Political Science

Bachelor of Arts

Bucknell's political science program prepares you to work for change in the world. Our majors have opportunities to conduct faculty-guided research backed by the Bucknell Institute for Public Policy and the Bucknell Center for Social Science Research.

Nearly half our majors study abroad in countries like Egypt, Brazil, France and South Africa. Our undergraduates gain real-world experience through internship programs that place them on Capitol Hill and with public-service organizations around the world.

Our graduates have careers in government and nonprofits, serve in the Peace Corps, and hold jobs in law firms, banks and corporations. Wherever you want to make a difference, we can give you the tools to get there.

Students discuss around a conference table

Conduct Research Supported by On-Campus Institutes

Bucknell is home to two institutes that provide support and faculty guidance to students interested in conducting social science research. The Bucknell Institute for Public Policy (BIPP) provides qualified summer research fellows with $3,000 grants and housing to support full-time, faculty-guided projects.

These culminate in presentations at the Susquehanna Valley Undergraduate Research Symposium or another approved venue.

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The Center for Social Science Research (CSSR) provides students with grounding in the fundamental methodologies of social science field research. The center trains students to create deep connections with community field sites, ensuring that students have the tools they need to take on community-based research after they leave Bucknell.

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Bucknell National Security Forum

The Bucknell National Security Forum was created by a gift from a member of the Class of 1957 to support and promote a program about national security, with speakers drawn from the academic and government communities, as well as the media, policy and research institutes and experts in the field.

Past Speakers:

2022: Ryan Haas, senior fellow of the Michael H. Armacost Chair at Brookings
2020–21: Sherri Goodman, senior strategist at the Center for Climate and Security
2019: Brendan McCord, senior advisor for AI Department of Defense
2018: Matthew Rojansky, director of the Kennan Institute at the Woodrow Wilson Center, Washington, D.C.
2017: Chris Inglis, distinguished visiting professor in cyber security studies at the U.S. Naval Academy, former deputy head of the National Security Agency