Political Science
An election, a protest, or a new law can change the life of a society. The Political Science degree at Universidad de Chile prepares you to understand why those changes happen, who takes part in them, and what consequences they have. You will learn to analyze power, how governments work, and the relationship between institutions and citizens.
The degree belongs to the Facultad de Gobierno and lasts ten semesters, equivalent to five years. It is taught in a daytime format and has a semiflexible curriculum, which combines core training with elective courses. It awards the academic degree of Licenciado or Licenciada in Political Science and the professional title of Cientista PolÃtico or Cientista PolÃtica.
During the first two years you will build the foundations for understanding politics. You will study how the State is organized, how institutions have evolved, and what ideas have influenced different forms of government. You will also learn about other political systems, international relations, and the challenges of globalization. Your training includes academic reading and writing, English, and mathematics.
Research is an important part of the degree. You will learn to ask questions, gather information, and analyze it with different methods. Qualitative methods allow you to explore experiences, discourses, and contexts; quantitative methods help you study data and recognize trends. Later on, you will learn to combine both to better understand a single issue.
In your third year you will explore in depth the Chilean political system and the political processes of Latin America. You will also study economics, international organizations, negotiation, and decision-making. Public policy courses will teach you how to go from diagnosing a problem to proposing a response and putting it into practice.
For example, to analyze a measure on housing or education, you will learn to consider the needs of the population, the available resources, the interests of the actors involved, and implementation challenges. Your training will give you tools to assess whether an intervention achieves its objectives and what could be improved.
In your fourth year you will work with more applied content, such as public policy evaluation, strategic communication, political marketing, and behavior within organizations. The consulting simulation will bring you closer to professional analysis and recommendation tasks, while the research seminar will allow you to integrate the knowledge and methods you have learned.
The fifth year includes four elective courses and an applied research activity. The electives let you explore topics that interest you in greater depth. In the final semester, the professional internship and the degree exam take place, which are part of the completion of the degree.
This program prepares you to work mainly in research, decision-making analysis, policy advising, and management in organizations. You can work in public institutions at different levels, companies, and civil society organizations. Possible tasks include studying a public issue, preparing reports, developing recommendations, and supporting institutional decisions.
For the 2027 regular admission, the information provided indicates 65 openings and application code 11526. The selection score is calculated with 10% Secondary School Grades, 30% grade ranking, 20% PAES Reading Competency, 20% Mathematics Competency 1, and 20% History and Social Sciences.
There are also special admission pathways for BEA, SIPEE, and PACE applicants, people with secondary education completed abroad, outstanding athletes, indigenous students, students with disabilities, and applicants for leadership and school achievement. Each pathway has its own requirements and openings.
To request information, you can contact the Escuela de Gobierno y Gestión Pública, located at Ramón Carnicer 15, Providencia. The phone numbers listed are (+56) 2 2977 1431 and (+56) 2 2977 1433,