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December 7, 2023

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) is set to leave office at the end of the month. That leaves a big group of prospective candidates vying for his seat in Congress. Leading Republican names being thrown...

December 1, 2023

  Ahead of UC Merced's 2023 Fall Commencement, the ceremony keynote speakers have been selected. Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, will speak at the undergraduate...

Almond orchard
November 29, 2023

As a result of climate change, the Golden State's farms are expected to face a surge in agricultural pests, which poses a threat to California's specialty crops industry. Populations of three major...

Pushing the Boundaries of the Discipline

The mission of the Political Science program is to push forward the boundaries of the discipline, and train graduate and undergraduate students to consume and produce sophisticated modern empirical and theoretical research. The rigorous methodological graduate training that students receive at UC Merced places them at the leading edge of the social sciences. We use a unique approach to graduate training, focused on Political Institutions & Political Economy (PIPE) and Political Cognition & Behavior (CAB), guaranteeing that students will have a comprehensive and creative understanding of politics. We believe in interdisciplinary research, crossing boundaries and finding new frontiers, so students are also encouraged to work with faculty from other disciplines such as cognitive science, psychology, economics, and sociology to enrich their education.

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One of the great strengths of political science at UC Merced is its faculty. We are dedicated to building a faculty of cutting-edge researchers and top-rate instructors.

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Our faculty and students are at the forefront of innovative political science research. Our community celebrates publications, awards, presentations, and guest lectures.

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If you are interested in studying and working with leading scholars in Political Science, consider our program. Reach out to poligrad@ucmerced.edu for more information.