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  • Political Science

Political Science Courses

Political Science courses can help you learn about government structures, political theories, international relations, and public policy analysis. You can build skills in critical thinking, data interpretation, and effective communication, that support analyzing political systems and crafting informed arguments. Many courses introduce tools like statistical software for analyzing political data, simulation models for understanding electoral processes, and case study methods to evaluate policy impacts.


Popular Political Science Courses and Certifications


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    U

    Università di Napoli Federico II

    Understanding Political Concepts

    Skills you'll gain: Political Sciences, Policy Analysis, Critical Thinking, Research, Social Sciences, Systems Thinking, Governance, Sociology, Interactive Learning, Research Methodologies

    4.9
    Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
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    29 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

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    U

    University of London

    Global Diplomacy: the United Nations in the World

    Skills you'll gain: Diplomacy, International Relations, Crisis Intervention, Sustainable Development, Political Sciences, Public Policies, Social Justice, Governance, Advocacy, Policy Analysis, Human Development, World History, Case Studies

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
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    1.9K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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    U

    Università di Napoli Federico II

    Global Politics

    Skills you'll gain: International Relations, Political Sciences, Social Studies, Social Sciences, Diplomacy, World History, Research, Governance, Environmental Issue, Cultural Diversity, Intercultural Competence, Economics, Climate Change Adaptation

    4.4
    Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
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    56 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

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    T

    The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology

    Chinese Politics Part 1 – China and Political Science

    Skills you'll gain: Political Sciences, Public Policies, Policy Analysis, Social Sciences, International Relations, Socioeconomics, Economics, Economic Development, Governance, Culture

    4.8
    Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
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    353 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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    U

    Università di Napoli Federico II

    Comparative Political Systems

    Skills you'll gain: Political Sciences, Policy Analysis, Social Sciences, Systems Thinking, Governance, World History, Research Methodologies, Case Studies

    4.4
    Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
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    37 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks

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    S

    Sciences Po

    Politics and Economics of International Energy

    Skills you'll gain: Oil and Gas, Energy and Utilities, Climate Change Mitigation, International Relations, Environmental Issue, Electric Power Systems, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Policy, Economics, Political Sciences, Market Dynamics, Sustainable Development

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
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    1.9K reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

What brings you to Coursera today?

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    U

    Utrecht University

    Inequality and Democracy

    Skills you'll gain: Lobbying, Political Sciences, Socioeconomics, Tax Laws, Civil Law, Social Sciences, Economics, Commercial Laws, Policy Analysis, Liberal Arts, Governance

    4.8
    Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
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    53 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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    O

    O.P. Jindal Global University

    Law, Governance, and Public Policy

    Skills you'll gain: Policy Development, Political Sciences, Governance, Policy Analysis, International Relations, Public Policies, Social Justice, Economic Development, Public Administration, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Case Studies

    Build toward a degree

    4.9
    Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
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    8 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

  • Status: Free Trial
    Free Trial
    U

    University of Amsterdam

    Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences

    Skills you'll gain: Qualitative Research, Scientific Methods, Statistical Analysis, Statistical Hypothesis Testing, Research, Research Design, Sampling (Statistics), Research Reports, Science and Research, Interviewing Skills, Data Analysis, Data Collection, Research Methodologies, Social Sciences, Surveys, Quantitative Research, Statistics, Regression Analysis, Statistical Inference, R Programming

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
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    7.8K reviews

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

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    U

    Universiteit Leiden

    Political Economy of Institutions and Development

    Skills you'll gain: Political Sciences, International Relations, Sustainable Development, Socioeconomics, Economic Development, Governance, Policty Analysis, Research, and Development, Economics, Global Marketing, Cultural Diversity, Sociology, Analysis

    4.7
    Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
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    387 reviews

    Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months

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    Free Trial
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    University of California, Davis

    Computational Social Science

    Skills you'll gain: Social Network Analysis, Network Analysis, Data Wrangling, Natural Language Processing, Web Scraping, Social Sciences, Data Ethics, Databases, Artificial Intelligence, Research, Simulations, Big Data, Systems Thinking, Trend Analysis, Data Science, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Research Methodologies, Machine Learning, Data Collection, Agentic systems

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
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    1.2K reviews

    Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months

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    Free Trial
    Status: AI skills
    AI skills
    I

    IBM

    IBM Data Science

    Skills you'll gain: Exploratory Data Analysis, Data Wrangling, Dashboard, Data Visualization Software, Data Visualization, SQL, Unsupervised Learning, Plotly, Interactive Data Visualization, Peer Review, Data Transformation, Supervised Learning, Jupyter, Data Analysis, Data Cleansing, Data Manipulation, Data Literacy, Generative AI, Professional Networking, Data Import/Export

    Build toward a degree

    4.6
    Rating, 4.6 out of 5 stars
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    148K reviews

    Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months

Searches related to political science

political science and international relations
chinese politics part 1 – china and political science
1234…361

In summary, here are 10 of our most popular political science courses

  • Understanding Political Concepts: Università di Napoli Federico II
  • Global Diplomacy: the United Nations in the World: University of London
  • Global Politics: Università di Napoli Federico II
  • Chinese Politics Part 1 – China and Political Science: The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
  • Comparative Political Systems: Università di Napoli Federico II
  • Politics and Economics of International Energy: Sciences Po
  • Inequality and Democracy: Utrecht University
  • Law, Governance, and Public Policy: O.P. Jindal Global University
  • Methods and Statistics in Social Sciences: University of Amsterdam
  • Political Economy of Institutions and Development: Universiteit Leiden

Frequently Asked Questions about Political Science

Top options include Political Economy of Institutions and Development from Universiteit Leiden, Moral Foundations of Politics from Yale University, and Understanding Political Concepts from the Università di Napoli Federico II. These courses explore political theory, governance, global politics, and public institutions.‎

Yes. Many political science courses offer a free audit option, which allows you to access video lectures and readings at no cost. To complete assignments or earn a certificate, you’ll need to upgrade or apply for financial aid.‎

You’ll learn how governments function, how political systems are structured, and how public policy is created and implemented. Topics may also include political ideologies, international relations, comparative politics, and the role of institutions and citizens in shaping political outcomes.‎

No prior background is required for most introductory courses. Many are designed for general learners and start with foundational concepts. More advanced or specialized courses may build on prior knowledge in law, economics, or history.‎

Yes. These courses are valuable for learners preparing for university study, professionals in public service, educators, or anyone interested in policy, governance, or international affairs. Earning a certificate can support applications for academic programs or enhance your understanding of current global issues.‎

This FAQ content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

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