<p>Would very much appreciate a discussion of the pros and cons of Berkeley vs. UCLA for an incoming freshman majoring in political science. Both schools seem to have very well respected department, and of course both are suffering from California budget cuts. Is poli sc an impacted major at either school? What does each school excel at? Would also welcome recommendations for specific classes/profs at either or both. Thanks so much!</p>
<p>Poli Sci isn’t ‘impacted’ in the way we use the word here (where impacted means you can’t drop courses after a certain, earlier than normal, deadline).</p>
<p>However, as I imagine you don’t mean that type of impacted, yes. Poli Sci at UCLA is a huge major, and for many classes it would be impossible to get in without being a declared Poli Sci or pre-poli sci major. The lower division classes are pretty large, but nothing out of the ordinary for 1) A large public university and 2) Lower division classes. You’ll find that Cal and UCLA both ‘suffer’ from larger class sizes, but considering I have ~330 people with me in Chemistry, the 120 or so who go to my Poli Sci class are a relatively small number.</p>
<p>If you’re declared Pre-poli sci (or change during orientation), you should be able to pick up a lower division class every quarter, so it’s not a big deal. There are only 5 lower division prerequisites anyhow (4 Poli Sci classes and a Statistics course), so you have a lot of room to double major, or to take a lot of irrelevant classes. The whole major is around 60 units if memory serves, so you shouldn’t have any trouble graduating on time either.</p>
<p>I won’t speak to the nature of one school vs. another, because unless you’ve actually attended both schools rhetoric of that nature is pointless. What I will encourage you to do is to visit both schools, get personal opinions from the students, and maybe even sit in on a Poli Sci class. If you do happen to come visit UCLA during the Spring, I’d be more than happy to shoot you an email/PM about the various classes and where they meet so you could go see one.</p>
<p>Anyhow, best of luck in your decision,
CP</p>
<p>Berkeley has excellent comparative, American, and theory. They also do pretty well in methodology.</p>
<p>UCLA has excellent comparative and American. Their methodology is good, and theory is good as well. </p>
<p>Neither one, as of right now, really has many groundbreaking names in IR, but I think Berkeley edges out UCLA by a bit in that regard. UCSD is the IR king amongst UCs right now-- not that it matters to you.</p>
<p>You’ll have no problem getting classes, but you’ll not always get that great section or lecture time you wanted.</p>
<p>I was originally double majoring in History and Political Science, but decided to drop Political Science. The Poli Sci Department has great faculty and you’ll learn a lot. The bad thing is that you better have a lot of AP credits or you’ll have trouble getting into the Poli Sci classes you want. Poli Sci classes fill up extremely fast (like you have no idea). Don’t expect to be able to enroll into a good Poli Sci class during your 2nd pass. However, that doesn’t meant you can’t get into “a” Poli Sci class. It just means you may not necessarily get into the one you want, meaning you might get stuck with the crappy, harsh grading professor.</p>
<p>Regardless, if you’re a Poli Sci Major/Pre Major and you have a good amount of AP credits, you should be fine getting into your classes during first pass. UCLA has several concentrations for Poli Sci. They are: American Politics, International Relations, Methods and Models, Political Theory. When you choose your concentration, you take a minimum of 4 classes in your concentrated field, and then 2 classes for each of two other fields. You need to take 10 upper divs and 5 lower divs, including Poli Sci 6/Stats 10, which is an intro to Statistics class.</p>
<p>IMPORTANT**: No matter which concentration you choose, it will not show up in your diploma and it will matter little to your employer or graduate school on your transcript. Simply choose the concentration YOU ENJOY THE MOST, not the one that “looks good” or “seems useful.”</p>
<p>American Politics: The intro class to this is PS40. This concentration will just be like your AP American Government class and you’ll be learning about how local, state, and federal government works. You’ll study stuff like the Constitution, Amendments, court cases, etc. At least in PS40 you will…</p>
<p>International Relations: The intro to this is PS20, but I’ve never taken it so I can’t say.</p>
