In its broadest conception, the aim of the study of political science is to understand the way in which policy for a society is formulated and executed and to understand the moral standards by which policy is or ought to be set. This center of interest is often described alternatively as the study of power, of government, of the state, or of human relations in their political context. For teaching purposes, the study of political science has been divided by the department into the following fields: (1) American politics, (2) comparative politics, (3) political theory, and (4) international politics. Introductory courses in these fields provide broad and flexible approaches to studying political life.

The major in political science consists of thirty-one hours, of which, in all but exceptional cases, at least twenty-one hours must be completed at Wake Forest. Where students take political science courses abroad, they have to be in Wake Forest approved programs and/or must have been certified by the department chair. The required courses for the major include the following: (a) at least one non-seminar course in each of the four fields of political science listed above; (b) a course in political science methods (POL 280) normally taken in the junior year; and (c) one political science seminar course (POL 290) normally taken in the senior year.

No more than six hours may be taken toward the major from introductory courses (100-level courses). Majors may not take the introductory courses during their senior year. Highly motivated students who would like to further expand or apply their study beyond the normal course of offerings can undertake internships, individual studies, or directed readings if they fulfill the minimum GPA requirements of 3.0. No more than three hours for any one or any combination of the following courses may be counted toward the major: Political Science 287, 288, or 289. Transfer hours toward the major are awarded on an individual case-by-case basis at the discretion of the department chair. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all courses completed in political science at Wake Forest is required for graduation with the major.

The senior seminar provides an opportunity for majors to experience something comparable to a graduate seminar. As such, it is conducted more by discussion than by lecture and enables students to read and reflect upon advanced scholarly material. The seminar also offers students the opportunity in their final year to create a research paper of greater length and sophistication than is customary and to develop the research and writing skills appropriate to the task.

Students will be awarded Honors in Political Science if their major GPA at the time of Graduation is 3.8 or higher.

Political science majors who minor in Latin-American studies also have the opportunity to pursue a five-year cooperative BA/MA degree program at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

The minor in political science consists of eighteen hours. Fifteen of the hours must be taken at Wake Forest. No more than six hours may be taken toward the minor from introductory courses (100-level courses). Highly motivated students who would like to further expand or apply their study beyond the normal course of offerings can undertake internships, individual studies, or directed readings if they fulfill the minimum GPA requirements of 3.0. No more than three hours for any one or any combination of the following courses may be counted toward the minor: Political Science 287, 288, or 289. Transfer hours toward the minor are awarded on an individual case-by-case basis at the discretion of the chair. A minimum grade point average of 2.0 in all courses completed in political science at Wake Forest is required for graduation with the minor.

A student who selects political science to fulfill the Division IV requirement must take one of the following courses: Political Science 113, 114, 115, or 116. Students who are not majors in political science may take upper-level courses as electives without having had lower-level courses, unless a prerequisite is specified.