
Research and Argue Well
Build the research, writing, and communication skills public life demands.
Get Real Experience
Apply your learning in a required internship and a senior capstone.
Questions of justice, authority, and human freedom sit at the heart of political science — and a Biblical Worldview gives you a deep well to draw from.
Justice and the Common Good
Scripture cares intensely about justice — for the vulnerable, the accused, and the community. That concern gives weight to the study of law, rights, and policy beyond mere partisanship.
Frames government as a pursuit of justice, not just a contest for power.
Human Dignity and Ordered Liberty
The conviction that every person bears God's image underwrites the worth of the individual and the case for ordered liberty. It's a foundation you can examine as you study rights and self-government.
Grounds the study of freedom in the dignity that makes it matter.
Power and Its Limits
A clear-eyed view of human nature explains why power needs checks and why no leader or state deserves ultimate allegiance. That realism runs through the study of constitutional government.
Equips you to understand the logic of limited government and accountability.
Political science is a classic pre-law degree — and it opens public-service, policy, and leadership careers across government and beyond.
Law School & Legal Careers
Use a strong reading-and-reasoning foundation as preparation for law school.
Government & Public Service
Work in federal, state, and local government, agencies, and public administration.
Policy & Advocacy
Analyze and advocate for policy in think tanks, nonprofits, and advocacy organizations.
Campaigns & Politics
Work in political campaigns, legislative offices, and party organizations.
Public Affairs & Communication
Apply political-communication skills in public affairs, media, and government relations.
Graduate Study
Continue into graduate work in political science, public policy, or international relations.
ACU's Political Science degree pairs a serious grounding in government and political thought with a faith-informed view of public life.
Constitution and Founding at the Core
Constitutional law and the American founding anchor the curriculum.
Real Political Thought
Study the great ideas of political philosophy, ancient through modern.
A Required Internship
Get real experience in government or public life before you graduate.
Strong Pre-Law Preparation
Reading, writing, and reasoning skills that law schools look for.
Faith and Public Life
Engage how faith and politics intersect, framed by a Biblical Worldview.
Getting started in political science at ACU takes just a few steps. Here’s the path.
Apply to ACU
Submit your application for admission to Arizona Christian University.
Start Your ApplicationMeet With an Advisor
Map your degree plan and decide whether to pursue the general track or the Criminal Justice concentration.
Start With American Government
Begin with the core courses, including Research and Writing, that the major builds on.
Land Your Internship
Work with the department to secure an internship in government or public life.
The Political Science degree gives you the knowledge of government, the reasoning skills, and the faith-informed perspective to lead in public life — or head to law school. Connect with our team or apply today.