Political science students in classroom

Bachelor of Arts in Political Science Online

Acquire the knowledge and skills you need to pursue a career in law, politics or public service. In this program, you will gain a strong background in law and policy, including legal writing, research and advocacy. A-State graduates of our political science campus program enjoy a 100% law school placement rate.

Next Apply Date: 2/24/25
Next Class Start Date: 3/10/25
Apply Now
Next Apply Date: 2/24/25
Next Class Start Date: 3/10/25

Program Overview

Get to know our 100% online political science bachelor's degree

Transform your passion into your profession with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from A-State Online. This versatile degree gives you the broad-based knowledge and state-of-the-art skill set to pursue a career in public service, diplomacy, law and so much more.

A bachelor's degree in political science enables you to make a living while making a difference in the world. With so many pressing issues, such as economic inequities, racial injustice, healthcare accessibility, and climate change, political awareness is at an all-time high. This comprehensive degree will hone your knowledge of political processes and analyses, law, policy, research and advocacy.

Gain both a global perspective and a deeper understanding of complex domestic issues by comparing and contrasting America's political theories and systems to countries around the world. In addition to strengthening your knowledge of the U.S. constitution, civil liberties and law, a political science degree is a great foundation for earning a Master of Public Administration or attending law school.

By mastering a mix of hard and soft skills, from legal writing and data analytics to critical thinking and persuasive communications, political science graduates bring a well-rounded background to the workplace.

Interested in pursuing a double major? Pair your online B.A. in Political Science with other select A-State Online programs, including our B.A. in Communication Studies, B.A. in Criminology, B.A. in Sociology or B.S. in Business Administration.

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Prepare for a broad range of professional roles, including:

  • Campaign Manager
  • Lobbyist
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Paralegal
  • Recruiter
Prepare for a broad range of professional roles, including:+
  • Campaign Manager
  • Lobbyist
  • Public Relations Specialist
  • Paralegal
  • Recruiter

Gain the knowledge and industry-relevant skills employers seek:

  • Critical thinking
  • Effective communications
  • Negotiation
  • Political analysis
  • Relationship-building
Gain the knowledge and industry-relevant skills employers seek:+
  • Critical thinking
  • Effective communications
  • Negotiation
  • Political analysis
  • Relationship-building

Also available:

A-State offers a variety of undergraduate programs in a convenient online format. Explore our full range of online undergraduate programs.

Per Credit Tuition: $282
Transfer Credits: Up to 90 hours
Credit Hours 120
Apply Now

Need More Information?

Call 866-621-8096

Call 866-621-8096

Tuition

Financial aid is available to those who qualify

A-State's online programs are affordable and convenient. You may also qualify for financial aid. Learn more.

The B.A. in Political Science program offers the same low, pay-by-the-course tuition to all U.S. residents. All fees are included. Tuition may be subject to change on a yearly basis.

Tuition breakdown:

Per Credit Hour: $282
Tuition Per Course: $846

Transfer your credits for lower tuition

Use our Tuition Estimator to see how affordable your degree could be. Slide the notch to the number of credits you've already earned—which may qualify for transfer credit—to get an estimate of what your degree might cost.

0
90
Transfer Credits: 0
Your Estimated Tuition: $Your Estimated Tuition:
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Transcripts sent from other colleges and universities will be evaluated, and accepted credits will be added to the student's A-State record. The Tuition Estimator is not a guarantee or predictor of the number of credit hours that will be accepted.

You may be closer to Graduation than you think!

A-State-approved credit for prior learning recognizes your previous accomplishments, reducing your tuition costs and time to graduation.

Calendar

Set a calendar reminder for these key deadlines

Our B.A. in Political Science is a flexible online program featuring accelerated coursework and multiple start dates per year.

Please note Summer 1 and Summer 2 terms are 5 weeks in duration for this program.

View full calendar  + 

TermProgram Start DateApplication DeadlineDocument DeadlineRegistration DeadlinePayment DueLast Class Day
Spring 11/13/2512/16/2412/18/241/9/251/10/252/28/25
Spring 23/10/252/24/252/28/253/6/253/7/255/2/25

Now enrolling:

Next Apply Date 2/24/25
Start Class 3/10/25

Have questions or need more information about A‑State online programs?

Ready to take the next step toward earning your degree online from A-State?

Apply Now

Admissions

Preview the admission requirements for the online political science degree

A-State Online offers a streamlined admission process for both new students and transfers. Students who are interested in the B.A. in Political Science online program should review and follow the requirements for admission below.