<p>Methods and Models: The intro to this is PS30 and PS6/Stats 10. Methods and Models is the concentration that is the most UNRELATED to Poli Sci. It emphasizes Game Theory so you’ll be studying things like the Prisoner’s Dilemma. If you don’t know what that is, you can google it.</p>
<p>Political Theory: The intro to this class is PS10. Political Theory is very similar to a Philosophy class. In this concentration, or at least in PS10, you will read Locke, Russeau, Socrates, Aristotle, Hobbes and you will argue “theories” on politics.</p>
<p>WHY did I decide to drop Poli Sci?**: Uh…at the time I took more History classes than Poli Sci classes and I enjoyed History more. Also, I would have to take 4 classes every quarter for the rest of college starting sophomore year if I wanted to graduate in time. This is because I wasted my 1st quarter taking life science classes (I’m an ex South Campus major. Sorry, I’m an example of those pre med/pre pharm kids that got weeded out). Also, I realized double majoring doesn’t really have a significant impact on grad schools or employment, and History and Poli Sci are practically similar things, it’s not like I was double majoring in History and Biology. So after all that, I tried to minor in Poli Sci, but that didn’t work out quite well because only Pre Majors and Majors are allowed to enroll in Poli Sci classes during first pass. So now I’m a History major and Public Affairs minor. Argh.</p>
<p>Oh and btw, the counselors and Poli Sci administration department in Bunche is a b****. They will discourage you from double majoring in Poli Sci or minoring in Poli Sci. If you’re a Poli Sci major, they’ll talk to you like “Oh dang, it sucks to be a Poli Sci major, but I’ll help you get through this.” They make it sound like its a curse to be a Poli Sci major.</p>
<p>it is lol…</p>
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<p>I gotta call you out on this. This is the class that is the most related to political science as it is practiced at the graduate level. This is the class that is, in my opinion, most important if you want to become a contemporary scholar of political science. Outside of maybe theory, all of the best political science departments are going quant. The more quant and economics you have, the better your work will be.</p>
<p>Like it or not, political science is following econ down the statistical rabbit hole. Might as well dive in.</p>
<p>Thank you all for helpful UCLA poli sci info – I just visited there and will be visiting Cal next weekend. But just to complicate my decision, George Washington offered enough of a scholarship to bring its cost in line with in-state UC tuition. And while I know it isn’t “ranked” as well as Berkeley or UCLA, it is in DC, and claims great lecturers and internships. Would appreciate anyone’s experiences/advice – thanks!</p>
<p>Hahah everyone at GW majors in politics. I think of it as a huge “degree mill” for those related majors, but maybe you will find otherwise. </p>
<p>As far as internships are concerned, you won’t be at a disadvantage if you go to UCLA or Berkeley, just intern in the summer in DC, and use local/state internships during the year to build your resume. Also, UCLA offers a fantastic program during the year at their Center for American Politics and Public Policy; it’s quite prestigious (we’ve had a Rhodes and Marshall Scholar come out of it in the last 2 years), and allows students to take classes, conduct research AND intern for a quarter in DC. More info can be found here: [UCLA</a> CAPPP Quarter in Washington Program](<a href=“http://www.cappp.ucla.edu/quarterinwashington/index.asp]UCLA”>http://www.cappp.ucla.edu/quarterinwashington/index.asp)</p>
<p>Cheers!</p>
<p>i’m in the same situation. i have no idea where i’m going. 
Cal is supposedly better for polsc but I wonder if there is a substantial difference…</p>
<p>My husband majored in Poli Sci at UCLA and I took a political theory class, and I think what everyone above says was and remains pretty accurate.</p>
<p>I agree with UCLAri, Cal has an edge. It seems to have a broader program with students really into the major. I know one student graduating this Spring in the major, and he has had so many wonderful opportunities, not to mention getting involved in a few student protests and lots of extra curriculars.</p>
<p>if u are going to get a job off of poli sci or want a poli sci phd go to cal…if u want to go to law school come to ucla cause it’ll be way easier to get a high 3.8+ GPA (which is needed for acceptance into good law school) and there is easier access to opp down here at ucla</p>