UC Berkeley vs George Washington for political science: which is better for undergrad majors interested in politics and government?

UC Berkeley has the edge for political science as an academic program, but George Washington can be more advantageous for undergraduates who want day-to-day access to internships in government and policy while still in school. Berkeley’s political science department is one of the most established in the country, with broad course offerings across American politics, comparative politics, international relations, political theory, and public law. It also gives you access to a large research university environment where undergrads can plug into faculty research, policy institutes, and adjacent strengths in economics, history, sociology, and public policy.

George Washington’s biggest advantage is location. Being in Washington, DC means internships with Congress, federal agencies, think tanks, advocacy groups, and political nonprofits are much easier to do during the academic year, not just over the summer. For a student who wants politics to be hands-on from the start, that practical access is hard to match, and it can shape both your resume and your network earlier.

Berkeley stands out more on the classroom side if you want a deeper and wider academic menu. You would be studying in a department with major scholarly visibility and a campus culture that is intensely engaged with political ideas, activism, law, and public debate. That environment can be especially valuable if you may eventually want graduate study, law school, or a more theory-driven understanding of government and institutions.

GW tends to feel more professionally oriented for this field. Many students there build their college experience around semester-long internships, policy events, guest speakers, and connections to employers in DC. If your priority is turning college into a launchpad for immediate political work experience, GW often makes that process more direct and less logistically difficult.

Cost should matter a lot here too. If Berkeley is significantly cheaper, that would be a strong reason to choose it, especially since political science outcomes often depend more on what you do with opportunities than on the name alone. If price is similar and your main goal is immersion in politics and government practice during undergrad, GW becomes very compelling.