Admission Requirements:

  • Online application
  • Official transcripts
  • 2.0 GPA for transferring credits
View all admission requirements +

There are several paths to admittance at A-State:

  • If you have 13 or more transferrable college credit hours, you would be admitted if you have a cumulative college GPA of at least 2.0 on previous college coursework
  • If you have 0-12 transferrable college credit hours and have been out of high school for five years or more, you would be admitted if you:
    • Have a high school diploma or state-approved equivalent
    • Have completed 12 or fewer earned college hours
    • Have never enrolled as a student at A-State
    Note: If you’re admitted as non-traditional first-time freshman, you may be required to successfully complete a predesignated curriculum of 12 hours (Certificate or Non-Degree). Upon successful completion, you will be transitioned to a degree seeking program.
  • If you have 0-12 transferrable college credit hours and have been in high school within the last 5 years, you would be admitted if you have one of the following:
    • 3.0 cumulative high school grad point average (or GED test score equivalent), OR
    • 19 minimum ACT super score or minimum 990 combined SAT super score, OR
    • Class rank in the top 20% of your graduating class

​Application Submission Requirements

Submitting your application takes three easy steps: filling out the application, submitting your documents and paying the application fee.

  1. When completing the online application, select 100% online student and then complete all the steps on the online application.
  2. Pay $30.00 non-refundable application fee.
  3. Submit all official college transcripts.
  4. Submit official high school transcripts (if applicable).
  5. Submit official ACT/ SAT test scores (if applicable).

Note: If you have 0-12 transferrable college hours, test scores will still need to be submitted for reporting purposes to the Arkansas Department of Higher Education (ADHE); however, they are not needed for an admission decision. Accuplacer test scores are an acceptable alternative to ACT/SAT scores.

If you have any questions along the way, call us at 866-621-8096 and we’ll be happy to help answer questions.

Graduate Enrollment for Seniors

Seniors at Arkansas State University may register for graduate credit if they meet the following criteria:

  • Must be within 12 semester hours of completion of the bachelor's degree at A-State in the semester in which the dual enrollment is to occur
  • Met the GPA requirements for unconditional admission to the Graduate School
  • Obtain approval of the faculty advisor, the course professor and the graduate dean

Seniors may then enroll in a maximum of 12 hours of graduate work, provided the total undergraduate and graduate hours do not exceed 15 semester hours. A course used toward an undergraduate degree cannot be counted or used later for graduate credit, except in the case of enrollment in an approved Accelerated Master's Program. Students will receive graduate credit only if the requirements for the bachelor's degree have been met by the end of the term and all requirements for admission to the Graduate School are met.

Enrollment under these conditions is limited to one term. Graduate tuition will be charged for all graduate courses.

Other exceptional undergraduate students who have attained senior status but are not in their last 12 hours and who wish to enroll in graduate school will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Document Submission Address

Submit all documents to:

A-State Online
P.O. Box 2520
State University, AR 72467

Fax: 870-972-3548
Email: [email protected]

For Non-US Postal Mail Overnight Delivery Only:

A-State Online
c/o Central Receiving
2713 Pawnee St.
Jonesboro, AR 72401

Courses

What you'll learn in your online political science courses

To earn your Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, you need to complete 120 credit hours of coursework. The program includes 38 credit hours of general education courses and 48 credit hours of major courses. Also included is 34 credit hours of elective courses, which includes a foreign language requirement of up to 12 hours dependent upon transferring credits. Transferring previously earned credit hours may help you finish faster, and those transfer credit hours will be evaluated during the admission process.

Visit the Course Registration page to view the course schedule for this degree.

Expand All

These courses must be taken to complete your degree.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
American politics. The constitution, government, and politics of the United States.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the discipline of political science, its subfields, and to the use of the social scientific method and logical inquiry.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Constitutional theories as expounded in decisions of the Supreme Court since 1789. Questions such as the nature of law and political theories underlying Supreme Court decisions will be investigated.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
U.S. presidency and national executive processes in the American political system.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Judicial and statutory interpretations of the fundamental liberties contained in the U.S. Constitution.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An examination of state and federal police powers and how they are regulated by the Constitution and statutes.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Surveys the field of comparative politics, with case studies of selected countries.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
A comparative analysis of major European political systems in terms of their pressure groups, political parties, and policy formation processes.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Various approaches to the study of international politics.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An analytical study of American political theories from the pre-colonial era to the present and their impact upon our political institutions.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Contemporary political ideas and movements, including liberalism, conservatism, anarchism, fascism, communism, and nationalism.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Writings of modern political philosophers such as Machiavelli, Hobbes, and Rousseau.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Survey of the field of public administration and its problems.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Major Middle Eastern political systems, with concentration on their common characteristics and major differences.

