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Earn your Political Science - International Relations and Comparative Politics Degree at UM

Gain a broad perspective on global politics and a strong foundation to tackle challenges at the local, state, national and global levels. With a focus in international relations and comparative politics, you’ll explore issues such as war, peace and security; examine the political, economic and cultural differences between states; and look at how governments cooperate to address transnational challenges such as pandemic diseases and climate change.

The international relations and comparative politics concentration of the political science degree at UM offers unique opportunities for real-world learning through internships, study abroad, Montana’s Model UN, programs at UM’s Mansfield Center and more. Political science majors with a focus in international relations and comparative politics are also encouraged to minor in one of UM’s many languages, such as Arabic, Chinese, French, German or Russian.

Political science is a degree you can easily tailor to your specific interests or pursue as a double major. In addition to international relations and comparative politics, we also offer concentrations in American politics, public law, and public policy and public administration.

What can you do with a Political Science degree?

Politics influence almost every aspect of our lives — from economics and education, to health care and the environment. For political science majors, this means a wide range of career options.

Graduates of our international relations and comparative politics program have gone on to diverse careers working with:

• US Government, including State Department, Peace Corps, US AID, Congressional staff, Department of Commerce, and Department of Defense.
• International organizations, including UN agencies and nonprofits such as UNICEF, the World Bank, Human Rights Watch, and Unite for Sight.
• State, local, and tribal government, such as governor’s trade representative, city and county administration, and tribal health policy.
• Community service organizations such as the International Rescue Committee, United Way and Soft Landing Missoula.
• Domestic nonprofits, think tanks, strategic analysis firms, lobbyists and corporations.

With further study, many of our political science and international relations majors also go on to careers in law (including refugee law, environmental law, and international corporate law) as well as teaching and academia.

What is comparative politics and international relations?

Comparative politics is the study of governments, economies, societies, and citizens within states worldwide, including comparisons of national challenges, strategies and policies. 

International relations is the study of conflict and cooperation among states and other international actors, including the United Nations and nonprofits such as the International Red Cross. 

International Relations and Comparative Politics jobs

• Diplomat
• Foreign service officer
• Research and advocacy in US and international nonprofits
• Researcher
• Teacher
• Lawyer
• Policy Analyst
• Policy Advocate
• Government official
• Lobbyist
• Political Analyst

Political Science Salaries

Political science jobs are wide ranging, and salaries will vary depending on education and experience, so it’s difficult to put a number on how much you can earn. However, graduates with a political science bachelor’s degree earn an average salary of $63,000 — according to Payscale.com

Experiential learning in the political science program

Develop real-world skills that will help you hit the ground running when you graduate. Our political science major offers all kinds of ways to gain hands-on experience in the field — through opportunities such as UM’s , internships, study abroad programs, and our Franke Global Leadership Initiative.

UM is home to the Montana Model UN conference and award-winning traveling team — a great opportunity for political science majors with global interests to develop their leadership skills and prepare for careers in international affairs and public policy.

Each fall, our Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ staff a two-day Model UN conference for 250+ high school Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ from Montana, Idaho and Wyoming. Each spring, 12 Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ represent UM at the National Model UN collegiate conference in New York.  Learn more about UM’s Montana Model UN here.

We also have very strong internship programs — with local, national and international connections. Our Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ have worked everywhere from The White House to Montana state legislatures; US embassies to local election campaigns; US senators’ offices to the US Senate Finance Committee. UM’s Baucus Leaders program and other scholarships provide financial support for student internships.

Want to gain international experience and pursue your political science major overseas? We also offer exciting that, for many, are defining experiences at college.

Internships for international relations and comparative politics

Earn academic credit while gaining on-the-job experience. We offer a wide variety of internship opportunities working with government and international organizations, nonprofits and more. Recent examples include:

• The White House
• US senators’ offices
• US Senate Finance Committee
• US embassies
• World Affairs Council of Montana
• UM’s Mansfield Center
• Montana state legislature
• US House and Senate district field offices in Montana

Study abroad for political science majors

Enrich your life and education, and gain valuable international experience, with overseas study. We offer a wide variety of programs and destinations. UM has agreements with many international universities where UM Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ can study for a semester or year paying only their regular UM tuition and fees. Explore study abroad programs at the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥. 

Career development in the political science major

At the Ñý¼§Ö±²¥, you’ll find many opportunities to get involved and make a difference in your community — building professional connections as you learn. From jobs and service learning, to professional conferences and student organizations, networking and professional development will be an important part of your experience here as a major in political science.

The concentration in international relations and comparative politics is also a flexible program you can easily tailor to your specific interests. We offer a wide range of complementary majors, minors and certificate programs that enable you to explore areas of interest, develop expertise and expand your skills.  Political science faculty are leaders in many of these minors and certificates, for example international development studies, climate change studies, and migration studies.   

Student organizations for political science and international relations majors

• Montana Model UN Traveling Team
• International Development Studies Club
• UM Climate Response Club
• Language and culture clubs, including China, Russian, French, Irish, and Arabic
• Kyiyo Native American Student Association
• Pi Sigma Alpha political science honors society

Political science scholarships

Each year, we award over $43,000 in scholarships to political science majors with a range of interests, accomplishments and activities both on campus and in the community — including incoming UM Ñý¼§Ö±²¥ who excelled in the Montana Model UN High School Conference, as well as a three-week summer course about the theory and practice of wilderness policy, that ends with a pack mule trip into a local wilderness area. .

Political science degree requirements

Coursework for the international relations and comparative politics program explores topics such as international security, politics of global migration, global environmental politics, politics of social movements, tribal sovereignty and the politics of polarization.

This expands on the broader political science curriculum that explores American government and politics, political theory, public law, and public administration and public policy.  You’ll study across these fields, with four options in which to specialize.

The political science degree at UM also includes a special writing course, and optional courses such as a three-week summer course about the theory and practice of wilderness policy, in which you’ll delve into issues of land management, recreation, wildfire and wildlife and tribal wilderness, finishing with a pack mule trip into a local wilderness area. .