The Political Science Pedagogy Certification is a new program that provides high-quality professional development opportunities and credentials to political science instructors at all levels and career stages. Learn best practices in political science education while earning specialized credentials from expert political science scholar-educators!
Certification Courses will be available in June 2026. Watch this space for more details.
Why earn a Political Science Pedagogy Credential?
Recent research continues to show that political science departments offer limited political science pedagogy training to graduate students and faculty. Yet, the importance and value of an undergraduate education in political science has never been more apparent. Certification in Political Science Pedagogy allows scholar-educators to develop and deepen their knowledge of political science teaching and learning best practices. Earning a Certification in Political Science Pedagogy signals to hiring committees and tenure and promotion review boards that you are a leader in political science instruction.
Certification Levels in Political Science Education
Teacher-scholars can earn up to three levels of pedagogy expertise based on their level of engagement in the following learning opportunities.
Program Overview
The Political Science Education (PSE) Section of the American Political Science Association (APSA), in partnership with APSA's Teaching and Learning Program, manages all aspects of the certification program.
APSA Political Science Education Pedagogy Fellows develop all virtual and in-person teaching and learning courses. APSA Political Science Fellows are expert political science scholar-educators selected via a competitive process and who have demonstrated:
- Evidence of successful teaching in the discipline;
- Ample experience implementing best practices to offer optimal student learning experiences;
- Evidence of participation in professional development activities designed to improve teaching and learning abilities, including attending teaching-focused short courses, workshops, and conferences.
Fees:
For the inaugural year of this program, you can enroll in the Professional Level short courses for the introductory rate of $50. There are no additional charges – beyond existing conference and short-course fees – for completing the learning experiences required to achieve Master and Expert Level certification. There is no time limit on building your expertise, so you can complete the experiences required for each level at your own pace.
About the APSA Political Science Education Organized Section
The purpose of this section is both to promote exemplary undergraduate teaching within the political science discipline and to promote the scholarship of teaching. The political science education organized section is especially dedicated to increasing the use of innovative teaching methods, particularly those rooted in experience (internships, service learning, simulations, and study abroad) and the evaluation of such methods. Learn more about becoming a member of the Political Science Education here.
Organized sections provide an opportunity for groups of APSA members who share a common interest in a particular subfield to organize meetings and coordinate communications under Association auspices. Sections provide the membership with outlets for research and opportunities for scholarship. Sections help encourage the study of political science. They have become a vital part of the Association by sponsoring panels at the Annual Meeting, producing informative newsletters, and recognizing the scholarly achievements of their members.