Political Science is a branch of social sciences that analyses politics, power, political ideas and ideologies, political participation, political institutions and political systems, political decision-making, policies and policy outcomes. Different forms of political participation, and the organisation of political participation into political parties, pressure groups and new forms of collective activities will be analysed. The institutional structures of political life and their effect on political behaviour will be analysed and compared both on governmental and non-governmental arenas, on national and international arenas. Political ideas and their historical and theoretical foundations will be analysed. At the University of Tampere, special attention is paid to new forms of political participation, and problems of democracy both on national and international levels.

In Bachelor's degree, basic features of political life and basic concepts of the discipline will be studied. There will be teaching and literature on political theory, political communication, civil society and political participation, political institutions and processes, policy outcomes, Finnish political system, Europe and globalization. Basic principles of scientific research methods will be studied. Studies in Bachelor's degree will culminate in the making of the Bachelor's thesis.

In Master's degree, theoretical and methodological skills are improved, and student specialises in some areas of Political Science. Studies in Master's degree will culminate in the writing of the Master's thesis.

Students of Political Science have the option of participating in international exchange programmes, and instruction through English is also arranged. Students may moreover join bachelor's and master's level English programmes arranged by the Department in conjunction with the International School of Social Sciences (ISSS), which operates in the Faculty of Social Sciences. It is also possible to complete a voluntary internship, for example in a governmental organisation, during the Master's degree studies.

• Degree Programmes taught in Finnish
• Bachelor of Social Sciences, Political Science
• Master of Social Sciences, Political Science