Students must take 34 credit hours of electives to satisfy the 120 credit hours required for this program and may include up to 12 hours of a foreign language to satisfy the foreign language requirement. Courses may be chosen with the assistance of an advisor and per your degree plan. Electives can come from any courses offered so long as prerequisites are met.

Students must take the following courses.

First-year course - Students must take the following Making Connections online course. If you transfer in more than 12 credit hours, you will not be required to take the Making Connections course. You may replace that 3-hour course with a 3-hour elective course.

First-year course (3 hours)
UC 1013

Departmental (3 hours)
PHIL 1103

Communication Requirement (6 hours)
ENG 1003
ENG 1013

Mathematics Requirement (3 hours)
Students must take MATH 1023 or any MATH course that requires MATH 1023 as prerequisite.

Arts and Humanities Requirement (6 hours)
MUS 2503
ENG 2003
ENG 2013

Social Sciences Requirement (9 hours)
HIST 1013
HIST 1023
HIST 2763
HIST 2773
SOC 2213
PSY 2013

Life Science Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete BIO 1003 with BIO 1001 lab.

Physical Sciences Requirement (4 hours)
Students must complete CHEM 1043 with CHEM 1041 lab.

Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Laboratory, must be taken with BIO 1003. There will be a fee when purchasing the LabKit. Please visit the tuition and fees page for pricing.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The major characteristics and processes of life emphasizing the human organism. Promotes understanding of diversity and unity among living organisms with focus on ecological interactions and responsibilities of people within their social and natural environment. Lecture three hours per week. Special course fees may apply. Must be taken with BIO 1001.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 1
Special course fees apply. Prerequisite or co-requisite of CHEM 1043. Fall only.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to selected fundamental concepts including dimensional analysis, mole concept, atomic and molecular structure, nomenclature, chemical reactions, thermochemistry, intermolecular interactions, gases, mixtures, kinetics, equilibrium and acid base chemistry. Fall only.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study and practice of fundamentals of written communication, including principles of grammar, punctuation, spelling, organization, and careful analytical reading. Prerequisite, with grade of C or better, for ENG 1013.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Continues the practice of ENG 1003 to develop further the skills learned in that course. Based on reading and discussion of various types of writing, the students’ essays will provide practice in different kinds of rhetorical development, including research and documentation.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the analysis and interpretation of literary works from several historical periods ranging from early civilizations through the Renaissance.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Introduction to the analysis and interpretation of literary works from several historical periods ranging from the Renaissance to the present.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
WORLD HISTORY. The pre-modern world, with emphasis on the economic, political, and cultural processes that shaped societies before the rise of global interdependence.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
WORLD HISTORY. The modern world, with emphasis on the economic, political, and cultural processes that have increased global interdependence.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
United States history. Social, economic, and political developments from Columbus to the end of Reconstruction.
Duration: Varies Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
The social, economic and political developments Social, economic, and political developments from Reconstruction to the present. Fall, Spring, Summer.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Equations and inequalities, functions and graphs, polynomial and rational functions, exponential and logarithmic functions, systems of equations and inequalities, matrices, and miscellaneous topics. No credit given if taken following MATH 1054.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
This course is an introduction to music for the listener who has had no formal training or experience. By exploring the history of Western Art music, learners will begin to connect the development of music with the changing of society and culture.
Duration: Varies Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Basic problems of philosophy based upon readings in the works of selected leading philosophers. A prerequisite for upper level philosophy. Fall, Spring.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Study of the important scientific, principles of individual human behavior from biological, cognitive, social, and behavioral perspectives.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Human society and social behavior.
Duration: 7 Weeks weeks
Credit Hours: 3
Required course for all first semester freshmen. Course content is centered around the skills and knowledge needed to be a successful ASU student, including academic performance, problem solving, critical thinking, self-management and group building skills, university policies and other relevant issues.
“For just about every issue out there, there’s an organization that works to influence policy outcomes around it by lobbying and educating politicians and the general public.”
– Betsy Aimee, “The Muse”
"You can watch the professors as much as you want via their video-recorded lectures. You can print up the notes beforehand and highlight key items. It was just excellent. I could sit down at three in the morning or get up first thing on a Saturday and dive into the week's lecture. It's whatever time schedule benefits you."
Kimberly Stevens

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